Job Summary:
The Maitre d' is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the front-of-house dining experience, ensuring that guests receive exceptional service from the moment they arrive until they leave. You will manage reservations, seating arrangements, and the flow of guests, while maintaining a high standard of hospitality and guest satisfaction. As a leader of the front-of-house team, you will coordinate the dining room staff, ensure smooth service, handle guest inquiries, and work closely with the culinary and management teams to deliver a seamless dining experience.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Guest Relations & Service Excellence:
- Greet and welcome guests with a warm, professional demeanor, creating a welcoming and positive first impression.
- Manage guest reservations and seating arrangements, ensuring timely seating while minimizing wait times and balancing table assignments.
- Oversee the entire guest experience, ensuring that guests are satisfied with their service and addressing any issues or concerns promptly and professionally.
- Anticipate guest needs and go above and beyond to ensure a memorable dining experience.
- Personally handle special requests, FOP guests, and high-profile reservations to ensure they receive exceptional service.
- Communicate with guests to confirm their dining preferences and ensure all requirements are met.
- Staff Management & Coordination:
- Supervise, train, and manage the front-of-house staff, including servers, hosts/hostesses, and busboys, ensuring they are well-prepared, knowledgeable, and efficient.
- Create and maintain staff schedules, ensuring appropriate coverage for peak hours, special events, and holidays.
- Lead by example, providing hands-on support to staff during service, ensuring service standards are maintained.
- Conduct regular briefings with the team to discuss daily specials, menu updates, guest preferences, and special requests.
- Provide coaching and feedback to staff, ensuring continuous improvement and adherence to service protocols.
- Dining Room Management & Operations:
- Oversee the dining room to ensure it is clean, well-organized, and properly set for service.
- Ensure the smooth flow of guests from the entrance to their seats, managing the pace of service and coordinating with the kitchen team to ensure timely food delivery.
- Monitor guest satisfaction throughout the meal, ensuring that guests’ needs are met in a timely manner and that the dining experience exceeds expectations.
- Work with the kitchen and bar teams to coordinate menu specials, dietary restrictions, and wine pairings to ensure a seamless dining experience.
- Manage the reservation system, ensuring efficient handling of reservations, waitlists, and last-minute bookings.
- Event Coordination & Private Dining:
- Coordinate and oversee private events, banquets, or special occasions, ensuring that the event runs smoothly and meets the expectations of the client or guest.
- Work with event coordinators or clients to ensure specific event needs are met, from menu selections to seating arrangements.
- Ensure that all special requests for events, such as personalized menus or décor, are executed flawlessly.
- Customer Feedback & Conflict Resolution:
- Handle guest complaints and issues swiftly and professionally, taking immediate action to resolve any concerns while maintaining a positive atmosphere.
- Collect guest feedback, both positive and negative, and use it to improve service standards and the overall guest experience.
- Ensure that any guest dissatisfaction is addressed in a way that maintains the integrity of the restaurant’s reputation and hospitality standards.
- Collaboration with Management & Kitchen:
- Liaise with the restaurant’s management and kitchen teams to ensure smooth operations and consistent service levels.
- Collaborate with the kitchen and bar teams to ensure accurate communication of guest orders, food preparation, and beverage service.
- Assist in creating and maintaining service standards, operational procedures, and front-of-house policies to ensure consistent delivery of quality service.
- Financial & Administrative Duties:
- Assist with managing guest check-outs, billing, and payment processing, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
- Monitor front-of-house costs, including supplies and labor, and assist in budgeting and cost-control efforts.
- Ensure the dining area is prepared and stocked for each shift, including overseeing the inventory of tableware, glassware, and linens.
Education and/or Experience
- High school diploma or equivalent required; hospitality management degree or certification is a plus.
- Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in a front-of-house role, with at least 1–2 years in a supervisory or management capacity.
- Previous experience in fine dining or upscale restaurant environments preferred.
- Strong knowledge of food and beverage service, including wine and menu pairings.
- Experience managing reservations, waitlists, and guest seating in a high-volume dining setting.
Skills/Specialized Knowledge
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with guests, staff, and management in a professional manner.
- Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate, coach, and support front-of-house staff.
- In-depth knowledge of restaurant operations, including dining room organization, guest service protocols, and conflict resolution.
- Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and handle high-pressure situations.
Physical Demands
- Ability to stand for long periods and move between dining areas, wine cellars, and storage rooms.
- Ability to lift and carry heavy wine cases (up to 40 pounds) and other related items.
- Ability to work in various environmental conditions, including cool cellar temperatures and busy dining areas.
- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by the demands of the dining service.
Why Join Proper Hospitality
At Proper, we build experiences that move people — and that begins with the team behind them. As a best-in-class employer, we’re committed to creating one of the Best Places to Work in hospitality by nurturing a culture where creativity, excellence, and humanity thrive together.
Everything we do is grounded in the belief that hospitality is more than a profession - it’s an opportunity to care for others and make lives better. Guided by the Pillars of Proper, we show up with warmth and authenticity (Care Proper), strive for excellence in everything we do (Achieve Proper), think creatively and resourcefully (Imagine Proper), and take pride in the style and culture that make us who we are (Present Proper).
We believe our people are our greatest strength, and we invest deeply in their wellbeing, growth, and sense of belonging. From comprehensive benefits to meaningful development programs, Proper is designed to help you build a career, and a life, that feels as inspiring as the experiences we create for our guests.
Our Commitment: Building the Best Place to Work
Our Best Place to Work initiative is a living commitment — a continuous investment in our people, our culture, and our purpose. We listen, learn, and evolve together to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to imagine boldly, achieve confidently, care deeply, and present themselves authentically.
At Proper, joining the team means more than finding a job — it means joining a community that believes in building beautiful experiences together, for our guests and for one another.
Proper Hospitality is an equal-opportunity employer. We provide employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other federally or state-protected category.
We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with local Fair Chance Hiring Ordinances.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
