ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the conventional, stratified career of the craft waiter, where there is an upward progression through a series of well-defined stages - each clearly marked by a status label, a finite area of responsibility, a distinctive style of dress and a code of permitted behaviour. A craft recruit begins as a commis waiter and becomes, in sequence: a demi-chef; a chef de rang; a station head waiter; a first head waiter, and a restaurant manager. While there are no real ‘passing-out’ ceremonies for hotel waiters, the sudden acquisition of one’s own station, and the absence of a chaperone is significant enough to be recognised as a status change by co-workers. The station head waiter normally takes the customers’ orders, answers their queries about the menu, supervises the work of his staff, assists with their training, handles all the awkward customers and deals with any complaints that arise.
