{{short description|Manager of the public part of a formal restaurant}} {{redirect|Head waiter|the film|The Head Waiter|the American runner nicknamed "the Head Waiter"|Dave Wottle}} {{use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox occupation | name = Maître d'hôtel | synonyms = | pronounce = | image = | imagesize = | alt = | caption = | official_names = Head waiter, host, waiter captain | type = | activity_sector = [[Waiting staff]] | competencies = Supervising waiters, welcoming guests, assigning tables, reservations | formation = | employment_field = [[Hospitality]], [[foodservice]] | related_occupation = Manager, waiter, maître d' }} The {{langnf|fr|'''maître d'hôtel'''|master of the house|paren=left}}; {{IPA|fr|mɛːtʁə dotɛl|pron|LL-Q150 (fra)-Benoît Prieur-maître d’hôtel.wav}}), '''head waiter''', '''host''', '''waiter captain''', or '''''maître d{{'}}''''' ({{IPAc-en|uk|ˌ|m|eɪ|t|r|ə|_|ˈ|d|iː}} {{respell|MAY|trə|_|DEE}}, {{IPAc-en|also|us|ˌ|m|eɪ|t|ər|_|-}} {{respell|MAY|tər|_-}}) [[Restaurant management#Floor management|manages the public part]], or "front of the house", of a formal [[restaurant]]. The responsibilities of a ''maître d'hôtel'' generally include supervising the [[waiting staff]], welcoming guests and assigning tables to them, taking [[Table reservation|reservations]], and ensuring that guests are satisfied.<ref name="eat">{{cite web |url=http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/09/02/d-mystifying-the-maitre-d/ |title=D mystifying the maître d' |publisher=Eatocracy |date=September 2, 2011 |access-date=October 10, 2012 |author=LeTrent, Sarah |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719194041/http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/09/02/d-mystifying-the-maitre-d/ |archive-date=July 19, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Bordelon|first1=Grace|title=What Is a Waiter Captain?|url=http://work.chron.com/waiter-captain-28611.html|access-date=20 April 2017|work=San Francisco Chronicle|language=en}}</ref> Other roles include supervising wine selections and helping chefs create menus. In North America, a ''maître d'hôtel'' is known as a '''dining room manager'''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=The Culinary Institute of America |author-link=The Culinary Institute of America |title=The Professional Chef |publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-470-42 135-2 |edition=9th |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |page=10}}</ref>
In large organizations, such as certain hotels, or [[cruise ship]]s with multiple restaurants, the ''maître d'hôtel'' is often responsible for the overall dining experience, including [[room service]] and [[Buffet|buffet services]], while head waiters or supervisors are responsible for the specific restaurant or dining room they work in. Food writer Leah Zeldes writes that the role of ''maître d'hôtel'' originated as a kind of combined "host, headwaiter and dining-room manager" and, in the past, persons with this role were sometimes responsible for such operations as tableside [[Boning knife|boning]] of fish and mixing of [[salad]]s.<ref name="zeldes">{{cite web |last=Zeldes |first=Leah A. |date=October 7, 2009 |title=Eat this! Waldorf salad, an apple-licious fall favorite |url=http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2009/10/07/eat-this-waldorf-salad-an-apple-licious-fall-favorite/ |work=Dining Chicago |publisher=Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310195927/http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2009/10/07/eat-this-waldorf-salad-an-apple-licious-fall-favorite/ |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |access-date=November 3, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The role of head waiter (also known as a ''chef de salle'') can sometimes occupy a distinct role when their role is not undertaken by a ''maître d'hôtel.'' When this occurs, the head waiter is solely responsible for oversight of dining room service.<ref name=":0" />
== See also == * ''[[Beurre maître d'hôtel]]'', a parsley butter * ''[[Brigade de cuisine]]'', a formal back-of-house (kitchen) hierarchy * [[Concierge]] * [[Hospitality]] * [[List of restaurant terminology]] * [[Majordomo]]
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Restaurant workers}} {{Authority control}}
{{italic title}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Maitre D'}} [[Category:Restaurant staff]] [[Category:Restaurant terminology]]