One of the most intimidating yet vital roles in the fine dining branch of foodservice is that of the host. The job description entails much more than taking reservations; in fact, remarkable hosts consistently and gracefully demonstrate incredible flexibility by instantly adapting to conditions beyond their control.
That’s right, think about it. When you’re the host, you’re responsible for everything…yet NOTHING is under your control. You don’t control:
- How many people walk-in off the street
- Versus how many make reservations
- How many of your coworkers, including “back of house” staff like cooks and dishwashers, show up to work on time, (or at all)
- The quality and speed at which food comes out of the kitchen
How quickly tables turn over (there’s always that group that just sits and sits FOREVER talking and talking and talking and you just want to pull your hair out because it’s been four hours and you need that table)
- How hungover all your coworkers are
- Plus a million other things. Including the weighty responsibility of mapping seating arrangements equitably among servers (so they don’t quit), and being the beautiful, cheerful and ever-important first point of contact for the brand, as each guest walks through the door.
(Oh man. I’m already stressed out for the host of this place.)
Whew! What a nightmare hosting is. Maybe that’s why I never got above the title of “busboy” when I worked in restaurants. Oh well. Nonetheless, I always admired my host co-workers. They managed the chaos incredibly well. They were fluid, agile, adaptive, flexible, nonplussed, focused, and always delivered results. Also, when the going gets tough, hosts don’t cry, whine, shift blame, throw in the towel, or EVER say, “Oh, this is a big problem, oh my! Let’s have an hour-long meeting to talk about it, and examine just how we feel about it. THEN we’ll do our best to fix it.”
Nope. They just seamlessly pivot: smooth ruffled customers, boost frustrated staff and keep everything and everyone moving forward—and they never, ever, look back.
(Sure it’s scary, but forward is really the best option.)
That’s why I think every Fortune 500 company CEO should walk into their local nice-ish restaurant and hire whoever’s the host as Chief Operating Officer or something. I don’t care if it’s Ford, Boeing, Microsoft, or PepsiCo: if you want to get stuff done, put a host in charge. Then send me a finder’s fee when your stock price quintuples.
Here’s a secret: your organization can onboard a remarkable host today, that goes by the name of Fine Art Miracles (FAM). FAM champions creative expression as the perfect tool to combat the anxiety and depression your residents and loved ones are still experiencing.
How? FAM builds and provides impactful programs like Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Drama Therapy, Dance & Movement Therapy, Multi-Sensory Sessions (and so much more!) that benefits the elderly, children with challenges, or anyone needing help with life’s daily tasks. FAM helps them reconnect with what they’ve lost along the way: confidence, self-worth, joy, mastery, and the understanding they matter to their friends, family, local community, and the outside world.
And the best part is, FAM knows the unique story of YOUR residents and loved ones means there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, only a solution that will work for THEM. So FAM will listen to your needs, and remain fluid, agile, adaptive, flexible, nonplussed, and focused as they deliver the program(s) that will provide results for those you care for—so everyone can keep, moving, forward, and never look back.
Pretty sweet gig. So what are you waiting for? Drop FAM a note or give them a call to learn more and get started today.
Whelp, like I said, I never broke out of my busser role when I worked in restaurants. It’s probably for the best—I’m just too snarky to deal with all that chaos. Meaning, I’m pretty sure guests wouldn’t have responded well to my sincere, “Hey buddy, it takes as long as it takes!” when asking when their table would be ready!
