Experienced Waitstaff/Permanent Part-Time

Cognoscenti Food & Wine; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 30,000 - 41,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff dining discounts

Job summary

Cognoscenti Food & Wine is a neighbourhood restaurant in Belgrave, Melbourne, offering relaxed fine dining with seasonal Australian cuisine and an extensive wine list. We’re seeking an experienced front‑of‑house professional to join our small, dedicated team in a permanent part‑time role.

Experience, attitude and personality matter—bring your passion for hospitality, a warm manner and the ability to manage your own section while delivering attentive, professional service.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a quality restaurant or similar dining environment.
• Warm, friendly and confident approach to customer service.
• Ability to manage your own section and deliver attentive, professional service.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends – essential.

Responsibilities

• Welcome guests and manage your own section as part of front-of-house.
• Guide guests through the menu and ensure a memorable dining experience.
• Maintain professional, attentive service in a relaxed fine-dining setting.
• Work closely with the team to support a smooth operation.

Skills

Front-of-house experience

Customer service

Team player

Attention to detail

Job description

Experienced Waitstaff/Permanent Part-Time

Experienced Waitstaff – Permanent Part-Time

Join the Team at Cognoscenti Food & Wine

Passionate about hospitality? Love great food, good wine and making people feel welcome? We'd love to meet you!

Cognoscenti Food & Wine is a neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of Belgrave, in Melbourne's beautiful Dandenong Ranges. Our approach is relaxed fine dining, combining seasonal modern Australian cuisine with European influences, an extensive wine list and warm, professional service.

We're looking for an experienced and passionate front-of-house professional to join our small, dedicated team in a permanent part-time position.

Who We're Looking For

Experience is important, but attitude, passion and personality matter even more.

We're after someone who genuinely loves hospitality, takes pride in delivering exceptional service and enjoys working as part of a close-knit team.

Ideally, you'll bring:

• Previous experience in a quality restaurant or similar dining environment.
• A warm, friendly and confident approach to customer service.
• The ability to manage your own section and deliver attentive, professional service.
• A positive, team-first attitude and great attention to detail.
• A genuine interest in food, wine and developing your skills.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends – essential.

A Little More About the Role

At Cognoscenti, we believe great service should be professional without being formal, attentive without being intrusive, and always genuine.

You’ll be involved in all aspects of front-of-house service, from welcoming guests and managing your own section to guiding guests through our menu and ensuring they have a memorable dining experience.

We’re a small, hands‑on team where everyone supports one another. You’ll work closely with the owners and your colleagues to deliver smooth, attentive service in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

We take what we do seriously, but we also believe hospitality should be fun, for both our guests and our team.

Why Join Cognoscenti?

• Permanent part‑time employment, including annual leave and sick leave entitlements.
• Great work–life balance, with a roster that respects your time outside of work.
• Competitive pay, plus tips.
• A friendly, supportive and professional team environment.
• Opportunities to expand your knowledge, including cross‑training behind the bar.
• Staff dining discounts.
• Work closely with passionate, hands‑on owners who value their team.

Sound Like You?

We're proud of the team we've built at Cognoscenti. We work hard, support one another and genuinely enjoy what we do.

We're not just looking for someone to carry plates. We're looking for someone who cares about hospitality, enjoys connecting with people and takes pride in making every guest feel welcome.