Maître D’ - The Ben Hotel, Autograph Collection

Food and beverage at The Ben is where presence matters and details define the experience. From the polished confidence of Proper Grit to the vibrant elegance of Spruzzo, each space is designed to feel alive, intentional, and impeccably hosted. Hospitality here is not transactional. It is about reading the room, setting the tone, and creating moments that feel effortless, elevated, and memorable.

As a Maitre D’, you are the heartbeat of the dining room. This role is for someone who understands flow, thrives on connection, and takes pride in leading with poise and intuition. You are equal parts conductor and host, guiding the guest experience with warmth, confidence, and precision. If you are drawn to beautiful spaces, high standards, and the art of making people feel perfectly placed, this is where your presence makes the difference.

The Maître D’ is responsible for leading the guest arrival experience and overall flow of the restaurant, ensuring a refined, welcoming, and well-paced dining environment that reflects the luxury standards of The Ben Hotel. This position serves as the primary steward of first impressions, overseeing reservations, seating strategy, pacing, and guest flow while directly managing the Host and Hostess team.

The Maître D’ acts as a visible front-of-house leader, partnering closely with Food & Beverage leadership, culinary teams, and service staff to deliver a seamless and elevated guest experience.

Guest Experience & Service Excellence

• Ensure a warm, professional, and polished guest arrival experience that sets the tone for the meal period
• Anticipate guest needs and personalize interactions to enhance satisfaction and loyalty
• Oversee VIP recognition, special occasions, and preference awareness
• Respond to guest concerns and service recovery opportunities with empathy and discretion
• Maintain a consistent on-floor presence, modeling professionalism, confidence, and hospitality standards

Restaurant Flow & Operational Oversight

• Manage reservations, seating strategy, waitlists, and table assignments
• Control and adjust pacing and guest flow based on volume, staffing, and kitchen capacity
• Make real-time operational decisions to balance guest experience with business needs
• Partner with Food & Beverage Managers and culinary leadership to align service execution

Host / Hostess Leadership

• Recruit, schedule, train, and develop the Host and Hostess team
• Set and enforce standards for greeting, communication, appearance, and guest interaction
• Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and performance management
• Support associate engagement, accountability, and retention

Front-of-House Collaboration

• Support pre-shift meetings by communicating reservations, VIP notes, and pacing expectations
• Serve as a role model and mentor for front-of-house service excellence
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure consistency across the guest journey

Administrative & Compliance Responsibilities

• Review guest feedback and identify opportunities for service improvement
• Ensure compliance with brand standards, health regulations, and safety procedures
• Support training initiatives and service process enhancements
• Uphold The Ben Hotel’s culture, values, and service philosophy

Education / Formal Training

• High school diploma or equivalent required

Experience

• Two to five years of experience in upscale or luxury dining environments
• Prior leadership or supervisory experience strongly preferred

Knowledge / Skills

• Strong understanding of restaurant operations, reservations systems, and guest flow
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and decision-making skills
• Ability to remain composed and effective in high-volume environments
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and engage teams
• Flexible availability including evenings, weekends, and holidays
   

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Excellent vision required for seating guests, expediting food, cleaning equipment, reading floor plans, charts, schedules.
• Ability to lift, push, pull and carry tables, chairs, trays, plates, and chaffing dishes on a daily basis, 20 -40 lbs.
• Bending to pick up dropped items as needed. Bend to assist in serving food or getting supplies.
• No kneeling required.
• Mobility -95% of shift covering all areas of outlets supervising.
• Continuous standing to assist at hostess station -minimal stationary standing.
• Climbing stairs -varies by location. No driving required.

Environment

• Inside 95% of shift. Temperatures can exceed 100 degrees if working at location with outside dining facilities and when assisting in kitchen.

• Unlimited paid time off 
• Eligible to enroll in medical insurance with employer covering up to 70% of premiums with wellness credit 
• Eligible to enroll in dental insurance with employer contribution towards premiums & vision insurance 
• Eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) program with employer match
• Eligible to enroll in Health savings accounts or Flexible Spending Accounts
• Company paid Basic Life and AD&D insurance coverage, with option to enroll in additional coverage 
• Eligible to purchase Pet Insurance, Accidental Insurance, Critical Insurance and Hospital Indemnity Insurance 
• Company-paid short-term disability 
• WINFertility guidance for those enrolled in Sage medical plan 
• Calm Health Application Subscription 
• Tuition Reimbursement of up to $2,000 per calendar year 
• Employee Assistance Program  
• Great discounts on Hotels, Restaurants, and much more. 
• Eligible to participate in the Employee Referral Bonus Program. Up to $1,000 per referral.