Catering Captain

The Catering Captain is responsible for executing exceptional hospitality and catering services across meetings, executive dining functions, client events, conferences, receptions, workplace hospitality programs, and special events. This role serves as the primary onsite lead during catered events while partnering closely with the Catering Manager to ensure flawless execution, exceptional guest experiences, and client satisfaction.

The Catering Captain embodies luxury hospitality principles found in premier hospitality organizations such as The Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, Four Seasons, St. Regis, and other world-class service environments. This position requires exceptional attention to detail, a guest-first mentality, impeccable presentation standards, and the ability to anticipate guest needs while delivering seamless service in a fast-paced corporate dining environment.

The Catering Captain serves as a hospitality ambassador for both the client and Flagship Culinary Services. Success in this role requires professionalism, ownership, a sense of urgency, and an unwavering commitment to creating memorable guest experiences while maintaining the highest standards of service, food safety, and operational excellence.

Benefits/Perks:

• No Weekends
• Monday to Friday: 7:00am - 3:30pm
• Snacks and meals provided during shifts
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 13 paid holidays
• 401K with match
• Vacation and Sick days

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Owns catering event execution from setup through service and breakdown, ensuring seamless hospitality experiences and operational excellence.
• Serves as the primary onsite lead during catering functions, executive meetings, VIP visits, and workplace hospitality events.
• Delivers elevated hospitality and service standards modeled after luxury hotel and conference service environments.
• Maintains accountability for catering presentation standards, room readiness, food displays, beverage stations, signage, and event aesthetics.
• Conducts event walkthroughs and quality checks prior to guest arrival to ensure complete readiness and execution.
• Ensures all catering orders are delivered accurately, on time, and according to established service specifications and guest expectations.
• Anticipates guest needs and proactively resolves service opportunities before they impact the guest experience.
• Supports executive dining, client meetings, board meetings, town halls, receptions, conferences, and special events.
• Partners closely with the Catering Manager, Culinary Team, Workplace Experience, Facilities, Security, and Operations teams to ensure successful event execution.
• Drives a Guest First culture through professionalism, engagement, responsiveness, and superior hospitality.
• Maintains strong relationships with clients, executive assistants, event planners, and stakeholders while serving as a trusted hospitality partner.
• Ensures compliance with food safety, sanitation, HACCP, allergen management, EHS requirements, and workplace safety standards.
• Monitors food quality, presentation, temperatures, replenishment levels, cleanliness, and guest satisfaction throughout service.
• Maintains catering inventories, including linens, smallwares, beverage equipment, serviceware, display pieces, and hospitality supplies.
• Supports inventory control processes, product replenishment, ordering requests, equipment organization, and storage standards.
• Utilizes catering software, digital communication tools, reporting platforms, and client-supported technology to support operational execution and communication.
• Assists the Catering Manager with onboarding, training, and reinforcement of service standards, hospitality expectations, and catering procedures.
• Maintains a strong and intentional floor presence during events, making real-time decisions to ensure service continuity and guest satisfaction.
• Addresses operational and safety concerns proactively, ensuring timely resolution and adherence to all company and client standards.
• Demonstrates exceptional attention to detail, ensuring all hospitality experiences reflect luxury service standards.
• Maintains flexibility to support events scheduled during early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays based on business needs.
• Other duties as assigned.

NOTE: Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks which are illustrative ONLY and are not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed or assigned by this position.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Exceptional hospitality and guest service skills.
• Interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Luxury hotel, banquet, catering, conference services, or corporate hospitality experience preferred.
• Sense of urgency.
• Excellent verbal communication skills.
• Excellent multitasking and prioritization abilities.
• Exceptional customer service skills.
• Professional appearance and polished demeanor.
• Strong attention to detail and presentation standards.
• Ability to move throughout meeting spaces, cafés, dining rooms, conference centers, and kitchens.
• Knowledge of food safety and sanitation practices in the workplace.
• Ability to anticipate guest needs and proactively deliver solutions.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Working knowledge of catering operations, banquet service, conference services, and executive hospitality.
• Proficiency with digital communication platforms, catering systems, and workplace technology tools.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Hospitality Management, Hotel Management, Culinary Arts, Event Management, or related education preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in catering, conference services, luxury hospitality, executive dining, fine dining, workplace hospitality, or customer service environments.
• Experience supporting high-profile clients, executives, VIP functions, or luxury hospitality operations strongly preferred.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Fast-paced hospitality and dining environment in which interruptions are considered normal.
• High sense of urgency.
• Moderate to high noise level.
• Exposure to cleaning chemicals and sanitizing agents used in kitchen and hospitality operations.
• Slippery and uneven surfaces may be encountered.
• Frequent movement between kitchens, meeting spaces, dining environments, and event venues.
• Environmental demands include hot surfaces, food service equipment, beverage equipment, catering carts, and transportation equipment.
• Early morning, evening, weekend, and holiday work may be required based on business and event needs.

REQUIREMENTS

• Must have and maintain an active Food Handler Certification (ServSafe and/or other local state-required certification) and adhere to local food handler requirements.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to safely push and maneuver catering carts, equipment, and event materials.
• Maintain exceptional standards of attendance, punctuality, professionalism, and appearance.
• Demonstrate a commitment to world-class hospitality, guest service excellence, and client satisfaction.
• Ability to work flexible schedules based on catering and event demands.