Validation programme for professional qualification as a waiter

The waiter receives guests, suggests dishes and drinks, takes orders, passes them on to the bar or kitchen staff, serves the drinks or dishes, finishes them at the table if necessary, prepares the bill and takes payment.

The waiter:

• works flexible hours in a hierarchical team in restaurants, bars, hotels or banquet halls,
• combines various tasks: keeping an eye on the room, providing information and advice, making sales calls, etc.

The work is defined by company procedures, permanent attention to (food) safety, (personal) hygiene, customer friendliness, etiquette, discretion and dealing with difficult guests.

In the validation standard for waiter (in Dutch)(PDF file opens in new window) you will find detailed information about the validation programme.

If you want to demonstrate your experience as a waiter at a validation test centre, you do so through a practical test and an interview.

The tests’ instruction language is Dutch.

You will be tested on your ability to:

• note down a minimum of three reservations,
• perform preparatory work in the venue,
• receive and serve a minimum of six guests, including at least one non-native speaking guest,
• prepare the following beverages:
  • minimum one simple cold drink (one beer),
  • minimum two complex cold drinks (one cocktail or mocktail, one wine), minimum one simple hot drink (one coffee or tea) and
  • minimum two complex hot drinks (one coffee variety with milk, one coffee variety with alcohol),
• ensure safe hygiene in the restaurant and on the terrace,
• operate and control the cash register,
• manage the serving staff,
• deal with a guest’s complaint (drink or dish gone cold, dish not tasty, wrong order),
• deal with a problem in the preparation of a drink or dish (wrong delivery from the kitchen, stock shortage, error of a colleague, etc.).