Arica Chan-Saint Pierre
What makes a good maitre d?
Flexibility and firmness.
What do you take care of?
Running the operations and staff training.
How do you remember everyone’s names?
We have a pool of regular customers. After six years I can definitely remember them. We also refer to the reservation book.
How do you remember the guests’ likes and dislikes?
By instinct—it’s hard to explain. We don’t keep a formal file, but we share information amongst the floor staff.
How do you recommend dishes?
I basically recommend our famous dishes—the foie gras and chocolate cake.
How do you word up your wait staff?
There’s classroom teaching and they apply what they learn. We also run through what they’ve been taught during their shift breaks.
What was your most difficult customer like?
The ones that are just unhappy with the table allocation. But I anticipate their questions even before they ask by reading their body language.
Biggest perks of the job?
Seeing your customers happy and hearing them say the meal was great.
Will a bigger tip ensure the best table?
No, it’s first-come, first-served. If it’s a birthday, we will try to give you a romantic corner and dress up the table.
Beppe de Vito-il Lido
What makes a good maitre d?
His appearance should be stylish and understated. He should make people feel comfortable.
What do you take care of?
A maitre d is like a teacher—someone who can teach everybody something. You have to be able to give things and make promises without having to check with anybody.
How do you remember everyone’s names?
It’s a myth when people think the maitre d remembers all the names. It’s not really about remembering names so much as remembering the person.
How do you remember the guests’ likes and dislikes?
We always try to know what people don’t like. Once we find out, then we ask them to let us impress them.
How do you recommend dishes?
Most people just want to be looked after. We’re selling an experience. We try to do it without asking too many questions.
How do you word up your wait staff?
We talk about the customers, table arrangement and the food and wines.
What was your most difficult customer like?
To me, a difficult customer is not a specific person—it’s someone who chooses to remain arrogant and rude.
Biggest perks of the job?
Seeing happy people every day. When the staff turnover is low, when the customers come back.
Will a bigger tip ensure the best table?
There’s no bribe. Just make yourself clear and you can get it.
Roxan Villareal-San Marco At The Lighthouse
What makes a good maitre d?
Flexibility—because not everyone can be treated in the same way.
What do you take care of?
Ordering, taking reservations, the wine and staffing.
How do you remember everyone’s names?
If you know their name perfectly it’s fine. If not, sometimes it’s better to call them sir.
How do you remember the guests’ likes and dislikes?
If they are repeat guests we allocate their favorite table automatically. If there are dietary requirements, we make notes and make sure we remember.
How do you recommend dishes?
About 80 percent of the guests know what they want. If they are a little lost, I describe the dishes.
How do you word up your wait staff?
No meal is the same, so be open and listen to what customers want.
What was your most difficult customer like?
We had a guest with a special religion, and we had to get plastic cutlery and utensils. We didn’t pull out a banana leaf, but almost.
Biggest perks of the job?
When you receive an email thanking you for a satisfying meal—because you managed to touch them somewhere.
Will a bigger tip ensure the best table?
It’s first-come, first-served. Once the tables are given away, we say no. It’s integrity.
Edith Lai-Le Saint Julien
What makes a good maitre d?
Your inner qualities—you need to be devoted to food and services. Secondly, your memory—remember what aperitifs guests like.
What do you take care of?
I handle the phone calls, assign the tables, lay out the restaurant plan properly and go through the guest list thoroughly.
How do you remember everyone’s names?
We look at the way they dress and remember specific incidents.
How do you remember the guests’ likes and dislikes?
Learn the ethnic preferences of the guests. For example, Indian guests love lamb rack. But they will seldom want it rare or medium rare. So you have to ask what they want.
How do you recommend dishes?
Recommend something with your heart. Facial expressions and descriptions are also very important.
How do you word up your wait staff?
We go through all the guests’ information and role play. I even call back and see how fast the phone is picked up and how the staff handle reservations.
What was your most difficult customer like?
Guests who have had a high level of alcohol consumption can become very difficult. When that happens we seat them in the lounge area until they’ve calmed down.
Biggest perks of the job?
When the guests recommend new guests, keep coming back and tell us we’re the top restaurant.
Will a bigger tip ensure the best table?
Well, no. If a new guest wants a prime table, we will give it to them if it’s available and decorate the table nicely.
