Sommelier jobs in California

We believe that life is made of many journeys: inspiration, wonderment, curiosity, or the simple joy of discovering something new every day. If you share the same sentiment, then this opportunity is for you.

Overview: The Lead Sommelier is responsible for supporting the Director of Wine in selecting, buying, storing, selling, and serving wines. Additionally, they provide full operational support to the outlet leaders. The key goal is to maintain efficiency during service through planning, preparation, adapting to the moment's needs, and the excellence of knowledge. These goals are achieved through thorough training, strong associate support, teamwork, and feedback. It is also required that the wine program be in the same spirit as the menus by making sure selling prices are balanced, varied, and abundant.

• Ensure the delivery of the brand promise, support the implementation of the Relationship Hospitality, and demonstrate and reinforce the Values and Culture Characteristics of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.
• Exercise responsible behavior at all times and positively represent the restaurant team and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.
• Ensure high standards of personal presentation and grooming.
• Maintain complete knowledge of and comply with all departmental policies, service procedures, and standards.
• Ensure that standards are maintained at a superior level on a daily basis.
• Maintain complete knowledge of VIPs as determined by Hotel & Club Members.
• Responsible for recommending and selling wines and other beverages to guests. Offer and promote digestives.
• Maintain complete knowledge of and strictly abide by state liquor regulations, particularly those prohibiting service to minors, intoxicated persons, and drunk driving.
• Carry out wine education classes.
• Train front of house about wine/wine pairings. Ensure all service associates know which wines to recommend for each dish on the menu.
• Carry out monthly stock control and inventory. Update continuously all inventory forms.
• Maintain and update wine and all other beverage lists. Ensure wines of critical age get sold. Establish sommelier recommendations. Ensure pricing is up to date.
• Greet guests, handle comments and problems whenever required, and promote sales to meet forecasted revenues.
• Converse with guests to maintain a good relationship and extend personal touch.
• Make requisition for supplies to maintain par level.
• Maintain complete knowledge of P.O.S. and manual systems.
• Anticipate guests' needs, respond promptly, and acknowledge all guests, however busy and at whatever time of day.
• Always maintain positive guest relations.
• Be familiar with all hotel services/features and local attractions/activities to respond to guest inquiries accurately.
• Handle guest complaints following the four-step procedure and ensuring guest satisfaction.
• Monitor and maintain cleanliness, sanitation, and assigned station and service area organization.
• Carry out any other duties as required by the Director of Wine.

(Daily duties)

• Report for duty on time and prepare for your shift.
• Adhere to agreed break times.
• Follow opening procedures and complete all duties as required by the wine team.
• Ensure all deliveries have been dealt with, following the manual handling procedures.
• Communicate promptly any changes to wine stock or vintage change to all Managers.
• Ensure that all stations are equipped with sufficient clean glasses/decanters.
• Be ready and prepared for service.
• Engage with and contribute to service briefings.
• Assist the service team in delivering high standards of service, which might also include running food, bussing tables, resetting tables, etc.
• Follow the Sequence of Service and always maintain all tables in your section.
• Respond to menu/drinks queries with knowledgeable, informative, and engaging answers.
• Ensure that individual glass changes for each order are known and placed on the table.
• Understand guests are to be prioritized – SAGs, unhappy guests & regulars.
• Communicate guest preferences to the server to build guest profiles.
• At the end of each shift, enter wine preferences and highlight wine spenders in the table management system under client profiles.
• Top up wine and water whenever necessary.
• React promptly and deal with any issues, complaints, breakages & spillages.
• Communicate any issues promptly to the General Manager.
• Ensure a high level of cleanliness is maintained throughout the restaurant.
• Follow correct closing procedures accordingly.
• Complete relevant checklists correctly and honestly.
• Responsible for wine stock level and ordering by following the company requisition procedure.
• Ensure that all fridges and shelves are replenished before each service.
• Ensure that the restaurant is run efficiently throughout service.
• Ensure that the wine list is always tidy and up to date.
• Ensure that wines have the correct serving temperature and are faultless before serving.
• Responsible for consistently and efficiently delivering wine product training by making sure all restaurant associates are updated with any changes occurring on the wine list.
• Assist the Director of Wine in curating all hotel wine lists.
• Responsible for monitoring the beverage menu engineering by controlling the sales mix and price range.
• Responsible for maintaining a coherent beverage cost that aligns with the budget.
• Engage with Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine - Caruso’s to ensure that wine lists are relevant to the food offering.
• Gather information about wine regions, quality, availability, and prices.
• Ensure that the POS system always keeps the latest update possible, keeping the price in line with the wine list.
• Communicate and plan coverage before any on-trade shows and wine tastings attendance.
• Engage with the hotel's wine-related projects under the guidance of the Director of Wine.
• Pre-select potential wines for our wine lists and organize appropriate tasting with appropriate people.
• We must create, foster, and maintain optimum relationships with suppliers and vendors. These relationships will allow us to stay current and innovative.
• Supervise all wine stock levels and stock movements and recommend actions where needed.
• Train all F&B associates on basic knowledge of wines, up-selling wines, and wine service. Able to construct and facilitate wine training classes for management and associates.

Confidentiality: While working for the company, you will have access to confidential information concerning the company, guests, and associates. It is vital that all such information remains confidential and must not be disclosed to anyone outside the company, guests, and associates unless otherwise stated.

General Skills: Must be able to perform job functions with attention to detail, speed, and accuracy; prioritize, organize, and follow-up; be a clear thinker, remaining calm and resolving problems using good judgment; follow directions thoroughly; understand a guest’s service needs; work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team; work with minimal supervision; maintain the confidentiality of guest information and pertinent hotel data.

Technical Skills:

• Knowledge: Ability to perform job functions with attention to detail, speed, and accuracy; ability to prioritize, organize, and follow through; ability to be a clear thinker, remain calm, and resolve problems using good judgment; ability to work well under the pressure of meeting production schedules and timelines for guests' hot food orders.
• Ability to maintain good coordination; ability to transport cases of received goods to the workstation; ability to work 8–12-hour shifts in hot, noisy, and sometimes close conditions.
• Ability to work with all products and food ingredients involved and use all senses to ensure quality standards are met.
• Ability to differentiate dates; ability to operate, clean, and maintain all equipment required in job functions.
• Ability to comprehend and follow recipes; perform job functions with minimal supervision; work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team.

Language: Required to speak, read, and write English, with fluency in other languages preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to exert physical effort in transporting 20 pounds, endure various physical movements throughout the work areas, reach up and down, remain stationary throughout work periods, and satisfactorily communicate with guests and co-workers to their understanding.
• Kitchen Environment: The kitchen is constantly exposed to heat, cold, slippery surfaces, and appliances such as the stove, oven, dishwasher, cooking top, and cleaning tools.

Qualifications:

• Diploma/Some College or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience.
• Must have a current and valid Food Handler Certification.
• Must have a current and valid Responsible Beverage Service Certification and Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Server ID.
• Minimum of 21 years of age to pour alcoholic beverages.
• Court of Master Sommelier certified and/or WSET Certifications preferred.

Experience:

• You must have at least three years of food and beverage experience in a similar position in a well-established restaurant and/or hotel.
• Prior experience in a Michelin-rated restaurant is preferred.
• Prior experience in a Forbes-rated restaurant is preferred.
• Hotel operational exposure (i.e., F&B) is preferred.
• Experience with a luxury or ultra-luxury property or brand preferred.