Maitre D

The Place:

Nestled in the heart of SoHo at The Mercer, Sartiano’s combines Italian heritage and fare with a modern fine dining experience. Sartiano’s was created by prominent lifestyle architect, Scott Sartiano, with culinary direction from three-time James Beard award winner Chef Alfred Portale.

The Role:

The Maître D’ is the first point of contact for guests, ensuring a seamless, welcoming, and professional arrival experience. This role oversees check-ins, reservations, and all points of Reservationist and Host contact while maintaining the highest standards of hospitality. As the Maître D’, your role is to be personable, and proactive, with a deep understanding of luxury hospitality and fine dining. Additionally, this role is responsible for training and enforcing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure the Reservationist and Host teams deliver a consistently professional guest experience.

The Responsibilities:

Guest Experience

• Manage reservations and optimize seating for smooth service.
• Provide a warm, personalized welcome to each guest while ensuring a smooth check-in process.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of members, VIPs, and high-profile guests to provide personalized service.
• Oversee all points of Host and Reservations teams contact with guests, ensuring seamless interactions across all touchpoints.
• Address guest concerns promptly and professionally.
• Maintain dining room ambiance, including table settings and lighting.

People Management

• Monitor labor costs and maintain scheduling in alignment with budget forecasts and business needs.
• Develop, implement, and train all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Host and Reservations teams.
• Ensure the Host and Reservations teams maintain the highest level of professionalism and hospitality in every guest interaction.
• Conduct regular training sessions to uphold service excellence and operational efficiency.
• Provide ongoing coaching and support to Host and Reservations teams.
• Collaborate with People + Culture team to interview and hire new team members

Reservations, Communication & Coordination:

• Oversee reservation management, coordinating closely with the restaurant and events teams.
• Maintain a keen awareness of restaurant levels, adjusting seating flow accordingly.
• Communicate guest feedback to the operations and membership teams, ensuring a proactive approach to service improvements.

Operations & Administration:

• Manage phone and email inquiries, responding promptly and professionally.
• Ensure all Host + Reservationist systems and software are up to date.
• Handle member issues or concerns with discretion and problem-solving with operations and membership team

Qualifications & Experience:

• 3+ years of experience in a hospitality or fine dining environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with high-profile guests professionally.
• Experience with reservation management systems (e.g. Triple Seat, Resy) is a plus.
• Exceptional attention to detail, multitasking ability, and a service-first mindset.
• Ability to handle high-pressure situations with composure and problem-solving skills.
• Availability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.