Maitre D'

Overview

We are seeking a polished, personable, and highly organized Maitre d’ to join our restaurant team in Fort Lauderdale. As the face of our establishment, you will play a key role in creating an exceptional first impression and ensuring every guest receives a warm, personalized, and memorable dining experience.

The ideal candidate will have a strong passion for hospitality, excellent interpersonal skills, and extensive knowledge and hands-on experience with the OpenTable reservation management platform. The candidate must be local to Fort Lauderdale and have a strong understanding of the local community, including its clientele, dining scene, and social culture.

This role requires exceptional organizational abilities, a keen eye for detail, and the confidence to oversee reservations, coordinate seating arrangements, manage dining room flow, and build lasting relationships with guests. Working closely with restaurant management and the service team, the Maitre d’ will help ensure seamless front-of-house operations while delivering an elevated dining experience.

Responsibilities

• Welcome and greet guests warmly and professionally, creating an outstanding first impression.
• Manage reservations, waitlists, table assignments, and guest preferences using OpenTable.
• Utilize OpenTable to optimize table management, monitor reservation flow, manage guest profiles, and accommodate special requests.
• Oversee seating arrangements and dining room flow to ensure efficient service and guest satisfaction.
• Build and maintain relationships with regular guests, VIPs, local residents, and members of the Fort Lauderdale community.
• Leverage knowledge of the local community and dining scene to enhance guest relations and strengthen the restaurant’s presence.
• Communicate VIP arrivals, special occasions, and guest preferences to the appropriate team members.
• Coordinate closely with restaurant management, servers, bartenders, and the culinary team to ensure seamless service.
• Handle phone calls, reservation inquiries, and guest requests with professionalism and courtesy.
• Monitor the dining room throughout service to ensure guests receive attentive and exceptional service.
• Address guest concerns promptly, discreetly, and professionally.
• Maintain an organized, welcoming, and polished entrance and host stand.
• Support management in upholding restaurant service standards and creating an exceptional overall dining experience.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Maitre d’ or in a comparable front-of-house leadership role.
• Must be local to Fort Lauderdale and have strong knowledge of the local community.
• Extensive knowledge and hands-on experience with OpenTable is required.
• Strong understanding of reservation management, table inventory, seating optimization, waitlists, guest profiles, and reservation notes.
• Established familiarity with Fort Lauderdale’s dining scene, local clientele, and social community is highly desirable.
• Experience in fine dining, upscale restaurants, or luxury hospitality is preferred.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and guest relations skills.
• Professional appearance, polished demeanor, and outstanding attention to detail.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to coordinate dining room operations and work collaboratively with management and service staff.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to handle guest concerns with discretion.
• Dependability, punctuality, and a genuine passion for hospitality and guest satisfaction.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is gracious, confident, and detail-oriented, with extensive practical experience using OpenTable and a thorough understanding of restaurant reservation management and dining room operations. They are well established in the Fort Lauderdale area, understand the local community, and can build authentic relationships with residents, regular guests, and influential members of the local dining scene.

They take pride in anticipating guest needs, managing the dining room efficiently, and creating an elegant, welcoming atmosphere that encourages repeat visits and lasting guest loyalty.

Pay: $18.00 - $25.00 per hour

Expected hours: 15.0 – 25.0 per week

Work Location: In person