Full List of Restaurant Employees [Roles + Responsibilities] (2023) (2023)

Do you want to open a restaurant but don't know what positions to cover? Not sure how many people it takes to prepare and serve a dish?

In fact, there are more than you think!

In this article I am going to talk a little about the positions that can exist in a restaurant and the functions of each employee.

Also, I will give an example of what an organization chart would look like with these positions.

This guide will also illustrate the importance of each function for the proper functioning of a good dining room:from the owner to the person responsible for garbage removal.

Let's start!

What are the different positions in a restaurant?

Different positions fulfill specific functions in a restaurant.

Each of them is very important so that everything is kept in order and the dining room flows properly.

We should notice thatbigger and more complicated establishment, thatseveral positions will require the attention of the human resources team.

Some positions become less necessary for small businesses, which means that specific tasks are distributed among existing employees.

In this guide I have added all the vacancies that can be found in a large restaurant or hotel. Here is the list:

• administrative charges
• leaders
• Administrator
• kitchen staff
• Chef
• kitchen manager
• Vice principal
• kook station
• chefs
• kitchen helpers
• Cleaning equipment
• personal FOH
• above the waiter
• Receptionist
• summary
• barra personal
• service

This is the necessary staff for a company that must be in continuous operation and therefore has a complex organization chart.

Administrative positions in a restaurant.

At the top of the system we find the administrative staff of the restaurant.

They are, of course, in charge of managing everything that is done in the restaurant.

1. Manager and his duties

The manager is the person in charge of the restaurant.In small restaurantsthe manager is usually the owner.

In some cases, a leader is simply someone who takes the reins. The owner chooses the manager to manage all aspects of the restaurant for him.

A person appointed as a manager must be highly qualified in:

• Manage the business and all aspects of it.
• Make important decisions such as the theme of the restaurant, its operation and other administrative decisions.
• Typically, he is responsible for managing the company's appearance, marketing strategy, and more.
• It is the person who has the greatest responsibility at the legal level.

Because he performs so many vital functions, it is recommended that a designated manager be a person with administrative education andgeneral knowledge of the hospitality niche.

2. Administrator/Secretary and their functions

The administrator or secretary is the person in chargethe practical economics of a restaurant.

He works in continuous contact with accountants and bank accounts, for which he is responsiblecompany capital managementand ensure its correct use.

In addition, it is usually also responsible for hiring and firing employees, salaries, daily profits and everything related to the profits and / or losses of the company.

This is one of the most critical roles in a restaurant – if you're applying for a restaurant job, he's also one of the people you want to impress.

Personal de back-of-house (BOH)

After the administrative staff comes the kitchen area staff, or as I like to call them -the soul of the restaurant.

Because?Because even if you don't see them, they keep the restaurant alive.

1. Kok / Executive Chef

The chef is the third most important role in a restaurant.

A head chef is part of the administrative staff andone of the most critical functions in a kitchen.

Their characteristics are:

• Creating a menu that will delight all diners: from the largest dish to the smallest.
• Manage all kitchen staff and their various stations.
• Make administrative decisions about what is served in the restaurant.
• Ensure the efficiency of a kitchen team.
• He is in contact with all functions of the restaurant: from the maitre d' to the cleaning staff.

This position is only awarded to chefs with a high level of hands-on experience. In addition, they often have some type of higher education, such as a culinary arts degree, i.e.

Chef is one of the first positions to considereven before opening the restaurant. Of theexperience can help organize it from the beginning.

2. Buyer/Kitchen Manager

In large restaurants, there is the role of head chef.

In small companies, this position is held by the administrator, the head chef, or shared between both.

The purchasing manager is responsible for taking a complete inventory of everything in the kitchen; he must make sureall ingredients are available.

3. Assistant Manager

The sous chef is the right hand of the chef -if the head chef is absent, the sous chef is the head of the chef's brigade.

He is also responsible for carrying out the chef's orders to the letter.

Traditionally, it falls to the head chef to fill the position of sous chef. Both of you need to have great working chemistry and great trust in each other.

In addition, it is common for the sous chef to earn his position after successfully passing through the different cooking stations.

kok 4th station

The station manager or head chef is responsible for a specific department in a kitchen.

The station chef reports directly to the head chef and sous chef.

There are different beginner chefs:

• sauce machine/kok sauce: Supervises the fish chef and seafood chef.
• pastry chef: He is in charge of supervising pastry chefs, pastry chefs, pastry chefs and ice cream makers.
• maid: Beware of butchers and butcher shops.
• grill: He is responsible for the grill and the fries.
• Hors d'oeuvres / starter kok: Supervises the stew/soup cook and vegetable cook.

Each of these positions is filled by chefs with experience in each section.

5. Cooks

Chefs are the hands of the kitchen, responsible for fulfilling all orders under the supervision of the station chef, sous chef, or head chef.

This position is one of the most important in practical terms.since chefs are in charge of preparing absolutely everything that comes out of the kitchen to be enjoyed by diners.

6. Cook helpers

Kitchen helpers are in charge of all kinds of tasks that are important for the operation of each station, without being directly responsible for cooking or preparing any dish.

They are in charge of preparing the work area, organizing and cleaning each preparation table as requested by the station manager.

In addition, they take care of the production area each season, which includes cleaning and cutting vegetables, cleaning and preparation of proteins and much more.

They are also in direct contact with the cleaning crew, as they make sure each piece of equipment makes it to the dishwasher area after use.

7. Cleaning equipment

The cleaning crew is just as important as any other job; in fact,its importance increases with the size of the company.

This category includes dishwashers, those that clean cooks' work utensils, and those that clean the kitchen in general.

In small businesses, the position of the dishwasher is often covered. All other cleaning tasks are performed by all kitchen staff at the end of each day.

Front of House (FOH) Employees and Their Duties

Now that you know each of the functions of a kitchen that are normally hidden from view, it is time for you to know what they are.

1. Maitre d' or head waiter

The maître d' or head waiter occupies essentially the same position.

This position is essential for the comfort of diners.

Their characteristics are:

• Seat each diner at their table and provide the menu.
• Direct requests to the waiters, in addition to ensuring a good personal presentation and excellent service.
• Be aware of the needs of your guests.
• Present the invoice at the end of the service.
• They are in charge of training the new waiters and cleaning staff.

This position is reserved for peopleTrained in customer service and care. They must also have good social skills.

In addition, sometimes it is necessary to have specific skills, such as speaking different languages, knowledge of oenology to perform the functions of sommelier and much more.

2. receptionist

A receptionist is the person responsible for receiving guests and verifying their reservation, as well as regulating their access and dress code.

This is also a position that requires a person with exceptional manners and presentation.

3. Summary

When it comes to a large restaurant, there may be a role of a sommelier.

The sommelier is an expert in oenology, his job is to recommend the right wine for the occasion and/or the dish.

In addition, the sommelier must be in direct contact with the chef or sous chef to find out which wine or drink goes best with each dish.

4. Barra personal

In large and fine restaurants, it is customary to include a bar so that diners can wait for their guests or table.

There are different roles in a bar:

• oh barmanis dedicated exclusively to customer service and the preparation of cocktails to your liking or included in the liquor menu. This person should have extensive knowledge of bartending and various drink preparation techniques.
• barman- Similar to kitchen help, bartenders prepare everything necessary for the bartender to prepare the cocktails, including preparing the ingredients and cleaning the bar area.
• barista: A barista is a person who is dedicated to preparing drinks such as coffee, other infusions, shakes, milkshakes and much more. Sometimes the bartender also acts as a barista if he has the necessary experience.

In small restaurants, these positions are sometimes filled by servers with drink preparation experience, although this is not the most efficient practice.

5. Servers: types of servers and their functions

Servers are the workforce and the face of a diner.

Depending on the organization of the restaurant, there are different types of waiters, especially in larger establishments:

• service: They are in charge of taking the orders to the kitchen and delivering the dishes when they are ready. In small restaurants, they may also clean up and rearrange the table after the customer leaves. Other functions are delivering the bill to diners, receiving complaints or congratulations, communicating them to the kitchen staff and even billing services.
• runners: In large restaurants, they are specifically in charge of bringing the dishes to the table. They work in large batches so that all the dishes arrive at the same time and at the correct temperature, this is common with the servers as well.
• Cleaning equipment:In large restaurants, they are specifically tasked with cleaning and rearranging each table after customers leave.

Waiters are the people you come into contact with the most when you go to a restaurant, regardless of the nature of the business.

Therefore, they are an essential part of a restaurant's service!

Organization diagram for restaurantpersonale

The following organization chart of a small/medium restaurant will serve as a visual aid to give you an idea of ​​the hierarchy of some of the positions.

It is worth mentioning that regardless of the organizational chart and hierarchy of a restaurant, each employee must havea professional relationship of mutual respect.

In many restaurants, employees treat each other like family, which is very beneficial for improving the mechanics of teamwork.

This is something managers, administrative staff and chefs should encourage!

Tip: A well-organized restaurant is guaranteed success

Each of these positions is very important for the proper functioning of a restaurant.

If any of them fail, the restaurant risks dying as an establishment:

• Without someone to manage capital well, a sustainable restaurant cannot stand on its own.
• If there is no one to cook, the restaurant does not work.
• If there is no one to serve, no one eats in the restaurant.
• If there is no one to clean and organize the restaurant, no other employees will perform adequately. Otherwise, no one would dare to enter the restaurant in the first place!

That is why you should keep this in mind every time you eat at a restaurant.The work of at least 10 people or more is required for you to enjoy your meals.

Don't forget to tip!

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