Careers Note: IC Date Published: September 2000

Waiter/Waitress
Waiters and waitresses are also known as food service assistants. They serve food and sometimes drinks to customers in restaurants, hotels and other places where people eat. There are 2 main types of food service: Silver service carried out in formal restaurants. The food is served at the table onto the customers plate from dishes. Plate service carried out in smaller restaurants or cafes. Food is put onto the plates by the kitchen staff and brought to the tables by waiters/waitresses. The food service department in a large hotel or restaurant may look something like this: Food and Beverage Manager/ess v Restaurant Manager/ess v Head Waiter/Waitress v Chefs de Rang v Commis Waiters/Waitresses The Head Waiter/Waitress may sometimes act as restaurant manager/ess, depending on the size of the establishment. Chefs de Rang are the senior waiters/waitresses, responsible for a particular area of the dining room. Commis waiters/waitresses are trainees and carry out duties under the instruction of the Chef de Rang. The work involves: cleaning the dining areas before opening time arranging and setting the tables polishing cutlery and glasses 1

Careers Note: IC Date Published: September 2000

filling salt and pepper containers etc. greeting customers and showing them to their table advising on choice of food taking customers orders passing the orders to the kitchen staff serving the food at the table clearing cutlery and plates as each course is finished in some restaurants preparing the bill and taking the money completely clearing and re-setting the table when the meal is finished.

ENTRY AND TRAINING Formal entry qualifications are not usually needed. Some employers prefer applicants with GCSEs in English and maths. A National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in food service is desirable.

There are 4 ways to become a waiter/waitress: On-the-job training is given by experienced staff at their place of work. Traineeships and Modern Apprenticeships available through the Jobskills training programme. Your Careers Officer at your local JobCentre can give you details of the training programmes available in your area. Full-time Education courses including NVQ I and II in Food Service are available at colleges throughout Northern Ireland. Your Careers Officer or local college can give you details of what is available. Employment it is possible to be employed as a commis waiter/waitress and complete, on a parttime basis, an NVQ I or II in food science. ADULT ENTRY Employers normally welcome applicants who are over 18 years because they are able to serve alcoholic drinks and are often more willing than younger people to work shifts.

Careers Note: IC Date Published: September 2000

PERSONAL QUALITIES Pleasant manner, tactful, helpful and polite with customers Able to work quickly and remain calm under pressure A high standard of personal hygiene and cleanliness is essential A good memory is important to serve meals to the right customers Clear speech and very good communication skills Silver service staff need high levels of practical skills.

FURTHER READING Occupations available from Careers and Occupational Information Centre (COIC), Moorfoot, Sheffield S1 4PQ. Tel: 0114 2594564. FURTHER INFORMATION Hospitality Matters, Tourism Training Trust, Suite 6, Caernarvan House, 19 Donegall Pass, Belfast BT7 1DQ. Tel: 028 9032 0625. Northern Ireland Hotels Federation, Midland Building, 108/110 Whitla Street, Belfast BT15 1JP. Tel: 028 9035 1110. Careers information and vocational qualifications change rapidly. The information in this careers note was accurate at the time of going to print, but readers should check it with professional bodies or careers advisers before making decisions.

Produced by:Careers Information and Policy Development Unit Department For Employment & Learning Lesley Buildings 61 Fountain Street BELFAST BT1 5EX T: 028 9044 1919 E: coiu@delni.gov.uk W: www.delni.gov.uk 3