We are seeking an exceptional Food & Beverage Reception Manager to join the pre-opening team of Delano London. Reporting to the Director of Food & Beverage, you'll lead the reservations and reception experience across our Food & Beverage venues. You'll own the first impression before guests even arrive, combining exceptional hosting with smart reservation strategy and strong commercial awareness.
What you'll do...
- Lead the Food & Beverage reception and reservations function, creating a warm, polished and consistent guest journey from first enquiry through arrival and farewell.
- Own reservation strategy and daily book management for Lana Lusa and support Rose Bar and Private Dining bookings as required.
- Lead, train and develop the host and reception team, setting clear standards for telephone etiquette, written communication, guest recognition and arrival experience.
- Manage table inventory, pacing, booking channels, waitlists, walk-ins and seating strategy to maximise both guest satisfaction and commercial performance.
- Maintain high-quality guest profiles, preferences, VIP information and visit history, ensuring data is accurate, useful and handled appropriately.
- Work closely with the Restaurant Manager, Bar Manager and Director of Food & Beverage on covers, demand patterns, special events and revenue opportunities.
- Use reservation data, guest feedback and booking trends to identify opportunities around capture, repeat visits, average spend and peak-period management.
- Build strong relationships with hotel Reservations, Front Office, Concierge, Sales and other teams to create a connected experience for residents, local guests and VIPs.
- Oversee group dining and special booking enquiries, ensuring clear communication of deposits, cancellation terms, menus and operational requirements.
- Manage guest complaints and booking challenges with confidence, empathy and sound judgement, escalating where appropriate.
- Ensure menus, reception areas, reservation notes and guest-facing information are accurate and presentation-ready.
- Support the pre-opening configuration and testing of reservation systems, SOPs, reporting, guest database standards and team training.
- Maintain awareness of London's restaurant and nightlife landscape and help position Lana Lusa and Rose Bar as relevant local and destination venues.
- Ensure compliance with data protection, company policies, Health & Safety and all relevant brand and legal requirements.