Lead Host

We are seeking to hire dynamic and experienced team members to join our award winning hospitality team as Gracious Hospitality Management expands our operations to our newest project, 550 Madison.

Gracious Hospitality Management’s 550 Madison project is their most ambitious to date: a multi-level, 15,000-square-foot dining destination inside the iconic landmark Sony building. The project brings together three distinct concepts — the second New York location of the Michelin-starred COTE Korean Steakhouse, an all-day multi-bar and dining concept, Bar Chimera, and an intimate sushi restaurant led by Michelin-starred Chef Masahiro Yoshitake, Sushi Yoshitake.

Designed by Rockwell Group, with Yoshio Itai collaborating on the sushi concept, 550 Madison is set to redefine immersive, transportive dining in Midtown Manhattan.

The Lead Host is a dynamic hospitality professional responsible for welcoming customers into the restaurant and bidding them farewell upon exit. They will work directly with the Maitre D’ to maintain the front entryway and coat check area, check-in and seat customers, perform table and bathroom checks, oversee coat check service, and provide great overall interactions to all our customers, especially COTE VIPs.

Job duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Completes all assigned side work related to opening and closing the front desk, coat check, and customers restrooms.
• Full ownership of the book. Monitors of all restaurant reservations and oversees booking protocols in coordination with the Maitre D’ and Events Department, at the direction of the General Manager. Drives tidiness of the grid for maximum efficiency as well as creative solutions for driving more demand.
• Provides the team with a roll-up of reservations prior to each shift;
  Informs Management of any large parties, special reservation notes and/or VIP customers. Assists Management in creating floor plan and table arrangement for shift.
• Manages flow of reservations in the grid to ensure optimal seating pattern and service.
• Manages VIP relations, including making reservations personally, providing personalized attention in the restaurant, recording preferences and notes from past experiences, performing final quality check on each experience.
• Monitors and audits reservationist customer interaction, both emails and phone.
• Audits email and phone lines to ensure that all reservationists are following steps of service and providing the highest level of care.
• Develops relationships with VIPs and manages blocks and allocations in cooperation with the Maitre D’, Events Department, and at the direction of the General Manager.
• Maintains relationships with concierges and other partner booking sites at the approval of the General Manager.
• Holds the Host team accountable and reports service issues to management for management to correct.
• Communicates to the Maitre d’ Manager where there are over-bookings or anomalies on the reservations grid.
• Maintains a clean and orderly front desk with all restaurant collateral fully stocked at all times.
• Warmly welcomes all incoming customers, checks-in their reservation, and escorts them to their assigned table. Precisely informs customers of waiting times and respects the order of arrival of customers.
• Ensures customers are rapidly and effectively cared for.
• Sets host stand for service, ensuring all resources (pens, paper, business cards etc.) are stocked.
• Offers coat check assistance to all customers with coats, bags, luggage, umbrellas, etc.
• Performs routine table and bathroom checks.
  
  Maintains all tools of the position.
• Updates all table statuses to the podium throughout service.
• Performs restrooms checks and maintains all restroom cleanliness: restocks supplies, empties trash and hand towel bins, wipes down counters, ensures that toilets, faucets, and sinks are all functioning.
• Communicates to management when there are deep clean or facility issues in the restrooms or restaurant at all times.
• Clears and sets tables in between seatings. Ensures every table is perfectly set prior to seating customers.
• Communicates with management in real time when there are seating delays or…