Photo: Wikimedia Commons

I work as a hostess at one of Boston’s premier restaurants. This isn’t necessarily something I hoped I’d be doing after graduating from college, but it helps pay the bills and it definitely gives me the background I need in order to understand the industry I plan on becoming part of. I am a “wannabe” chef and aspiring PR agent for a chef or restaurant. I want the opportunity to make a chef known, honored and respected through his/her art by way of my own passion about the restaurant world. Maybe one day I will own my own restaurant, but for now I enjoy being a part of one. I love food, wine and travel, so what better way to experience these better things in life?

I think I know what many of you are imagining: some brainless girl in trendy dress propped up behind the front podium of a restaurant with a fake smile on her face. Hey, that was my impression of a hostess, too, before actually becoming one. The thing is there’s more to this job than you might guess. Our goal is to make your experience – and dining is undeniably an experience – enjoyable and worthwhile no matter what venue you choose. Where I work, we try to give each guest a four-star experience each time. This means perfectly crafted food, compassionate and diligent service and a luxurious atmosphere. The way I am experiencing my work, though, much like the characters from The Wizard of Oz, a hostess needs the courage of a lion, a big heart and brains to get through the day, or night.

Why? We are the first ‘taste’ a patron gets when walking through the doors of a restaurant and into the dining room. Can you imagine being greeted with a frown? How many of you actually have? No matter how your meal goes, I bet that would leave a sour taste in your mouth. I do everything in my power to prevent that from happening. Some days, it’s not easy.

I have never before experienced such an array of moods and mannerisms. The demanding and pushy customer, the needy customer, the indecisive customer. I have even witnessed bread being eaten with a knife and fork! Though many customers beg and plead and explain how important they are, sometimes I have to tell them NO. And this is where it takes courage, heart and brains. Like a perfect storm of priorities, I am taking into consideration the wait staff, the kitchen and the guests, all the while booking reservations, hanging up coats, seating you at a table and being aware of how many diners the wait staff and kitchen can handle at once before your experience starts to suffer. Hostesses must be super-efficient managers of time, hospitality extraordinaires and puzzle-solving masters.

Here’s a story. One of my first weeks on the job, during an extremely busy lunch hour, I experienced quite The Difficult Customer. I was threatened (actually threatened!) by a patron who was unhappy with his table. He claimed he would make me the subject of a bad review on Yelp—which he did—and gave me lip about how we favor our regulars, how he should have the choice of whatever table he wanted, etc. Inside, I was fuming. This guy was being so disrespectful, nearly impossible to communicate with, and I already had one too many balls in the air. On the outside, I kept my cool. No need for the other customers to see what the stir was about, so I stood my ground and offered him one more table choice. Obviously still pissed off and showing VERY un-business like conduct, this ‘businessman’ stuck around, sat down and gluttonously ate his meal.

This being one of my first lunches, I felt flustered and defeated. I ended up telling one of our managers what had happened because I was so caught off guard by the incident. Expecting a scolding, I instead received a refreshing response: “If you are ever treated like that again, give the customer the ultimatum…sit down and eat, or leave!” (Luckily, I haven’t experienced a person as over-the-top as The Difficult Customer, but at least next time I’ll know how to handle the situation with aplomb.)

As with most things, there is a larger lesson here. Even when you the customer are supposedly always right, BEND a little. One bad review won’t turn true food lovers away. On your next visit, clue me in. I’ll be sure to do my best to accommodate. And, remember, the next time you walk through the doors of a restaurant, pay particular attention to the greeting staff, the first ‘taste’ of your dining experience. There are brains, heart and courage behind the smile. And, at least for me, the smile is genuine.