Waiting

About qualities, work tasks, workplaces and education

Photo: Dreamland126_Dreamstime.

What qualities are important to have for a person who wants to become a waiter?

A waiter must know a lot about food and beverages, so he or she can give the customers good advice. It is important to be able to work methodically, so the customers get what they have ordered without having to wait too long. In this trade it is especially important to have good hygiene. A waiter must be able to work both independently and together with others.

In this trade it is important to be polite and to provide good service. You must be able to adjust your own behaviour and use your professional expertise in relation to the needs of the guests. This means that you must have good communication skills, both orally and written, as well as knowledge of languages. A waiter must often work in shifts.

Key work tasks

•    preparing all types of venues for various events
•    setting and decorating tables
•    serving
•    preparing dishes at the guests’ tables
•    following up the guests throughout the meal

 

What are the possible workplaces?

A waiter’s workplace is wherever food and beverages are served, such as hotels, restaurants, and venues where parties, banquets, courses or conferences are arranged. You can be a waiter on a tourist ship or an oil rig. 

What kind of education do you need to be a waiter?

Vg1: Restaurant and Food Processing

Vg2: Cookery and Waiting

Vg3: Waiting

You can be an apprentice in a business in your third and fourth years. When you finish your training you receive a trade certificate.