Job Description

Head Waiter

Vida Plena is an innovative hospitality group founded in Lisbon in 2018, dedicated to making our guests and team feel truly at home. We pride ourselves on delivering warm, blissful experiences, fostering a diverse and inclusive atmosphere, serving top-quality fresh food, and providing exceptional service.

Our foundation is built on passion, respect, kindness, ambition, and modernity, alongside a commitment to joy, positive energy, and a laid-back approach to enjoying life's best moments. At Vida Plena, we embrace the true essence of hospitality while adhering to our core values, creating a fun, respectful, and loving environment for all.

🌟 The Role

As a Head Waiter, you lead by example — guiding the service team to deliver consistent, high-quality experiences that reflect the warmth and precision of Vida Plena hospitality. You ensure every guest feels seen, every table runs smoothly, and every service moment unfolds with care and confidence.

📋 Your Key Responsibilities

• Supervise waitstaff, resolve guest issues, and coordinate service timing to optimize flow.
• Oversee the timing of reservations to ensure a smooth flow of guests, coordinating and managing orders delivered to tables, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Keep track of the needs of each table, ensuring service is handled efficiently and to high standards.
• Upsell food and beverage items by encouraging staff to recommend premium options and suggesting additional dishes or drinks to guests.
• Handle conflicts (customers and staff) promptly and professionally to maintain a positive atmosphere.
• Control the break times of bar staff to ensure proper coverage and service efficiency during peak times.
• Assist with candidate trials, assessing performance and fit for the team.

🛠️ What We Expect From You

• Experience: 1+ years in front-of-house roles, with proven leadership experience.
• Ability to guide, motivate, and coordinate a service team with calm authority.
• Strong interpersonal skills to bridge FOH and kitchen communication smoothly.
• Capable of managing guest issues and staff conflicts with professionalism and care.
• Excellent at managing reservations, guest flow, and service priorities.
• Fluent in English, with local language skills as a plus.
• Proficiency with reservation systems and restaurant management tools.
• Responsible, dependable, and adaptable — a natural team player who thrives under pressure.

🚀 What's in For you?

At Vida Plena, you're not just taking a position; you are joining a community that values joy, respect, and a collective pursuit of excellence. If you're prepared to bring your expertise, passion, and innovation to our team, we're excited to welcome you into our fold.

• A salary that respects your work — competitive pay from day one
• Performance that pays off — team performance bonus and fair tip distribution, because great service deserves real recognition
• Enjoy the experience yourself — group discounts for you and your guests across all our venues
• Wellbeing is a priority — a mental health parter and weekly activities on us, from yoga and boxing to meditation, keeping you energised on and off the floor
• Celebrations that bring us together — regular team-building events and group parties, because the best teams also know how to have fun
• Room to grow — be part of an expanding hospitality group with internal mobility and career progression opportunities.