Sommelier - Full Job Description
Join The Herbfarm as a Sommelier at one of America’s premier restaurants with one of the top wine programs. You'll be on the floor for service Thursday through Sunday during our nine-course seasonally and regionally influenced tastings menus that have been paired with 5-6 Northwest wines. As a key staff member on the wine team of one of America’s most-visible destination restaurants, it is The Herbfarm’s goal that its sommeliers achieve national recognition and awards. The Herbfarm will support and promote these efforts.
details
- Wine Selection
- Recommends wine pairings for each day's menu-from cellar and/or purveyors
- Recommends wine for replacement /addition to The Herbfarm's list and inventory
- Recommends and maintains inventory for glass pours and samplers
- Weekly Wine team meetings on "prep day"
- Nightly Service and Prep
- Pulls and prepares wine before dinner, bringing each wine to the proper serving temperature
- Opens (and decants) wine
- Insures that each bottle is sound.
- Educates staff in nightly, pre-dinner meeting of changes & updates of served wines
- Presents nightly menu talk to guests with chef in front of dining room
- Management of beer
- Management of herbal, non-alcoholic beverages including bottled waters
- Discusses beverages with guests
- Assists guests to make additional beverage selections
- Presents, opens, serves wine table-side for bottle sales
- Assists general service when possible by helping serve and present food, remove plates/silver/glassware, as well as refreshing napkins
- Closing responsibilities for restaurant 2-3 nights per week
- Wine Inventory Management
- Responsible for maintenance and inventory/location of 24,000 bottle cellar
- Responsible for accurately receiving wine
- Responsible for nightly and weekly breakage report
- Maintains an attractive cellar
- Inventory management of wine and supplies for samplers, glass list, etc
- Wine Sales
- Responds in thymely manner to guest beverage inquiries via email, phone or in person
- Supports retail sales of bottles
- Support Ron with descriptions for nightly Wine Tales, new samplers, glass pours
- Always conscious of potential for additional sales opportunities without losing the "we'll take care of you feel"
- Staff Education
- Develops and increases staff education through daily line-ups and after dinner tastings
- Monthly education at dining room meetings
- Twice annual all-staff education
- Lead role in service staff development and continual service improvement
- Public Relations and Professional Exposure
- As a key staff member on the wine team of one of America’s most-visible destination restaurants, it is The Herbfarm’s goal that its sommeliers achieve national recognition and awards. The Herbfarm will support and promote these efforts within reason with advance planning
- Maintain and develop professional business relationships with local winemakers
- Represent The Herbfarm at trade and consumer tastings in a professional manner
- Represent The Herbfarm at promotional events
- Develop and grow The Herbfarm’s public representation in a positive way
- Personal Education
- Continues with formal wine education through classes, tasting group study, and certification
- Focus on local and regional wines as well as wines of the world
additional requirements
- Extensive knowledge of the world's wines with particular emphasis on the wines of the Pacific Northwest; including but not limited to northern Italy, Rhone, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, California, Australia, and New Zealand, and the rest of the United States
- At least 5 years professional wine service experience
- Willingness to help in all front of house facets of restaurant operations-3 years hands-on experience at least
- Capable public speaking abilities
- Able to share passion and enthusiasm for wine with down-to-earth openness without alienating beginners and capturing the interest of experienced wine folk
- Team player
- Willing to assume leadership responsibilities at times
- Superior command of English
- Good posture, body language, personal grooming, and steady hands
- Pleasant personality with a winning smile
- Stamina and the ability to be on one's feet for 10 hours (with the pleasant attitude above)
schedule
- Generally Thursday through Sunday service
- Typically 4 evenings per week, plus one daytime inventory/preparation (generally Wednesdays)
- Approximate 40 hours per week schedule is prepared a month in advance
- Closing responsibilities 2-3 nights per week (2am finish)
compensation
- Salaried at a competitive rate.
benefits
- Health Insurance- medical, dental and vision paid 50% by The Herbfarm
- Paid Vacation: 2 weeks per year. Vacation increases to 3 weeks per year after 5 years employment
- Good Health days-maximum two per year--paid days off for being healthy
- Wine-Travel Education (after being here 6 months): By advance scheduling and approval, 5 compensated days off per year and a $200 per diem to use as you wish to further your wine knowledge. Your written report will be shared with the rest of the staff
- Dining Education: Up to $1,000 reimbursement per year for dining at mutually agreed upon restaurants. The dining benefit is contingent on a written report of the experience (required for reimbursement), which will be shared with The Herbfarm staff
- Participate in the annual Wine/Food education 3 day annual fall trip
A Successful Sommelier at The Herbfarm Would
At the end of 1 month
- Be working with Wine Team to select wines for the week's menu
- Be working with Wine Team each week for receiving/inventory control/organization of cellar
- Be able to find wine in the cellar
- Familiar with current non-alcoholic program/ingredients/sources/inventory
- Conversant with guests about wines we are serving each night
- Able to do wine talk with Keith and Ron during service with little difficulty
- Familiar with dining room handbook
At the end of 3 months
- Be able to setup wine for service with little direction
- Meet with wine reps with Wine Team for wine sampling
- Manage weekly inventory stuff--sampler supplies, wine by glass inventory, weekly usage, receiving and storing wine deliveries.
- Be fully aware of menus and changes that affect wine matching
- Have strong knowledge of all Woodinville wineries
- Be developing knowledge of all the Pacific Northwest wine regions
- Share information about matched wines with service staff weekly/nightly
- Understand the details of FOH dining room service, able to fill in as needed
- Be conversant with guests/staff about most of our NW wines on a down-to-earth level
- Be able to do wine talk with Keith and Ron during service with ease
At the end of 6 months
- Be conversant with guests/staff about most of the wines on our list
- Setup regular wine education withCarrie for staff
- Come up with promotional ideas with wine team and set them in motion
- Keep wine hall signed, stocked, and inviting for shoppers
- Be able to order wines and work with purveyors to get wine for restaurant
- Have full knowledge of most Washington and Oregon wineries
At the end of 1 year
- Demonstrate increase in wine sales over previous quarters
- Develop wine education/award program for staff
- Have full knowledge of most Pacific Northwest wineries
At the end of 2 years
- Increase retail wine sales by 5% over previous year
- Increase consumed wine sales by 5% over last year
- Have developed a fee paid wine education program for guests
- Be in process of assuming more overall dining room management role
