Head Waiter

MJMK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 46,524,000 - 49,600,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

50% team discount across all MJMK

Up to £500 team referral bonus

Growth opportunities within MJMK

Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

Extra holidays up to 5 days

Mental health support via Hospitality

Enhanced pension contributions after 5

Anniversary reward scheme

Job summary

MJMK Restaurants’ Luso is seeking a Head Waiter to lead the floor during service in a busy London setting. You will manage your section, mentor staff, and ensure memorable experiences for guests through menu and wine storytelling.

The role rewards hands-on leadership, attention to detail, and a passion for Portuguese cuisine and hospitality. If you thrive in a quality-led environment, this is your next step with a growing London group.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Head Waiter or senior waiter in a quality-led restaurant.
• Real passion for Portuguese food and wine, and a willingness to learn about its regions and producers.
• The ability to read a table and tailor service to each guest.
• Confidence in leading a section and supporting the team.

Responsibilities

• Lead the floor during service, keeping the dining room calm, welcoming and well paced.
• Look after your own section while supporting the wider waiting team.
• Brief the team before each service on the menu, specials and wines by the glass.
• Guide guests through the menu and wine list, sharing the stories behind each dish and bottle.
• Train and mentor junior team members, helping them grow in confidence and knowledge.
• Work closely with the kitchen and bar so every course arrives at the right moment.
• Welcome guest feedback and respond to it with care and generosity.
• Keep standards of presentation, table settings and mise en place consistently high.
• Support the management team with the smooth opening and closing of each service.
• Uphold food safety, licensing and allergen procedures on every shift.

Skills

Head Waiter experience

Leadership

Wine knowledge

Portuguese cuisine knowledge

Customer service excellence

Tools

POS systems

Job description

Head Waiter - Luso - MJMK Restaurants

£16.21 to £17.31 per hour (dependent on experience)

Location: Full time, site based, W1T, London

Luso opened on Charlotte Street in September 2025, celebrating the diversity of Portugal's Iberian coastline and countryside. The menu blends the familiar with the contemporary, and the wine list reflects Portugal's variety, from under water aged wines to the country's long tradition of fortified wines, each bottle chosen with the same care that goes into every dish. At Luso, energy, curiosity and passion for detail come together with a warm, generous welcome for everyone who joins the team.

As Head Waiter, you will lead the floor during service, looking after your own section and guiding the waiting team so every table feels cared for from the first glass to the last. You will be the voice guests remember, sharing the stories behind the dishes and wines, and helping the dining room move with warmth and pace.

This role suits an experienced waiter ready for their next step, or a Head Waiter who loves the rhythm of a thoughtful, lively dining room. A background in quality-led restaurants will serve you well, and a curiosity for Portuguese food and wine will make you feel right at home.

This is a hands-on role for someone who leads by example on the floor.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the floor during service, keeping the dining room calm, welcoming and well paced.
• Look after your own section while supporting the wider waiting team.
• Brief the team before each service on the menu, specials and wines by the glass.
• Guide guests through the menu and wine list, sharing the stories behind each dish and bottle.
• Train and mentor junior team members, helping them grow in confidence and knowledge.
• Work closely with the kitchen and bar so every course arrives at the right moment.
• Welcome guest feedback and respond to it with care and generosity.
• Keep standards of presentation, table settings and mise en place consistently high.
• Support the management team with the smooth opening and closing of each service.
• Uphold food safety, licensing and allergen procedures on every shift.

What We're Looking For

• The people who thrive at Luso love a full dining room and the conversations that happen around the table. You will bring:
• Experience as a Head Waiter or senior waiter in a quality-led restaurant.
• Real passion for Portuguese food and wine, and a willingness to keep learning about its regions and producers.
• The ability to read a table and tailor your service to each guest.
• Confidence in leading a section and supporting the team around you.
• An eye for detail, from the polish of a glass to the timing of a course.
• Knowledge of wine service, or a real appetite to build it.
• Warmth and generosity that make every guest feel at home.
• Composure during busy services, with the energy to lift the room.
• Enthusiasm for the rhythm of restaurant life, from lively weekend services to late evenings on Charlotte Street.

What we offer

• 50% team discount across all MJMK restaurants.
• Up to £500 team referral bonus.
• Opportunity to grow within one of London's most ambitious hospitality groups.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay after one year with us.
• Extra day's holiday every year you're with us, up to 5 extra days.
• Mental health and well-being assistance via Hospitality Action, offering free advice and counselling.
• Enhanced pension contributions after 5 years with us.
• Anniversary reward scheme every year you're with us.

About MJMK Restaurants

MJMK Restaurants owns and operates a collection of award-winning restaurants. Founded in 2018 by lifelong friends Jake Kasumov and Marco Mendes, our journey began with Casa do Frango.

In 2020, we partnered with chef patron Santiago Lastra to open KOL, a restaurant in Marylebone celebrating Mexican cuisine with British ingredients. KOL has since earned a Michelin star and been named one of the World's 50 Best Restaurants.

2024 saw two new ventures: Fonda, a contemporary Mexican concept in Mayfair, our second collaboration with Santiago Lastra, and AngloThai in Marylebone, a debut restaurant from husband-and-wife John and Desiree Chantarasak, blending Thai flavours with British ingredients. Within three months of opening, AngloThai earned a Michelin star.

In the 2025 National Restaurant Awards, AngloThai was named The Square Opening of the Year and ranked 7th in the Top 100 list, followed by KOL at number 50. Luso, a contemporary Portuguese restaurant in Fitzrovia, opened in September 2025.

We're building ambitious restaurant brands with a focus on quality, creativity and guest experience, and we're just getting started.