Host, Part-Time

HAYA Hotel•Tampa, FL

2h•Onsite

About The Position

The Host is responsible for the beginning and end of memorable restaurant guest experiences, welcoming guests with genuine hospitality and managing the arrival and departure experience. The role works in a team environment with restaurant professionals and reports to the Food and Beverage Manager. Hosts need basic service knowledge, time-management ability, and the ability to learn reservation and scheduling software to support guests with allergies and restrictions. Ongoing food and beverage tastings and training provide opportunities to expand knowledge of beer, wine, and spirits. Team members are expected to be reliable, prepared, collaborative, humble, experienced, open-minded, and willing to help colleagues.

Requirements

At least one year of experience as a host in a freestanding or hotel restaurant.
Experience taking, making, and executing reservations using a reservation platform.
Basic computing skills in Word, Excel, and Outlook.
TiPS alcohol service certification and SafeStaff Certificate of Completion, or ability to obtain them within 30 days of hire.
Must meet local age requirements to serve alcohol.
Availability for a flexible schedule that includes nights, weekends, and holidays.
Fluency in English, verbally and non-verbally.
Passion for the people, place, and culture of the community, and a love of restaurants and guest service.
Ability to stand and walk continuously for 4–5 hours at a time and negotiate wet tile, steps, and varied floor surfaces.
Ability to occasionally lift and carry a 30-pound tray, crate, or box and carry items over the shoulder.
Ability to perform hand and elbow movements for polishing glassware and silver, setting tables, shaking, pouring, and mixing drinks.
Excellent sight and balance for navigating varied floor surfaces.
Ability to handle lighted candles and hot fluids such as coffee and tea.
Ability to work in extreme temperatures, including freezers at -10°F and kitchens at +110°F.

Responsibilities

Model the company’s principles of People, Place and Character, promoting collaboration, intuition, and translocal hospitality.
Assist with the guest experience from arrival to departure, including greeting guests, setting up the host stand, reviewing reservations, recommending room setups, handling requests promptly, monitoring satisfaction, and adjusting as needed.
Participate in daily lineups and quarterly all-staff meetings, contribute ideas and constructive feedback, and strategize with the service team to address missed opportunities.
Open the restaurant at the prescribed time, assign seating, follow service standards, and maintain a station chart and cover count.
Inspect dining-room and private-dining-room cleanliness, make necessary improvements, and check that tables are properly set before opening.
Prepare menu covers and inspect menus and lists for condition and appearance.
Maintain working knowledge of menus, ingredients, and items unavailable that day.
Know server stations, daily assignments, timing patterns, and workload capacities; balance and close the shift properly.
Answer telephones according to hotel standards, take reservations, and provide information about the restaurant and hotel services.
Carry trays, bus and reset tables with linen, china, glass, and silver, and complete assigned side work.
Observe conditions of physical facilities and report challenges to food and beverage leadership for correction or improvement.
Communicate with Food and Beverage and Culinary teams to ensure guests receive their orders accurately and promptly.
Assist in other Food and Beverage areas as needed, including Banquets, Bar, Café, In-Room Dining, Pool, and Restaurants.