About The Henri
The Henri is a refined dining destination in the heart of Washington, DC, defined by precision, warmth, and an unwavering commitment to hospitality at the highest level. Our approach blends technical excellence with genuine care, creating a guest experience that is both polished and deeply personal. In addition to our dining room, The Henri is a sought-after venue for high-profile private events, requiring a team that operates with discretion, grace, and exacting standards.
Position Summary
The Maître d’ / Lead Host is a critical leadership role and the architectural force behind the guest experience at The Henri. This individual is responsible for orchestrating the flow of the dining room with intention and precision, while cultivating meaningful guest relationships and setting the tone for service excellence.
This is not a passive host position—this role requires presence, authority, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of hospitality at a high-caliber level.
Key Responsibilities
Guest Experience & Relationship Management
- Deliver a highly personalized, anticipatory guest experience from arrival through departure
- Recognize and engage VIPs, regulars, and first-time guests with equal care and intention
- Maintain and leverage detailed guest profiles to curate bespoke experiences
- Handle guest feedback and service recovery with professionalism, discretion, and immediacy
- Actively work the floor, maintaining visibility and connection with guests throughout service
Dining Room Orchestration
- Command the door and manage the dining room flow with precision, balancing pacing, capacity, and service integrity
- Oversee all reservations through OpenTable, ensuring strategic table allocation and optimized covers without compromising experience
- Manage waitlists and walk-ins with composure and hospitality-driven decision making
- Collaborate seamlessly with culinary and service leadership to ensure synchronization across all touchpoints
Leadership & Culture
- Lead and develop the host team to perform at a Michelin-level standard of hospitality and professionalism
- Set the tone at the entrance—calm, confident, detail-driven, and solutions-oriented
- Drive accountability, consistency, and continuous improvement within the front door team
- Partner with leadership on hiring, training, and performance development
Private Events & Coordination
- Collaborate with the events team using TripleSeat to ensure seamless execution of private dining and VIP experiences
- Maintain clear communication around event timing, guest expectations, and room transitions
- Support the integration of event guests into the overall flow of the restaurant without disruption
Operational Excellence
- Maintain a pristine, composed, and highly organized entrance at all times
- Ensure accuracy and integrity of reservation data, guest notes, and service details
- Uphold and reinforce all service standards, policies, and procedures
- Qualifications
- 3–5+ years of experience as a Maître d’, Lead Host, or Guest Relations professional in fine dining environments
- Mastery of reservation systems, specifically OpenTable
- Strong familiarity with event platforms such as TripleSeat is preferred
- Exceptional presence, communication skills, and emotional intelligence
- Proven ability to manage high-pressure service environments with composure and precision
- Deep understanding of hospitality as both an art and a discipline
- Highly organized with acute attention to detail
- Flexible availability, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
- What We Offer
- Competitive salary, commensurate with experience
- Performance-based incentives
- Opportunity to be part of a high-caliber, hospitality-driven team
- Ongoing education and development in service, food, and beverage
