Management & Operations

Build a Winning Restaurant Team: How to Hire Great Front and Back of House Staff

Build a Winning Restaurant Team: How to Hire Great Front and Back of House Staff

In today’s highly competitive restaurant industry, having a strong and cohesive staff is paramount to your business’s success. The hiring landscape has evolved significantly, with a greater emphasis on not just technical skills, but also cultural fit, emotional intelligence, and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing customer demands and technological integration.

This comprehensive guide will provide actionable strategies for building a winning restaurant team, from defining your workplace culture to optimizing your hiring processes for both front-of-house and back-of-house roles. We’ll also cover best practices around compensation, training, and retention to ensure you can attract and keep the best talent in the industry.

1. Start By Defining Your Restaurant’s Culture and Values

At the heart of any high-performing restaurant team is a clear and compelling workplace culture. This goes beyond just your restaurant’s brand and menu - it’s about articulating the core values, principles, and ways of working that will shape every aspect of the employee experience.

When defining your restaurant’s culture, consider questions like:

  • What is the overall atmosphere you want to create, both for guests and staff?
  • What are the key behaviors, attitudes, and mindsets you want to cultivate in your team?
  • How do you want customers to feel when they interact with your staff?
  • What unique strengths or specialties do you want your restaurant to be known for?

Once you’ve identified your cultural pillars, it’s crucial to build every step of the hiring process on top of them. From job postings that highlight your values to behavioral interview questions that assess cultural fit, making your workplace culture a central focus will help you attract candidates who are the right match.

Successful restaurant cultures often have a few common threads:

  • A relentless commitment to exceptional guest experience and service
  • A collaborative, teamwork-oriented approach that breaks down department divisions
  • A growth mindset and openness to continuous learning and improvement
  • A sense of purpose and pride in contributing to the restaurant’s unique identity

Prioritizing this type of positive, customer-centric culture will pay dividends in terms of employee engagement, retention, and your restaurant’s overall reputation.

2. Hire Smartly For Superior Front-of-House Service

The front-of-house staff - from servers and hosts to bartenders and managers - are the face of your restaurant, responsible for creating that critical first and lasting impression with guests. When hiring for these roles, there are several key skills and attributes to look for:

Servers and Hosts

  • Hospitality Mindset: A genuine passion for providing exceptional, personalized service and going above and beyond for customers.
  • Emotional Intelligence: The ability to read social cues, empathize with guests, and respond appropriately to a wide range of personalities and situations.
  • Product Knowledge: In-depth familiarity with the menu, specials, and any unique ingredients or preparation methods.
  • Problem-Solving: Quickly identifying and resolving any guest issues or concerns that may arise.

Bartenders

  • Beverage Expertise: Extensive knowledge of cocktail recipes, spirits, wines, and beer, including current trends and industry innovations.
  • Mixology Skills: The ability to prepare high-quality, creative cocktails with precision and speed.
  • Engaging Personality: A charismatic, outgoing demeanor that can captivate and entertain guests at the bar.
  • Multitasking Abilities: Juggling drink orders, cash handling, inventory, and customer interactions simultaneously.

Managers

  • Leadership Capabilities: The proven ability to motivate, coach, and develop a front-of-house team.
  • Operations Mastery: In-depth understanding of staffing, scheduling, inventory management, and other operational imperatives.
  • Customer Service Orientation: A service-first mindset that sets the tone for the entire front-of-house staff.
  • Data-Driven Decision Making: The skills to analyze sales trends, customer feedback, and other key performance metrics.

In addition to these role-specific competencies, all front-of-house hires should demonstrate strong communication, teamwork, and multi-tasking abilities. Assessing these “soft skills” through behavioral interview questions and hands-on assessments can be just as critical as evaluating technical proficiencies.

3. Hire For Back-of-House Strategically To Build A Resilient Brigade

While front-of-house team are the restaurant’s public face, the back-of-house staff are the engine that truly powers the service. When hiring for these crucial culinary and support roles, look for the following skill sets and qualities:

Chefs and Cooks

  • Culinary Talent: Exceptional cooking skills, creativity, and a deep understanding of flavor profiles, food science, and plating techniques.
  • Consistency and Attention to Detail: The ability to execute recipes and presentations with flawless precision, day in and day out.
  • Time Management and Efficiency: The capacity to work quickly and multitask in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
  • Passion for Continuous Improvement: A growth mindset and openness to learning new skills, experimenting with new ingredients, and keeping up with industry trends.

Prep and Dish Staff

  • Efficiency and Stamina: The physical endurance to withstand the demands of long, intense shifts spent on their feet.
  • Organizational Skills: The ability to follow consistent prep and plating procedures to maintain high standards.
  • Teamwork and Communication: The willingness to collaborate closely with chefs, expeditors, and servers to ensure smooth service.
  • Problem-Solving: The capacity to quickly identify and mitigate any issues that could disrupt the flow of the kitchen.

Expeditors

  • Multitasking Mastery: The dexterity to coordinate the timing and presentation of multiple orders simultaneously.
  • Strong Communication: Crisp, clear communication with both the kitchen and front-of-house staff.
  • Calm Under Pressure: The poise to remain composed and focused even when facing the chaos of a busy service.
  • Attention to Detail: The eagle eye to spot any errors or inconsistencies in plate presentation or order accuracy.

When evaluating back-of-house candidates, it’s essential to go beyond just technical skills and assess their problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and commitment to quality. Hands-on skills assessments, staged scenarios, and thorough reference checks can provide valuable insights.

4. Master The Hiring Process

With your restaurant’s cultural foundation and role-specific hiring criteria established, you can begin the process of sourcing, screening, and selecting top-tier talent. Here are some key strategies to optimize your hiring efforts:

Where to Find Great Candidates

  • Job Boards: Traditional job sites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and Glassdoor can yield a high volume of applicants.
  • Social Media: Leveraging your restaurant’s online presence on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram can help you tap into a wider talent pool.
  • Referrals: Incentivize your existing staff to refer friends or former colleagues who may be a good fit.
  • Industry Networks: Reaching out to local culinary schools, associations, and competitor restaurants can uncover passive job seekers.

Screening and Interviewing

  • Skills Assessments: For both front and back-of-house roles, consider administering practical tests or simulations to evaluate technical proficiencies.
  • Personality Evaluations: Using assessment tools like DiSC or Gallup StrengthsFinder can help you understand a candidate’s innate traits and behavioral tendencies.
  • Behavioral Interviews: Ask questions focused on past experiences that showcase a candidate’s problem-solving, teamwork, and service orientation.
  • Reference Checks: Thoroughly vetting a candidate’s employment history, skills, and work ethic through professional references is crucial.

Employee Compensation and Benefits

  • Competitive Pay Scales: Research industry benchmarks and cost-of-living data to ensure your wages are attracting top talent.
  • Performance-Based Incentives: Consider commission-based pay, tip-pooling, or bonuses tied to measurable individual and team goals.
  • Comprehensive Benefits: Offering a robust benefits package (health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, etc.) can set you apart from competitors.
  • Work-Life Balance Initiatives: Flexible scheduling, wellness programs, and opportunities for career advancement or skill development demonstrate your investment in employee well-being.

5. Don’t Forget The Importance Of Training and Retention

Hiring the right people is only half the battle - you also need robust training programs and strategic retention initiatives to keep your winning restaurant team engaged, motivated, and performing at the highest level.

Training and Development

  • Comprehensive Onboarding: Develop a structured program that covers everything from operational procedures to company culture.
  • Continuous Learning: Offer ongoing training, workshops, and mentorship opportunities to foster professional growth.
  • Cross-Training: Equip staff with the skills to work across different stations and roles, enhancing their versatility.
  • Certification Programs: Encourage employees to obtain industry certifications like food handler licenses, sommelier credentials, or management training.
  • Shadowing and Observation: Pair new hires with experienced staff for hands-on, in-the-moment learning.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Create platforms for staff to share best practices, recipes, and other institutional knowledge.

By investing in your employees’ long-term development, you’ll build a more skilled, adaptable, and engaged restaurant team.

Retention and Engagement

Keeping your top-performing employees satisfied and loyal is just as crucial as the initial hiring process. Consider the following strategies to boost retention:

Provide Competitive Compensation and Benefits – Ensure your pay scales, bonus structures, and benefits packages remain market-competitive. Regularly benchmark against industry standards and adjust accordingly.

Offer Career Development Opportunities – Provide clear paths for advancement, whether that’s moving up to a management role or gaining specialized skills. Implement mentorship programs and tuition reimbursement.

Cultivate a Positive Work Culture – Foster a collaborative, fun, and recognition-driven work environment. Celebrate successes, organize team-building activities, and solicit employee feedback.

Offer Flexible Scheduling – Accommodate work-life balance with flexible scheduling options, ample paid time off, and creative shift structures.

Foster Open Communication – Encourage transparent, two-way dialogue between leadership and staff. Hold regular meetings, check-ins, and anonymous feedback channels.

By investing in your employees’ long-term growth, well-being, and engagement, you’ll build a dedicated team that’s invested in the restaurant’s success.

6. Adapt to Industry Changes And Challenges When Hiring

The restaurant industry is in a constant state of evolution, driven by shifting consumer preferences, emerging technologies, and other disruptive forces. Ensuring your team can adapt and thrive in the face of change is essential.

Identify and Hire for Emerging Roles

Monitor industry trends and be proactive about adding new positions that can help your restaurant stay ahead of the curve.

This might include:

  • Social media coordinators to manage your online presence and influencer partnerships
  • Delivery logistics specialists to streamline off-premises orders and curbside pickup
  • Data analysts to leverage customer insights and optimize operations

When hiring for these roles, emphasize adaptability, creativity, and a solutions-oriented mindset.

Re-skill and Cross-Train Your Staff

Equip your existing staff with the skills and knowledge to take on new responsibilities. Implement cross-training programs that allow servers, hosts, and kitchen staff to work flexibly across different functions.

Encourage Continuous Learning

Foster a culture of ongoing professional development, where employees are encouraged to stay up-to-date on industry innovations, technological advancements, and best practices.

By building a nimble, future-focused team, you’ll position your restaurant to navigate change with confidence and capitalize on new opportunities.

Conclusion

Remember, the people behind your restaurant are its most valuable asset. Taking a strategic, proactive approach to talent management will ensure your restaurant can adapt, thrive, and stay ahead of the curve. Assembling a cohesive, high-performing team is crucial for sustained success in this industry, no matter what the future holds.

Rezku has been helping new and established restaurants achieve their business goals using the latest restaurant management software for over 10 years. Contact us today for a complimentary restaurant technology consultation.

Phone: 844-697-3958 x2

eMail: Sales@Rezku.com