Professional waiter

JOB

Professional waiters (servers) mainly work in service in restaurants, hotels, cafes or catering services. The job involves preparing meetings, dinners and parties and daily management of restaurant halls. Professional waiters also handle the purchase of products, menus and wine menus in collaboration with chefs, oversee the appropriate arrangement of furniture and are responsible for customer service. Service is a certified trade.

Professional waiters also oversee wine supplies and ensure proper handling of wine as well as mixing and serving drinks.

Main tasks

• receiving guests, delivering menus, serving and advising
• providing information on food, such as on ingredients and cooking methods
• taking down orders and serving the food and drinks
• handling the final stages of cooking at the table by cutting and frying when appropriate
• offering guidance on food and beverage selection, decorations and party arrangements
• preparing bills, receiving payment and taking care of daily settlements

Competence requirements

When serving, it is important to be interested in how food is served, table decorations and the organization of meals and banquets, as well as being knowledgeable about wine. In your job as a professional waiter, you need to be able to receive customers with a variety of wishes, needs, customs and cultural backgrounds. It is beneficial to be able to guide guests in both Icelandic and foreign languages.

Study

Service studies are taught at Menntaskólinn í Kópavogi and Verkmenntaskólinn á Akureyri. The average study period is three years, including internship. Validation of prior learning has taken place and/or may be available.