Nelly Moudime, Maître D’, The Polo Bar

“In a technical sense, a maitre d’ makes sure that a restaurant is—and stays—busy, and helps with reservations and seating of the room. If you don’t feel welcome in a restaurant, you don’t want to go back, right? It’s the maitre d’s job to change that. They need to make you feel at home, to make you feel seen. You connect with people, remember them, know what they want, and what to anticipate. Honestly, I don’t think that I have had a day off in a long time. I’m always working, but at this point, it’s part of my lifestyle. I mean, it’s not like I grew up thinking I wanted to be a maitre d’ at a restaurant. I modeled for a while and that was fun, but so unstable—I needed to pay the bills. I started off as a maitre d’ part-time and eventually realized I really enjoyed the experience. It’s kind of like going to the theater every day—and I love taking care of people. I always say that my grandmother trained me for this job without realizing. She always had an extra plate and was so welcoming. I bring that to my work at The Polo Bar and previously at Minetta Tavern, the original Pastis, and Balthazar.

When I go out, I usually entertain out-of-town guests, or my boyfriend and I have little date nights. We’ll get dressed up and enjoy a nice dinner together. We love to sit at the bar—it’s a very intimate setting. Plus, bartenders are incredible. The level of attention is great. If you think about it, servers have to go back to their stations, get stuff, and come back. A bartender will look at you and be right with you. I actually really love going to Minetta still. I love the old school vibe. It’s a really special restaurant—lots of ghosts. They also really understand that a bar is another section of the restaurant where people can enjoy a nice meal and not be at a table. If we’re in Harlem, I love Clay. Their food is great and they have a wonderful wine list. JG Melon is great when we want to have a casual night. Torrisi is newer and their bar is so well-thought-out, too. My all-time favorite is Raoul’s. It feels like New York. Time stands still there. After dinner, we might go listen to live music. I love Minton’s Playhouse and Smalls. Dizzy’s Club is a whole experience.

SKINCARE
I bought a face steamer a few years ago, but I didn’t use it. I’d rather go the old school way and boil water. I usually add rosemary or thyme. I’m from Cameroon, and the women in my family use a lot of herbs, so I picked that up from them.

I really like Kiehl’s Rare Earth cleanser. I like to exfoliate my skin almost daily, and this is very gentle. I also love that it has clay. It has a bit of a mineral smell, but it’s not overwhelming. Then I might use Mario Badescu’s Super Collagen mask for 30 minutes. This thing is so good—my skin feels so tight afterwards. I used it overnight one time because I wanted to see what it would do, and I felt like I had a lift when I woke up. Maybe it was mental, but I loved it.

When I’m getting ready, I always have a concert happening. I can be anything and anyone—GloRilla, Lil’ Kim, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston. I also love African music because it puts you in a good mood straight away. I scream-sing while I take a cold shower for two to three minutes. I love the cold; it really wakes me up. Then I move on to Violette_FR’s Skin Barrier Rescue. I got it not too long ago. I think it’s good—my skin feels softer and brighter with it—but am I sold on it yet? I need a little more time to tell. I’ve also been using The Beauty Sandwich’s SS01 Secret Sauce, and it makes my skin so dewy.

I’ve always liked rich moisturizers and Crème de la Mer feels like it’s really feeding and nurturing my skin—it feels like my skin drank a bottle of water when I use it. I hate when you wear something and then all of a sudden your skin feels dry. My go-to sunscreen is Kiehl’s Better Screen SPF 50+. Some sunscreens leave a film, so I need something that won’t give my skin a ghost shade.

My body needs a lot of moisture, too. In the shower, I like Uriage’s Extra-Rich Dermatological Gel. I love Uriage’s Xémose Lipid-Replenishing Cream, too. They’re French products I picked up. I also use a special oil my family makes. It has banana and avocado oil, and a whole lot of other ingredients I wouldn’t be able to translate from French to English. [Laughs] But also, my aunt doesn’t like to share the ingredients. She prays on it. It’s a whole thing. Oh, and I love Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil. It smells incredible.

When I get home, I use a bi-phase eye makeup remover from Chanel to take off my mascara. It’s really soft on my eyes. I’ve had makeup removers that were too much and made me feel like I was stripping off layers of skin. Then I do another light exfoliation. I actually really like Trader Joe’s microdermabrasion scrub. It’s really simple and cleans everything up after a night out. Then I’ll tone—I’ve been using Kiehl’s Milk-Peel exfoliating toner—and moisturize with La Mer again, and it’s off to bed.

MAKEUP
I’m OK with the way my skin looks during the summer. During the winter though, I feel like I’m a little faded and need some help, so I use Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint in Perissa and NARS’ Radiant Concealer. Then, depending on the time of year, I like a maroon-y or purple-y blush. Westman Atelier has amazing products. I adore her Baby Cheeks. I like to apply it a little higher than my cheekbones.

I usually grab a pretty natural lipstick during the day, but when I go out, I like to wear red. My go-to is UOMA Beauty’s Badass Icon matte lipstick in Whitney. Sometimes I’ll go for Matte Royal, a purple, from MAC [discontinued].

My trademark is gold eyeliner in the inner corners of my eyes. I was inspired by a picture of traditional African makeup worn by Fela Kuti dancers, The Kalakuta Queens. In my early twenties, I was obsessed with how his dancers looked. They were really wild and he had fun with makeup. I used to go crazy with my makeup, and the gold is the one thing I kept from that era. I use Urban Decay’s liquid glitter eyeliner in Goldmine.

I fill in my brows a little bit with Anastasia’s Brow Definer in Granite. I love a feathered look so I brush them up. And I have an obsession with mascara. I started wearing it when I moved to Montreal for college. My mom wasn’t there, so I could go a little crazy with it. I just love its effect. It really opens up your eyes and makes you look awake. It’s the last thing that I apply because I like to take my time. Ilia’s Fullest Volumizing is good for the daytime, and MAC’s MACStack is great for the nighttime. It can be a little drying, but I still like it. Plus, MAC also has a lash primer that makes the MACStack last longer. Too Faced’s Better Than Sex is another good night mascara. It really extends your lashes. Same goes for Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes. I have Tarte’s Big Ego, but honestly, it hurt my ego. It’s not that great. Benefit has some of my favorites, including their They’re Real lengthening mascara.

HAIR
I wear my hair in an Afro. I was really inspired by African-American women of the ’70s and the whole Black and proud movement. These women got away from what people wanted a Black woman to be, and I was in awe because their natural hair really showcased the beauty and the strength of Black women. It also feels like protection, kind of like my armor. I go to Ms. P on 143rd Street every two weeks. She’s like the mayor of Harlem, just knows everyone. She’s been taking care of my hair for over twenty years.

NAILS
I don’t get manicures—I just file my nails—but I love getting a good pedicure. I go to La Bella Nails & Spa in Washington Heights. The ladies are really incredible, and they actually take their time doing your feet. I feel like most of the time in New York, you go to the salon, they quickly file your toenails, paint them, and get you out of there as soon as possible. I just got a bronze-y, gold shade recently, which I had never done before. But you’ll see me in any color that’s fun. I have fun with my pedicures for sure.

FRAGRANCE
I’ve been wearing Diptyque’s Eau Des Sens for a long time. It’s great. I also love Le Labo’s Another 13. Eau Des Sens is citrus-y, and Another 13 has jasmine and moss. I don’t like aggressive scents, and these are so fresh. When I’m getting ready though, I love to light Japanese incense I got when I visited the Portland Japanese Garden in Oregon. Otherwise, Le Labo’s Santal 26 candle is a classic.”

—As told to Daise Bedolla

Photographed by Shana Trajanoska in New York on July 15, 2024