Institute of Hotel Management, Mumbai

Departmental organization & staffing

General Manager

Resident Manager

Food & Beverage Director

Food & Beverage Manager Executive Chef F & B Controller

Restaurant Bar Banquet Sr. Sous Chef Asst. Food & Bev. Controller
Manager Manager Manager

Asst. Rest. Asst. Bar Asst. Banquet Jr. Sous Chef

Manager Manager Manager

Sr. Captain Sr. Bar Captain Sr. Banquet Captain Chef- de- Partie ( CDP )

Captain Bar Captain Banquet Captain

Steward Bartender Banquet Steward Commis I

Asst. Steward Trainee Asst. Banquet Steward Commis II

Bus Boy Trainees Commis III

Apprentice Apprentice

Trainees

Note: hierarchy of F & B department may little vary from organisation to organisation

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Objectives of Departmental Organization

 Provide vertical and horizontal co-ordination in the organization(how one’s role

relates to that of peers in other departments)
 Establish hierarchy/chain of command for delegation of responsibility and authority
(who reports to whom, who is responsible for results)
 Identify and classify tasks necessary to attain objectives (who does what on the job)

Designations of Restaurant Organisation

English French American

Restaurant manager Directur du restaurant/ Restaurant manager
Gerant de restaurant
Head waiter Maître d’hôtel Senior captain
Head waiter reception Maître d’hôtel de reception Senior captain reception
Station head waiter Maitre d hotel de carre Captain
Station waiter Chef de rang Steward
Junior station waiter Demi- chef de rang Assistant steward
Waiter Commis de rang/ Garcon Bus boy/busser
Apprentice Commis debarrasseur Trainee

Other French terms:

English French
Carver Trancheur
Wine waiter Sommelier/ Chef de vin
Assistant wine waiter Commis de vin
Floor waiter Chef d’ etage
Lounge waiter Chef de salle
Assistant lounge waiter Garcon de salle

Job description of the Food & Beverage Manager

(a) Managerial skills & responsibilities:

1. Leadership
2. Employee relationship
3. Employee motivation
4. Employee training
5. Staff co-ordination
6. Guest relations
7. Oral & written communication
8. Team development
9. Short range planning
10. Staff time management
11. Goal orientation
12. Problem solving

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(b) Operation skills & responsibilities
1. Cost control
2. Employee scheduling
3. Marketing
4. Business forecasting
5. Menu pricing/planning
6. Financial planning
7. Menu design
8. Accident prevention & safety
9. Discipline maintenance
10. Employee grievance resolution
11. Recruitment
12. Interviewing

Restaurant Manager/Directeur du Restaurant

1. He reports to the F&B manager
2. He has an overall responsibility for the food and beverage service and ancillary areas
of a restaurant and should be well versed in F&B and all licensing laws
3. He is responsible staff performance and morale, cleanliness and hygiene& also to set
up and maintain the standards for quality service.
4. He is the person responsible for staff discipline and prepares the duty rosters
5. He makes the monthly budget and participates in menu planning
6. He maintains guest liaison and handle complaints if any
7. He is responsible for staff hiring, training and performance appraisal
8. Month end stock taking is supervised by him
9. All intra and inter departmental communication is through him
10. He generates the various daily & monthly reports
11. He is the sanctioning authority for the staffs’ leaves
12. He is a link between the management and the junior staff

Head waiter/Senior Captain/Maitre d hotel

1. He relieves the assistant restaurant manager on his day off

2. He reports to the restaurant manager
3. He has an overall charge of the staff team in the dining room
4. He inspects the mise en place and mise en scene carried out by the staff.
5. He supervises grooming conducts briefing, assigns stations and tasks
6. He should be well versed in service technique and liquor laws
7. V.I.P. guests are attended by him
8. He assists in compiling the duty roster & holiday list for the staff
9. Helps the manager to generate various reports

Reception Head Waiter / Senior captain reception/ Maître d’hôtel de reception

1. Must have complete knowledge of restaurant table plan and staffing

2. Responsible for maintaining guest history records, reservation diary and comment
cards
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3. Accepts booking on phone or in person, blocks and assigns appropriate tables when
guests arrive, maintains guest relations
4. Welcomes guests at the restaurant entrance, may also seat them and offer menus
5. May relieves Restaurant Manager on his day off

Station Head Waiter/ Captain/ Maitre D’ Hotel de carre

1. Reports to the senior captain as well as assists him in his job

2. Relieves the senior captain on his day off day
3. He has the complete responsibility of the station (set of tables under his control) and
team of staff serving a set number of tables from one sideboard
4. Presents menus, takes food and wine orders, deals with billing, ensures stations are
adequately stocked and handles incidents and complaints
5. Carries out all the service at the tables with the help of station waiter as per
established standards
6. Supervises month end stock taking

Station Waiter/ Steward/ Chef de Rang

1. Has less experience than but must be able to carry out the same work as the station
head waiter.
2. Act as a reliever for the station head waiter on his day off
3. Responsible for mise en place, stocking sideboards, setting tables, taking guests
orders, serving orders, presenting bills, exchanging linen
4. Must coordinate with station head waiter to ensure efficient and speedy service

Assistant (junior) Station Waiter/ Assistant steward/ Demi - Chef de Rang

1. Assists the station waiter in service
2. This designation may be found in upscale restaurant

Waiter/ Bus boy/ Commis de Rang

1. This person acts by instruction from the Chef de Rang.
Mainly fetches and carries food and service items
2. Responsible for giving food checks into the kitchen
3. Clears tables after each course
4. Cleaning and preparatory tasks during mise-en-place

Apprentice/ Trainee/ Débarrasseur

1. He is also known as the ‘learner’.
Keeps sideboard well filled with equipment
2. Carry out cleaning tasks during mise-en-place
3. May be responsible to look after and serve hors d’oeuvre, cold sweets or assorted
cheeses

Carver (Trancheur)
1. He is responsible for the carving trolley and the carving of joints at the table required.
2. This post is usually associated with restaurants offering guéridon service.
3. He will plate up each portion with the appropriate accompaniment.

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Wine Waiter (Sommelier)
1. This person is responsible for the service of all alcoholic beverages and also cigars
and cigarettes during the service of meals.
2. Must have the selling skill
3. Must have excellent knowledge of all drinks served in the restaurant
4. Must have good knowledge of the best wine to go with certain foods
5. Must be aware of the licensing laws in respect of the particular establishment and area

Lounge Staff (Chef de Salle)

1. This staff deals with lounge service as a specific duty in a first-class establishment
only.
2. Responsible for morning coffee, afternoon teas and other drinks and snacks in other
areas of a hotel outside the restaurant

Floor Waiter (Chef d’étage)

1. Often a floor service staff is responsible for a complete floor in an establishment such
as a hotel depending on the size of establishment, number of rooms and suites.
2. Serves light meals and drinks
3. Must have thorough knowledge of food and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
served in the establishment.

Hostess
1. This person is generally a lady who in charge of receiving the guests and taking him
or her to the particular table
2. She takes the table booking and on receiving the guest takes the guest to the particular
table
3. She gets the comment register/ card filled up by the guest and takes the general
feedback from the guest
4. She should be pleasant in her behavior
5. She updates the booking diary and passes all the relevant information to the restaurant
brigade & restaurant manager
6. She should be tactful enough to handle situations of complains from the guest
7. In case of a VIP guests she is the one to present the check to the guests
8. She assists the restaurant manager in doing the sales call for the restaurant
9. She should be well versed with the current affairs and the state laws pertaining to
restaurant such as dry days etc.

Duties & responsibilities of F & B Staff

1. Courtesy: It refers to a certain behavior that shows care & concern for the other
person. In other words, it is a way of showing respect to others.
If one cannot show respect for those who patronize the business, then one does not
deserve the business. It acts as the lubricant of human relationship & reduces the
conflict areas in any interaction.

2. Personal Hygiene: Personal freshness is imperative as staffs are in direct contact with
customer. Being clean & smart in appearance gives one the confidence to work well.

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So uniform should be cleaned, nail should be well trimmed, hair must be short & well
groomed. Sneezing, coughing etc., should be restricted near the food.

3. Knowledge of food & drinks: The staff should have sufficient knowledge of all the
items on the menu & wine list in order to advise & offer suggestion to customers.
They must know how to serve correctly each dish on the menu & various types of
drinks in the correct glass & at right temperature.

4. Punctuality: It shows how the staffs are interested in work & have a respect for
management. Staff must report to work on time. If staff are continually late on duty it
shows a lack of interest in their work and a lack of respect for the management and
customers.

5. Local knowledge: The staff should have certain knowledge of the area in which they
work so; they may be able to advise or answer the queries of the guests on various
forms of entertainment, places of interest. Shopping area, transport facilities etc.

6. Personality: The staff must be diplomatic, tactful, courteous and good humored &
have a good temperament. They must converse with the customer in a pleasing & well
spoken manner. These things help the management by becoming good sales people.

7. Attitude towards customers: The correct approach i.e., positive attitude, anticipation
of guest’s needs & wishes, no argument with guests, no ignorance of guest’s request
and proper listening to guest complaints are of the great importance. A careful watch
should be kept on customers at all times (but without staring) during the service.

8. Memory: It is an essential asset to F & B staff. It may help in various ways in their
work if, they know the likes & dislikes of customers.

9. Loyalty: The staffs loyalty are first to the establishment in which they are employed
& its management. They should not reveal any important information to anyone in
order to promote competitors business.

10. Conduct: The staffs conduct should be impeccable at all times, especially in front of
customers. The rules & regulation of establishments must be followed & respect must
be shown to all staffs.

11. Sales ability: The staffs working in the front of the house are image holders of the
establishment. They are the sales people, therefore should have selling ability.

12. Sense of urgency: Whenever the establishment has the maximum amount of business
area in which the service period and net profit is high as possible therefore, staff must
develop a sense of urgency in their work. This should be promoted by management by
displaying a ‘do as I do’ attitude, leading by example.

13. Customer satisfaction: The food and beverage service staff must see that the guest
has everything they require and guest should get the “value for money”, which they
spend.

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14. Complaints: The staff should have pleasant manner showing courtesy & good humor
& never show displeasure even the things may be difficult.
The Staff should never argue with a customer and if they are unable to resolve a
situation, it should be referred immediately to a senior member. Remember, loss of
time in dealing with complaints only makes the situation worse.
15. Co-operation & reliability: Since an establishment success depends on effective co-
ordination of all staff. A waiter should aim to help his fellow workers. Staff should be
able to work as part of a team within and between departments

16. Receiving gratuities: A waiter must never indulge in preferential treatment of

customers in anticipation of tips, he may receive from them.
Tips should be acknowledged graciously, if placed on the table & should not be
removed until the customer has left.

17. Cultural awareness: The cultural diversity of customers is increasing and this is
reflected in factors such as language, dress and traditions as well as dietary. Members
of service staff need to be open-minded, non-judgmental and flexible and able to
appreciate and communicate respect for other people’s values and beliefs.

Waiter

Attributes of a waiter

The quality of service staff in any establishment reflects the quality of the establishment itself.
No matter how good the food and ambience are, poorly trained, untidy or rude staff can
antagonize customers. On the other hand, if the staffs are well-trained and efficient, they can,
to a certain extent, make up for other shortcomings in the services provided.

1. Professional and hygiene appearance: Waiter must be groomed and have a

professional appearance as they reflect the image of the hotel. Grooming is important
as waiter works in front of the guest and handles food and beverages. Service should
be done in a clean way to protect guests against food contamination and other food
borne diseases. Unhygienic appearance makes the dining experience unpleasant as
well as unhealthy.
Important points to be considered for maintaining personal hygiene by F&B
professional are:

a) Bath every day before coming to the shift.

b) Hair must be trimmed and free of dandruff.
c) Hair must not come over the forehead.
d) Hair must not be greasy or oily.
e) Males should shave every day, before coming to shift.
f) Moustache, if kept must be neatly trimmed.
g) Strong perfume and deodorant should be avoided as some guests may have allergy
h) Waitress should wear light make up.
i) They should have a hair bun.
j) Excessive jewellery should be avoided.
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k) Chewing gum should be avoided in all public areas of the hotel
l) Use mouth freshener after smoking while coming to the shift.
m) Wash hands with soap, before shift.
n) Manicure: Nails should be short, clean and well trimmed.
o) Uniforms should be clean, laundered and ironed.
p) Always carry a neat handkerchief.
q) Shoes must be black and oxford.
r) Minimum jewellery should be worn by the service staff. Ring should be
avoided but a wedding ring can be allowed.
s) Cuts and burns should not be open but covered.

t) Body language is of great advantage while dealing with guests. Body language
involves many body postures, gestures and movements, and each one having different
meanings. Some postures expected inside the restaurant are as
follows:

 A firm handshake.
 Smile.
 Eye contact.
 No physical gestures while speaking to the guest.
 Standing erect.
 Slight leaning towards guest while hearing the guest.

2. Good Conduct: Waiter should be well-mannered and respectful to guests, and to

senior members of the staff. They should be calm and pleasant, even in the most tiring
circumstances. They should be able to satisfactorily solve any problem that may arise.
In case of difficulty, a senior and experienced member of the staff should be consulted

3. Eye for Detail: Waiter must be observant. He must observe each and every detail
inside the restaurant to be more efficient at his job. A sense of anticipation in the
service industry is an invaluable quality. The ability to anticipate what a guest or the
management needs, even before it is asked for creates a very good impression.

An ability to correctly judge people is definitely an advantage. Waiter must know

what is the food order of guest sitting in table no. 5? Why the food is late in the table
no 9?

4. Flexibility: Nowadays new trends are being introduced in the restaurants, which also
bring new technology and other skills. Waiter should be flexible in nature to adapt the
changing environment.

5. Sense of Urgency: A waiter should know his importance to the organization and must
be there when he is needed. Sometimes waiter is called by the manager even when his
shift is over due to many reasons such as sudden reservations of table and lack of staff
in the restaurant.

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6. Good Memory: A good memory helps to improve performance. It also helps the
service personnel to attend to small but important details such as remembering a
guest's name or his likes and dislikes regarding food and beverage.

7. Salesmanship: A waiter is even called a salesman as he presents and sells the food
prepared by the production/kitchen department. He is responsible for generating
revenue for the restaurant. No matter how delicious the food is but if it not presented
in the right manner the guest will not be satisfied because he expects quality service
as well as value for money. A waiter must be a good presenter.

8. Suggestive selling: It is a simple, effective and commonsense technique of using

power of suggestion to ensure:
a) Dining experience for guests
b) Profit maximization
c) Repeat guests in the restaurant
d) Suggest options and guide the guests.
e) Use appetizing descriptions and phrases such as: Tangy, juicy, succulent,
appetizing, will enhance your taste buds. Ours chef’s special is….. You must
try our…….This is the most preferred dish by the guest.

9. Upselling: It is a concept wherein the guest is suggested to buy a similar kind of

product, which is a level higher than his/her original choice. It’s a process of
upgrading sales. There are n number of opportunities for up selling like:
 Non-alcoholic beverages, especially soft drinks to ladies and children.
 Selling mineral water, spring water and aerated water instead of regular water.
 Suggest accompaniments/side dishes that go well with the main course.

10. Ability to Assume Responsibility: waiter should be able to cope up with the
demands of the job and possess the ability to assume responsibility. They should be
loyal to their employers, responsible to the guests and friendly towards their fellow
workers. They should not consider any job as menial, and should be willing to
perform all kinds of jobs efficiently. This will help the service staff to grow in their
careers and at the same time enhance the image of the establishment in the eyes of the
guests.

11. Punctuality: Punctuality is all-important. If staff is continually late for duty, it shows
a lack of interest in his work and a lack of respect for the management and customers.

12. Local Knowledge: In the interest of customers, the waiter should have certain
knowledge of the area in which they work so that they may be able to advise the
guests on the various forms of entertainment offered, the best means of transport to
places of interest and so on.

13. Personality: Staff must be tactful, courteous, good humored and of an even temper.
They must converse with the customer in a pleasing and well-spoken manner and the
ability to smile at the right time.

14. Honesty: This is all-important for the staff in dealings with both the customer and the
management. If there is trust and respect in the triangle of staff, customer and
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management relationships, then there will be pleasant work atmosphere which
encourages efficiency and a good team spirit among the food and beverage service
operators.

Duties & responsibilities of a waiter:

1. Attends briefing as well as reports to Senior Captain/Captain to receive necessary
instructions for the shift and for any changes in the menu.
2. Sets the assigned tables and ensures that the sideboard and back area is well stocked
with linen, silverware, glassware, chinaware and other required items.
3. Greets guests and assists the host/hostess in seating the guest. Fills water glasses,
serves butter, cocktails, answer questions about menu items and make suggestions
about dish and wine if the customer request.
4. Order taking and recording.
5. Observes the guests in order to anticipate any additional request
6. Remove all soiled dishes after the guests finished each course
7. Clear the table after the meal is over and reset the table for the next guest.
8. Maintaining good guest and staff relations.
9. Performs other tasks as directed by the supervisor.
10. Ensures that guests enjoy their meal and leave the restaurant fully satisfied by the
food and service provided to them.

Waiter’s Kit

Items Description Remarks

Note pad/Scratch To write down the orders
pad
Name plate Guest can recognize him by his name
Waiter’s cloth Carrying hot plates
Final polishing of plates
Wiping small spills
Brushing crumbs onto a service plate
Wiping the undersides of the plates
before placing them on the table.etc.,
Ballpoint pen To write down the orders. it reduces
the time to open the cap
Bottle opener To open the bottles

Matchbox/Lighter To lit guest’s cigarette

Waiters Friend/cork To open bottles, cork of the wines and
screw to cut foil of the wine bottles. Waiter’s
Friend patented in1882 by German
inventor Karl Wienke.

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Inter departmental Relationships

1. The hotel, as an establishment is a single unit and all departments are equally
important and necessary for the successful operations of the venture
2. Without the full range of supporting activities from each separate department the hotel
cannot function correctly and efficiently
3. All departments are interlinked in one way or another.
4. Whether dealing directly with the guest or working behind the scenes - all staffs are
aiming towards the same goal - keeping the guest happy.

The three important things necessary for a balance between all the departments in a hotel and
its smooth running are:
 Co-operation
 Co-ordination
 Communication

Inter departmental relationship with Food Production

1. Proper order of food through KOT, which should be neat and legible
2. Food pick up from the Kitchen at right time and at right temperature
3. Planning of menu card
4. Information about the availability of dishes from Kitchen to F & B (S) and
Information to Kitchen about the expectations of the guest
5. Right depiction and information to Kitchen about guests’ specific needs
6. Guest feedback from different outlets to be communicated to the kitchen staff

Inter departmental relationship with Front Office

1. Front office has to be informed about the timings of the food service outlets, any food
festivals and special bookings
2. All the bills of the resident guests are forwarded to the Front Office for the final
settlement
3. Check in & check outs are intimated to F&B Service by Front Office
4. Occupancy forecast is given to F&B Service by Front Office
5. Daily information regarding the various banquet functions should be passed down to
Front Office

Inter departmental relationship with Housekeeping

1. F&B Service linen is designed and bought by Housekeeping in consultation with the
F&B manager
2. F&B Service uniform is designed and tailored by Housekeeping in consultation with
the F&B manager
3. F&B outlets are decorated by Housekeeping
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4. Flower arrangements for the F&B Service outlets are done by Housekeeping
5. Cleanliness & hygiene of F&B service areas are ensured by the Housekeeping

Inter departmental relationship with Accounts

1. Auditing & billing for food service areas are carried out by the Accounts department
2. They play a major role in menu planning by evaluating costs
3. They are responsible for controlling costs
4. They make the monthly & yearly reports which help in evaluating and future planning

Inter departmental relationship with Purchase & Stores

1. All the items and equipments are purchased by the Purchase Department and issued
by stores
2. All high turnover items are kept in the stores and a par stock is maintained for them
3. Store is given the Material Vouchers for the procurement of items
4. For the purchase of any item the standard purchase specifications (SPS) are followed
by the Purchase Department

Inter departmental relationship with Maintenance

1. Repairs faulty service equipment, air conditioners, water cooler etc

Inter departmental relationship with security

1. Inform security department about any articles misplaced by guests
2. Inform Suspicious behaviour of guests
3. Verifies movement of staff
4. Handling unclaimed baggage, drunken guests, function catering etc.,

Inter departmental relationship with Human Resource/ Personnel

1. Coordinates for recruitment, training, performance appraisal etc.,

Inter departmental relationship with Marketing

1. Design sales promotional activities and discuss methods of implementation
2. Briefs on competitor’s strength, weakness & their market share
3. Briefs on consumer’s expectation & perceptions, market segmentation

Note:
Mis en place: keeping things in order for service or preparation.
Mis en scene: keeping the work area presentable & comfortable

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