Required Years of Experience
2 years
Job Details
MALLARD is opening soon on the busy 14th Street NW in Washington DC and is looking for experienced and hospitable Maitre'd to join our team!
The Neighborhood Restaurant Group & Chef Hamilton Johnson are pleased to announce the opening of Mallard, a warm, convivial & hospitality driven restaurant near Logan Circle featuring the chef’s reverent yet playful take on the diverse food cultures of the American South.
No stranger to Low Country & Southern cooking; Hamilton grew up in Inman, South Carolina with an appreciation for the Southern foodways by cooking alongside his mother and father in the family kitchen. After spending his formative years as a chef in a handful of Charleston’s storied kitchens, Johnson made the move to DC and quickly found his way to Vidalia, the district’s much-missed bastion of modern Southern cooking, where he spent eight years and served as Chef de Cuisine.
The name Mallard was inspired by Hamiton’s father’s hobby of carving wooden decoys, a cultural touchstone that felt familiar to NRG founder Michael Babin, who hails from south Louisiana. “Hamilton and I are both from places where wildlife, hunting and fishing traditions connect tightly with cooking, eating, drinking and socializing, and Mallard will celebrate that social element of food and cooking. We’re building it to be unpretentious, fun and delicious.”
Duties:
- Provide our guests with the highest levels of graciousness and hospitality
- Greeting guests: Welcoming guests in a friendly manner
- Managing reservations: Using a computerized system to manage reservations and wait lists
- Seating guests: Guiding guests to tables and coordinating with waitstaff about seating availability
- Providing information on the restaurant and menus
- Responding to requests: Answering guest questions and requests in a timely and friendly manner
- Catering to special needs: Providing extra attention to guests who need it, such as children or the elderly
- Create a welcoming atmosphere for patrons and staff to ensure their overall satisfaction
Requirements:
- A minimum 2 years working in an upscale, full service restaurant is required
- Proficiency in using POS systems to process transactions efficiently
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work well in a team environment
- Basic math skills for handling cash transactions and calculating orders
- Knowledge of brewing techniques and familiarity with various types of beverages is a plus
- Sales skills to promote specials and upsell menu items effectively
- Excellent time management to handle multiple tasks during busy periods
Join our team and be part of an exciting environment where your skills can shine! You don't want to miss an opportunity to be part of this opening team!
Compensation Details
Compensation: Hourly (Based on Experience)
Benefits & Perks: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Paid Time Off, 401k, Commuter Benefits, Dining Discounts
Required Skills
Hospitality Driven
Customer Service
Reservation Management
Seating Coordination
Menu Knowledge
Communication Skills
Teamwork
Basic Math Skills
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Part of Neighborhood Restaurant Group
Mallard, Helmed by Chef Hamilton Johnson and Coming Soon to 14th Street, to Feature Refined Southern Cuisine.
Chef Johnson is no stranger to Southern cuisine; he grew up in Inman, South Carolina, where he began learning the local foodways by cooking alongside his mother and father in the family kitchen. After spending his formative years as a chef in some of Charleston’s most storied kitchens, Johnson made the move to DC. Once here, he quickly found his way to the kitchen of Vidalia, the much-missed bastion of Southern cuisine, where he spent eight years and served as Chef de Cuisine to Chef-Owner Jeff Buben.
At Mallard, Chef Johnson will apply classic and global techniques to the culinary traditions of the south while incorporating the best local and regional ingredients available. Undergirding it all will be a sense of hospitality rooted in Johnson’s memories of the family table. “For me, as important as the food itself is the feeling of being welcomed and cared for in a place where thought has been given to the details that make an experience memorable. That is the ethic that will guide our team at Mallard.”
Mallard’s menu will range from Chef Johnson’s take on classics like Shrimp and Grits with Smoked Pork, Piquillo Peppers, and Tabasco-Shellfish Nage and Wild-Caught Blue Catfish with Poached Oysters, Summer Corn, and Smoked Trout Roe to new creations like Seared Sea Scallops with Cracklin’ Cornbread, Charred Peaches and Dandelion Greens and Crisp Berkshire Pork Trotters with Ramp Chow Chow, Sunny-Side-Up Egg, and Edisto Island Grits. Dessert options include Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Rhubarb and Almond Shortbread and Banana Puddin’ with Cracker Jacks and Nilla Wafers.
Beverage Director and Partner Greg Engert has curated a focused list of draft, canned, and bottled beers from ChurchKey’s award-winning collection upstairs. Spirits Director Nick Farrell’s cocktail list celebrates fun and fresh drinks connected to the south, including a focus on spiked lemonades, iced teas, and smashes, alongside a massive selection of 150+ whiskeys. The wine program, from Wine Director Erin Dudley, includes a wide selection of old and new world offerings produced by boutique vintners, all practicing sustainable winemaking.
Mallard’s name was inspired by Chef Johnson’s father’s hobby of carving wooden decoys. This cultural touchstone felt familiar to NRG founder and principal Michael Babin, who hails from south Louisiana. “Hamilton and I are both from places where wildlife, hunting, and fishing traditions connect tightly with cooking, eating, drinking, and socializing. Mallard will celebrate that social element of food and cooking. We’re building it to be unpretentious and fun, but without ever compromising quality or flavor.”
