Host
What started as a small garden in a vacant lot in this little inner-city neighborhood, quickly turned into the City of Dallas’ first urban farm. The original farm is 1.25 acres boldly situated in the South Dallas community of Bonton, an area ravaged by generational poverty, crime, and classified by the USDA as a food desert. In 2016, a local family, the Treffingers, were inspired by the mission of Bonton Farms and generously donated 20 acres of land located about 10 miles from the original farm. They loved it so much that when another 20 acre plot adjacent to the original one became available, they purchased it and donated it for further expansion of Bonton Farms. That 40 acre site is what we call "The Bonton Farms Extension". It happens to be one of the largest urban farms in the Unites States. In this unlikely setting, we are cultivating a sustainable and vibrant urban farm with the mission to restore lives, create jobs and ignite hope.
Overview of Role
- Greet each guest promptly and warmly upon arrival.
- Create a welcoming environment that reflects Bonton Farms’ values of Courage, Love, Unity, and Excellence.
- Assist guests with seating, wait times, reservations, and general questions.
- Provide guests with accurate information about the Market Café, Bonton Farms, menu offerings, and onsite amenities.
- Thank guests as they leave and invite them to return.
- Recognize and respond appropriately to guests who may need additional assistance or accommodations.
- Manage the seating process to support an efficient and balanced flow of service.
- Maintain accurate information regarding available tables, reservations, and estimated wait times.
- Coordinate with servers, café leadership, and other front-of-house team members before seating guests.
- Keep the host area, entrance, waiting area, and menus clean, organized, and presentable.
- Monitor guest traffic and communicate changes in volume, wait times, or seating needs to café leadership.
- Assist with arranging tables and seating areas for large parties, special events, or accessibility needs.
- Answer incoming telephone calls professionally and direct questions or requests to the appropriate team member.
- Respond to guest questions with patience, professionalism, and accurate information.
- Communicate guest concerns or service issues promptly to café leadership.
- Assist with communicating menu availability, café hours, special events, and other relevant information.
- Help guests understand and connect with the mission and work of Bonton Farms.
- Assist servers and other front-of-house team members during busy service periods, as directed.
- Support table preparation by ensuring seating areas are clean, properly arranged, and ready for guests.
- Assist with distributing menus, providing water, clearing light items, or resetting tables when needed.
- Maintain an adequate supply of clean menus and other host-station materials.
- Help ensure walkways, entrances, and guest-facing areas remain clean, safe, and free from obstruction.
- Support café opening and closing procedures assigned to the host position.
- Work collaboratively with café, culinary, Coffee House, Farmers Market, and other Social Enterprise team members.
- Communicate respectfully and professionally with coworkers, apprentices, volunteers, community members, and guests.
- Participate in required meetings, training, and staff development activities.
- Support apprentices and program participants by modeling professionalism, hospitality, and strong workplace practices.
- Demonstrate flexibility and a willingness to assist in other guest-service areas when operationally necessary.
- Represent Bonton Farms positively and uphold its mission, values, policies, and service standards.
- Follow all applicable food safety, sanitation, workplace safety, and guest-service procedures.
- Report spills, hazards, damaged equipment, or unsafe conditions immediately.
- Follow established procedures for emergencies, incidents, and guest concerns.
- Maintain professional appearance and hygiene standards consistent with café requirements.
- Comply with all Bonton Farms policies, procedures, and attendance expectations.
- Previous restaurant, hospitality, retail, or customer-service experience preferred.
- Friendly, professional, and service-oriented demeanor.
- Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to remain calm, organized, and welcoming during busy service periods.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to guests and service flow.
- Dependable, punctual, and able to work effectively as part of a team.
- Basic comfort using reservation, point-of-sale, or telephone systems preferred.
- Willingness to learn about and communicate the mission of Bonton Farms.
- Commitment to serving guests and community members with dignity, patience, and respect.
- This is an hourly, nonexempt position.
- Flexible availability may be required, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events.
- Work is performed in a fast-paced café and hospitality environment.
- The position requires prolonged standing and walking throughout the scheduled shift.
- Must be able to bend, reach, carry menus or service supplies, and lift up to 25 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Regular interaction with guests, coworkers, apprentices, volunteers, and community members is required.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Our Mission
Transform lives by disrupting systems of inequity, laying a foundation where change yields health, wholeness and opportunity as the norm.
Vision
The change in Bonton becomes the change in the World.
Core Principal
Our values are bathed in our Christian faith, born out of a passion for people and guide how we put them into action.
What is Bonton?
For the last 200 years, racial injustice and systemic oppression prevented opportunities in Bonton, a community in South Dallas, that were a given elsewhere. People here experienced higher rates of diabetes, stroke and cancer, and 48% of residents lived in poverty. Residents have been denied access to the seven human essentials that are necessary to survive and thrive - health & wellness, economic stability, safe and affordable housing, transportation, a sense of belonging, education and access to fair credit. Today, the community is transforming, and healing is coming from within.
Who We Are
Bonton Farms is on a mission is to transform lives by disrupting systems of inequity, laying a foundation where health, wholeness, and opportunity are the norm for all people. While many nonprofits work to solve one issue, Bonton Farms focuses on place-based interventions to build community capacity for long-term change. As the ecosystem of community resources improves, the neighbors in Bonton use these resources to build successful, self-sufficient lives, ultimately interrupting the impact of decades of disenfranchisement. Bonton Farms’ programs focus on the all of the seven human essentials that the community has been denied for so long. We invite you to come and join us in the transformation!
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