1 Waitstaff Hostess job in Norfolk

About Us: Ceremony

Ceremony Ceremony is a non-alcoholic bottle shop and lounge in Norfolk, VA, created to celebrate community, experimentation, and the ritual of gathering. Our bar and kitchen are intimate by design: a 15-seat dining room, a 63 sq. ft. bar, and a deeply intentional approach to hospitality. We operate with a commitment to sustainability, zero-waste practices, and high-level craft in both our beverage and culinary programs.

The Role: Hospitality

We are seeking a versatile, observant, and detail-oriented hospitality team member to serve as the vital link between our front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) operations. This role is designed for a “hospitality polymath”—someone who enjoys the pace of the dining room but is equally interested in the craft of the kitchen and bar.

As the Floater, you are the “glue” of Ceremony. You will ensure the guest experience is seamless by managing the flow of the dining room while providing essential support to the Executive Chef and Bartender. This role offers a unique path for professional immersion: for those eager to build a technical foundation in NA mixology and plant-forward culinary arts, we offer additional hours through collaborative prep shifts. This allows you to gain a deeper ‘under-the-hood’ understanding of our menu, enabling you to educate guests with genuine authority and craft. These opportunities are optional.

Core ResponsibilitiesGuest Experience & FOH Service

• Hosting & Flow: Greet guests warmly, manage the seating for our 15-seat dining room, and introduce the Ceremony philosophy.
• Table Service: Take food and drink orders with a deep understanding of our seasonal menu and retail offerings.
• Service Support: Run drinks from the bar and food from the kitchen, ensuring every plate and glass meets our aesthetic standards.
• Table Maintenance: Proactively clear and set tables, bus dishes, and reset the dining room to maintain a serene, polished environment.
• Point of Sale: Ring up orders and retail bottle shop purchases accurately using our POS system.

Collaborative Influence

• Your Voice & Influence At Ceremony, we believe our best ideas come from the people closest to the guest experience. You will be empowered to:
• Audit and Improve: Regularly assess our front-of-house and back-of-house handoff processes, suggesting changes to improve speed and silence.
• Iterate on Service: Share insights from guest interactions to help us refine how we tell our story and present our menu.
• Zero-Waste Initiatives: Identify opportunities in our daily prep or service routines to further reduce waste and increase efficiency.
• Strategic Input: Participate in team “check-ins” where your observations on dining room flow directly influence operational shifts.

Kitchen & Bar Support (BOH Hybrid)

• The Bridge: Act as the primary communicator between the dining room and the kitchen/bar to ensure pacing is synchronized.
• Dish & Glassware: Maintain a steady flow of clean barware and plates; in an intimate 63 sq. ft. space, organization is paramount.
• Operational Readiness: Assist with nightly breakdown, deep cleaning of service areas, and resetting the space for the next service.

Growth & Development Opportunities

• Prep Assistance: Gain additional hours by assisting the Executive Chef with culinary prep (pickling, fermentation, veggie-forward mise en place) or the Bartender with beverage prep (syrups, cordials, infusions).
• Cross-Training: This role is a gateway to specialized positions if desired. You will have the opportunity to learn NA “mixology” techniques and fine-dining plating aesthetics.

What You Must BringExperience & Skill

• Versatility: Previous experience in either a server, busser, or prep cook role is preferred, but a “can-do” attitude is required.
• Pacing: The ability to remain calm and move with grace in an intimate, high-intentionality environment.
• Communication: Clear, concise communication skills to bridge the gap between the Chef and Bartender and the guest.

Personal Qualities

• Hospitality Mindset: A genuine desire to care for guests and celebrate the “ritual of gathering.”
• Cleanliness: High standards for organization; you understand that in a small space, “clean as you go” is a survival skill.
• Curiosity: A desire to learn about the non-alcoholic category, sustainable food systems, and zero-waste operations.

Schedule & Compensation

• Current Service Hours: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (approx. 4:30 PM – 9:30 PM). Hours for this position are as-needed with the opportunity to grow into more hours.
• Expanded Hours: Availability for Sunday brunch and dedicated weekday prep shifts (Bar/Kitchen) is a plus and will lead to more hours.
• Compensation: Competitive hourly rate based on experience.
• Growth: This role is designed to grow with the company. As we expand, the Floater has the first opportunity to move into lead service or specialized production roles.

To Apply

Visit enjoyceremony.com/career and complete the application.

Pay: From $18.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee discount

Work Location: In person