maitre d'

Dining room manager

Maitre d' is a clipped form of maître d'hôtel, the person who oversees service in a restaurant—greeting guests, managing reservations, and assigning tables.

The full French term means "master of the house." In upscale restaurants, the maitre d' coordinates between kitchen and dining room: The maitre d' seated us at a corner table with a view.

hospitality

reservation

Advance arrangement to hold

seatingAvailable places to sit
greetingExpression of welcome
guestsPeople received hospitably

reception · coordination · waitstaff · supervision · etiquette · protocol · attentiveness · courtesy · service · oversight

Categories

restaurant peoplechef, owner, manager, host, hostess
gatekeepersbouncer, doorman, security guard, guard, sentry
Luxury Careersjeweler, couturier, perfumer, goldsmith, watchmaker

Opposites

restaurant hierarchy/status

maitre d'dishwasher

Appliance that cleans cookware

busboy · kitchen porter · chef · head chef · executive chef

front-of-house vs. back-of-house

maitre d'chef

Professional kitchen leader

head chef · executive chef · sous chef · kitchen staff · cook

service provider vs. service recipient

maitre d'diner

Casual American eatery

guest · patron · customer · restaurant-goer

Family

master, masterly, masterful, mastery, masterpiece, mastermind, masters, mastered, mastering

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G