The Dorchester
Head Waiter - Alain Ducasse
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Join us as a Head Waiter at The Dorchester Hotel’s Alain Ducasse, recognised as one of ‘The Sunday Times Top 10 Best Places to Work for’ in 2024-2026 and ‘Hotel of the year – London’ at the 2024 AA Hospitality Awards. We continually strive to build and nurture a culture where inclusiveness is part of our DNA, reflected in our values of passion, personality, respect, working together, and creativity. We believe that a variety of perspectives enriches our culture and drives our success.
We care about your career and are known for having the absolute best people in the industry. When you join us as Head Waiter, you start a unique opportunity to become celebrated as the very best in your field. You'll learn not only from your fellow Legends, but also through our award-winning learning academy, so that you can achieve the highest standards of craft, service, and leadership and become a legend in your own story.
What You'll Do
As a Head Waiter, you'll love what you do and take pride in taking care of our guests:
- You will be responsible for delivering food to guests, working closely with both the kitchen (culinary) team and the wine service (sommelier) team to ensure exceptional guest service during the day. This will include preparation of equipment and setting up tables before the restaurant opens to ensure our guests receive the best experience.
- You will also be responsible for completing the closing duties at the end of the day such as cleaning tables, storing equipment, and resetting the dining area.
- Occasionally, guests may have special requests, including dietary needs, specific food or wine preferences, or requests for special celebrations. Most of these requests will be fulfilled by our Head Waiters.
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The items shared are the essence of a day in the life of our Head Waiter, but we will make sure you are provided with specifics on how we care for our hotel.
The operational hours of work are shift-based and may be subjected to change. These currently set as:
- Tuesday to Saturday: 14:30 - close
- Sunday and Monday: Off
What You’ll Bring
Essential Skills
- Attention to Detail: Ability to carefully follow procedures and ensure accuracy in orders and service
- Communication Skills: Clear verbal communication to interact with guests and team members; ability to adapt communication style to suit different guests’ needs
- Teamwork: Willingness to work closely with kitchen staff and other front-of-house team members to ensure smooth service.
- Customer Service: Ability to create a welcoming atmosphere and respond positively to guests' needs or concerns.
- Organization: Capacity to manage time effectively and handle multiple tasks during busy service.
- Problem-Solving: Ability to think quickly and calmly when addressing guest requests or unexpected situations.
- Manual Dexterity: Capability to handle table setting, plate presentation, and serving dishes with precision.
Preferred Skills
- Knowledge of Fine Dining Etiquette: Familiarity with Michelin-level service standards, but training will be provided.
- Language Skills: Additional languages beyond English can be helpful for communicating with a diverse clientele.
- Experience in Luxury or High-End Dining: Previous experience in a fine dining or Michelin-starred environment is beneficial.
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What You'll Get
- Complimentary Stays: Enjoy complimentary stays with breakfast at Dorchester Collection Hotels every year.
- Discounts with our hotels, and benefit from discounts at various high street and online shops
- Employee Perks: Enrol from day 1 into the Royal London Private Pension scheme (we contribute 8% towards your pension); Benefit from seasonal ticket loan, rental deposit scheme, private financial advice, and eye care vouchers.
- Training and Development: Advance in your career by accessing various apprenticeships from Level 2 to Hospitality Degree Level 5. We partner with outstanding nationally recognised Apprenticeship providers.
- Social Events: Participate in vibrant social events, including a summer party, winter ball, pub quizzes, and cultural and milestone recognition celebrations.
- Referral Bonus: Earn a £1000 bonus when you recommend a friend.
- Well-being Support: Access immediate well-being advice because we care about our employees.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. If you need us to do anything to support you during the recruitment process (such as adjustments to how you apply, alternative formats of information, or adjustments to the assessment process itself), please do call People & Culture team on 02073197011 or email PeopleAndCultureLondon.UK@dorchestercollection.com so that we can discuss how we can support you through this process.
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