As restaurant manager, I oversee the front of the house staff, servers, bussers, hosts. My job is to make sure everything in the restaurant runs seamlessly. I act as a liaison between the customers and back of house staff. It's my job to make sure that we are giving the best possible customer service to our guests. I make sure the guests are having a good time and enjoying the food. On occasion, I also go to events as a representative of the restaurant.

EDUCATION | BA from University of California, Berkeley, Integrative Biology

HOW TO GET STARTED | I would advise not going to any culinary school or hospitality school for this - you can learn all of that on the job. The best advice is to read Gourmet and Wine Spectator to keep up on what's hip in food. A big part of the business is knowing what is trendy and what people want.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Attention to detail, quickness on your feet, diplomacy, sociability, friendliness.

how I got started | I got to a point where I was disillusioned with school so I decided to take a break for a little while and pursue my dream of becoming a chef. I started working at a couple of restaurants where they taught me how to cook. After that I had a few jobs as a professional cook, but I decided I really wanted to get involved in the customer service aspect of the restaurant business, which led me to tending bar and serving, which then progressed to management when a spot opened up where I was working.

why this job?| One meal in particular got me interested in gastronomy--a nine course meal at the Jules Verne in the Eiffel Tour when I was 16. I was inspired to start working in the restaurant business because that meal changed my whole view of food. The best way to learn more about cuisine was to do it for a living. After cooking professionally in a couple restaurants, I decided I wanted to try running the show, as a manager. At my job, I get to learn so much about cuisine and wine, while still working with customers and the running of the restaurant. For me, it's the best of both worlds.

why I love this job!| It pleases me to introduce people to things they have never tried before. I love learning about food and wine. And I undeniably enjoy being in charge and running the show.

my typical day| I usually work at night, so I get there and open the place and make sure everything is ready for service - printing menus, making sure my staff is there and ready, making sure tables look nice for dinner. When we open I am basically the lubricant making sure all the wheels are turning smoothly. I'm the liaison between kitchen and floor staff. If there's a problem with something food related, it's my job to talk to the chef for the customer. Then when the day is done, I take care of the money, pay out servers and then close up the place. It's definitely nice not to have to bring any work home!

what they are | The challenges are dealing with customers who are determined to be unhappy no matter what you do for them. Also, one of the problems that comes up a lot is the kitchen having issues with front of house and vice versa. It's my job to mediate those issues which can sometimes be difficult. Dealing with my own managers can also be a challenge, as they don't always relay information to me that I need to know in order to perform my job.

all about growth | You can work your way up to general manager, or start working at fancier and fancier restaurants. I know other restaurant managers who eventually go into working for food or beverage purveyors, as the pay can often be better, and some people do burn out on the customer service aspect of things.

my website| http://www.Adagiarestaurant.com