Commis Waiter/waitress
Smith & Wollensky London
Around £17.35 per hour, made up of a £12.71 hourly rate and a tronc share from service charge, which has averaged about £4.65 an hour over the last three years.
Approx. £33,500 to £36,000 a year on a 40 hour week, depending on tronc
Good pay. A stable team. A place worth committing to.
Smith & Wollensky London has been part of the city since 2015, based in the Art Deco Adelphi Building just off the Strand. We are one of the few restaurants that still set tables with cloth and silver, carve sharing cuts at the table, and expect genuine conversation with our guests. Standards matter here, and we hold them.
In 2025 we marked ten years of service in London. In a market where teams turn over every year, ours has stayed together. More than 40% of the front of house and kitchen team have been with us for three years or more. That is not by accident. It is the result of clear expectations, fair pay, and leadership that values consistency over noise.
We are now looking for a Commis Waiter to join that team.
This role suits someone who is reliable, well presented, calm under pressure, and wants to learn the trade properly. You work alongside a waiter on their section: running food and drinks, clearing and resetting tables, keeping the station stocked, and looking after guests in the small moments between courses. It is the role where good waiters start. Everything we do at the table, from cloth and silver to carving sharing cuts, you will learn here first. Training is provided, but punctuality, care and attention must already be part of how you work.
What matters most to us:
· Turning up consistently and on time
· Communicating clearly with guests and the floor team
· Taking pride in presentation and detail
· Treating the role as a position of trust, not just a shift
In return, you will join a busy and well run restaurant. Expectations are clear, support is real, and good performance is rewarded. Commis who show they can hold the standard move up to a section of their own.
If you are looking for a place that feels like an occasion for guests but a stable, serious workplace behind the scenes, we would like to hear from you.
Full time, 40 hours across five days including evenings and weekends. Permanent contract.
Our benefits:
· Ongoing training and development, including WSET qualifications where relevant to the role
· Staff meals on shift
· 50% dining discount for you and your guests at Smith & Wollensky
· Team and individual sales incentives
· Up to £600 referral bonus for successful hires
· NEST pension scheme
Full details shared as part of the recruitment process.