Host & Food Runner

Host & Food Runner — Touk Restaurant

Location: Vancouver, BC

Position: Full-Time & Part-Time Available

Compensation: Competitive hourly wage + equitable gratuity pool + staff dining privileges

About the Role

At Touk, the host desk is the strategic heartbeat of the dining room. As our Host & Food Runner, you are responsible for setting the tone for the entire guest journey from the initial greeting to the final farewell.

This role goes far beyond escorting guests to tables. It requires a rare blend of tactical floor orchestration and instinctive, warm hospitality
. You will read the room, anticipate bottlenecks before they happen, manage reservation pacing with precision, and ensure every guest feels immediately welcomed into our space.

Key Responsibilities Tactical Floor Strategy & Reservation Management

• Manage Dining Room Pacing: Orchestrate seating charts and staggered reservation arrival times to preserve kitchen cadence, bar flow, and server service cycles.

• Turn-Time Optimization: Anticipate table turns through keen observation and proactive communication with the service and bus staff, eliminating unnecessary wait times while never making guests feel rushed.

• Waitlist Strategy: Confidently manage walk-in volume during peak service hours, providing realistic wait quotes and curating a seamless bar waiting experience.

• System Mastery: Maintain flawless reservation platform profiles, recording guest preferences, allergies, dietary restrictions, and special occasions to enable personalized hospitality across the team.

Hospitality & Ambience

• First & Last Impressions: Anchor the front door with genuine presence, warmth, and composure, making every guest feel prioritized the moment they walk through the door.

• Empathetic Problem Solving: Navigate unexpected reservation delays, seating preference shifts, or guest concerns with grace, poise, and solutions-oriented hospitality.

• Room Awareness: Continuously scan the dining room, noticing table stages, guest body language, and environmental details (music volume, lighting levels, cleanliness of entryway).

Front-of-House Communication

• Act as the vital communication bridge between guests, service staff, floor managers, and the kitchen pass regarding table readiness and service pacing.

• Assist with light floor support during critical transition periods (clearing menus, resetting tables, organizing coat checks).

What You Bring

• A Tactical Mindset: You naturally see patterns, calculate timing, and visualize spatial dynamics on the floor. You think three moves ahead to prevent congestion before it starts.

• Deep Hospitality Intuition: You understand that hospitality is about how people feel, not just mechanical logistics. You possess genuine emotional intelligence and warmth.

• Composure Under Fire: You stay level-headed, organized, and gracious during high-volume rushes, line-ups, and sudden seating changes.

• Tech Proficiency: Experience with reservation management platforms (e.g., Seven Rooms, Resy, or Open Table) and POS systems is strongly preferred.

• Communication
  
  Skills:
  
  Clear, confident, and empathetic verbal communication with both guests and teammates.

• Availability: Flexibility to work evening shifts, weekends, and holidays.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation with an equitable tip-share program

• Comprehensive staff meal program and team dining discounts

• An empowering, collaborative kitchen and floor culture dedicated to elevated dining and craft

• Opportunities for growth and career advancement within our culinary and beverage programs

How to Apply

Please send your resume along with a brief note telling us about a time you turned a challenging front-door situation into a memorable guest experience to