Food Runner

Full-Time

Bring The Plates. Bring The Pace. Bring The Vibe.

At La Playa Hotel, every shift comes with a little more atmosphere. Think ocean air, iconic Carmel-by-the-Sea charm, a historic hotel setting, and guests who expect a dining experience as memorable as the coastline outside.

We’re looking for someone who moves with intention, notices the details, and understands that great hospitality is never just about delivering a plate. It’s about timing. Presence. A warm smile at precisely the right moment. It’s helping create the effortless, elevated energy that makes a meal feel like a Carmel moment.

This is a fast-moving, highly collaborative role for a hospitality-minded person who likes staying active, supporting the room, and making every trip between the kitchen and dining room count.

Your Shift, In Motion

• Deliver freshly prepared food promptly, accurately, and beautifully to the right guests and tables.
• Present dishes with warmth, confidence, and polished hospitality.
• Know the menu well enough to identify dishes and communicate basic ingredients when needed.
• Check that every plate is properly presented before it leaves the pass.
• Keep the dining room flowing by clearing used plates, glassware, and serviceware on return trips to the kitchen.
• Assist with clearing and resetting tables so every guest space remains crisp, clean, and ready for its next chapter.
• Communicate clearly with servers, culinary team members, bartenders, hosts, and managers throughout service.
• Keep the kitchen pass, food-running station, and service areas organized, stocked, and service-ready.
• Stay aware of what the room needs and jump in before someone has to ask.

The philosophy is simple: move with purpose, keep your hands full, and leave every space better than you found it. One trip delivers an exceptional plate; the return trip clears, resets, restocks, or solves a problem. That’s how great service stays seamless.

The Carmel Standard

Carmel-by-the-Sea is known for its artistic soul, storybook architecture, world-class coastline, and quietly discerning visitors. La Playa Hotel’s guests arrive for the beauty—but they remember the feeling. You’ll help set that tone through thoughtful service, sharp attention to detail, and a team-first approach that never feels forced.

• Maintain a clean, professional, guest-ready appearance throughout the shift.
• Follow all food-safety, sanitation, and hotel service procedures.
• Handle food, dishes, glassware, and service equipment safely and carefully.
• Complete side work during slower periods, including restocking, polishing, cleaning, and station upkeep.
• Help keep both front-of-house and back-of-house spaces prepared for a smooth, elevated service.

After The Last Plate

Food service generally concludes around 9:00 PM, but the work isn’t finished when the last entrée leaves the kitchen. Closing is a team effort—and a clean finish sets up an even better tomorrow.

• Clean and organize the food-running station.
• Complete assigned closing duties and outstanding side work.
• Support the cleaning and resetting of service areas.
• Restock liquor and beverage supplies as directed.

You’ll Thrive Here If You Are

• Energetic, reliable, and comfortable being on your feet throughout the shift.

La Playa Hotel's and Hotel Carmel’s leaders and team members believe each guest should be treated with respect and professionalism. We create a heartfelt experience of genuine hospitality, enticing our guests to return again and again. In order to be successful at La Playa Hotel and Hotel Carmel, associates must share both our Purpose (Making Space for Genuine Hospitality) and Pillars (Hands On & Heartfelt, Sincere & Focused, Collaborative & Curious, & Conscientious). This includes possessing and demonstrating a high level of courtesy and respect for both internal and external guests. Our forward-thinking, fun, friendly, engaging and enthusiastic associates treat every guest as if they were our only guest. A true customer focus is essential to success with our property.

• Friendly, composed, and naturally attentive to guests and teammates.
• Fast without being frantic—able to move with urgency while keeping the details right.
• A true team player who sees the entire operation, not just one task.
• Proactive, observant, and capable of finding the next right thing to do.
• Comfortable in a high-volume, fast-paced restaurant environment.
• Punctual, accountable, and proud to uphold a high standard of hospitality.
• Someone who appreciates that in a destination as special as Carmel, every interaction matters.

This is your chance to work where California coastal culture meets timeless hospitality. If you can carry the pace, elevate the moment, and help make service feel effortless, we’d love to meet you.