Maitre d'hotel

The maitre d'hotel is the hierarchical head of a restaurant dining room, equivalent of the head chef on the service side. The maitre d'hotel welcomes guests, coordinates chefs de rang and dining commis, supervises service mise en place, controls outputs from the kitchen and arbitrates possible complaints. In a three star table, the maitre d'hotel masters several languages, knows the menu and cellar in detail, and maintains personalised relationships with regulars. The position often requires ten to twenty years of progressive experience (dining commis, chef de rang, first maitre d'hotel) before titular chief appointment (Source: French HCR collective agreement, 2026).