Forbidden Cove Craft Bartender / Mixologist

Job description

Kilowatt Brewing is currently hiring Bartender/Mixologist positions for our Forbidden Cove speakeasy located at 7576 Clairemont Mesa Blvd in Kearny Mesa neighborhood of San Diego. We are looking to hire hard working bartenders, willing to learn and grow with the company, help build and create new cocktails, to work in our speakeasy. Additional shifts may also be available on other days at any of our other locations in Ocean Beach and Oceanside.

Forbidden Cove, a hidden Tiki inspired lounge serving handcrafted exotic cocktails and rare craft beers, featuring one-of-a-kind lighting and décor is located behind a hidden door inside Kilowatt Brewing. Customers use a wooden Tiki Idol given to them at check in to unlock the hidden door and cross the Infinity Mirror Bridge to explore the mysteries and enchanted elixirs of the Forbidden Cove.

Bartender Job Description

The Forbidden Cove is seeking an engaging, enthusiastic, and experienced bartending professional to provide guests with a unique speakeasy experience, along with attentive and friendly service. Bartenders must have extensive knowledge of different types of beer, wine, and spirits, and must be able to create classic and innovative cocktails. Bartenders will be responsible for activating and performing spiels to immerse our guests in the Forbidden Cove experience. Proactively accommodating the needs and expectations of guests, while controlling a sophisticated atmosphere are crucial to being a successful team member. We are seeking people that are experienced, passionate, personable, and always seeking ways to exceed patrons’ needs and expectations. Rigorous spirit studies, tastings and in-depth preparations are the foundations of our success. A potential candidate must be responsible, detail oriented, high energy, well versed in hospitality service standards, and willing to follow specific techniques and instructions to the letter. This position also affords the opportunity for bartenders to contribute to shaping our cocktail program and maximizing your creativity to create new and innovative craft cocktails.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

• Greet guests and take food and beverage orders.
• Prepare and serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic craft beverages, consistent with the company’s standard drink recipes in a sophisticated, pleasant, and timely manner.
• Record food and beverage orders accurately and immediately after receipt into the Point of Sale (POS) system.
• Accept guest payment, process credit card and cash payments, making change when applicable.
• Balance and record the cash drawer at the beginning and end of every shift.
• Interact with guests sitting in the lounge and help create memorable experiences as applicable to each drink.
• Wash and sterilize glassware.
• Prepare garnishes, batches, and any other food preparation related to the craft beverages.
• Maintain bottles and glassware in an attractive and functional manner to support efficient drink preparation and promotion of beverages.
• Present food and drink menus, make recommendations and answer questions regarding all beverages and food.
• Maintain cleanliness in all areas of the lounge, including counters, sinks, utensils, shelves, and storage areas.
• Assist with the restocking, replenishment, and ordering of bar inventory and supplies.
• Limit problems and liabilities related to customers excessive drinking by taking appropriate responsible serving steps, including but not limited to double-checking IDs when necessary, curtailing overconsumption. Attend mandatory responsible server training required by the State of California.
• Check identification of customers to verify age requirements for the purchase of alcohol; conform to and enforce regulations set forth by the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).
• Clean bar equipment, fixtures, and anything else related to maintain required standard of cleanliness and ensure compliance with regulations.
• Clean up spills, remove, and empty trash.
• Adhere to the schedule set forth by the manager and execute the duties and responsibilities assigned for opening and closing the lounge.
• Maintain a clean bar and lounge area.
• Following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) governing lounge/speakeasy operations.
• Maintaining a pleasant lounge/speakeasy environment (temperature, music, cleanliness, patron conduct).
• Provide Manager and owners with timely feedback to support the continuous optimization of speakeasy/lounge operations.
• Perform additional duties as requested.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to process or have experience with POS computer systems.
• Ability to count money and make change.
• Ability to deal with unpleasant or discourteous guests in a professional manner.
• Ability to proactively engage guests while providing a safe and fun environment.
• Ability to effectively communicate with team members and guests.
• Ability to accurately understand and complete all documentation and instructions.
• Physical ability to stand, walk, and move for extended periods of time.
• Physical ability to lift up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to work varied hours/days, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to mix drinks using an extensive range of ingredients including liquor, bitters, soda, water, sugar and fruits.
• Positive attitude and ability to engage and work with a diverse set of people.
• Basic familiarity with tablet-based POS systems and other web-based/MS Office software.
• Grace under pressure.
• Passion for and understanding of 1950’s mid-century and atomic era culture a plus.

Experience

• Minimum 2 years of bartending
• High interest level in new concepts
• Trainable and open to new ideas
• Extraverted Personality

Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other reasonable job-related duties as requested by management. All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability.

Company Background

Forbidden Cove is owned by Kilowatt Brewing which is known for producing small batch, eclectic beer styles and providing customers with unique and stimulating experiences in our one-of-a-kind tasting rooms. Creative and interactive lighting permeates throughout the brewery and taprooms featuring rotating artwork created by local artists, along with an extensive collection of black light art that customers can enjoy with or without provided special 3D glasses, hand-built glass infinity mirror rooms, and other unique art installations. Specialty programmed LED lighting allows us to change the lighting color and mood in real-time. Custom-built giant versions of modern, classic, and obscure games of skill are also a trademark of Kilowatt’s tasting room experience. The brewery and tasting room are located at 7576 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in San Diego.

Kilowatt has additional tasting rooms located in Ocean Beach and Oceanside, as well as a space-themed speakeasy, The Space Pad, opening in Oceanside early 2022. All three tasting rooms typically have 20+ beers on tap and are open 7 days per week. The brewery currently operates a 7 BBL brewhouse with 15 BBL fermenters, which have won several awards including the 2018 Great American Beer Festival Chocolate Beer category bronze medal winner, 2019 Great American Beer Festival Belgian Dubbel Beer category bronze medal winner, 2021 Great American Beer Festival Specialty Beer category gold medal winner, two time 2020 medal winner at San Diego International and voted as a WestCoaster Best of SD Beer in 2018.

Kilowatt Brewing’s organizational culture is one of teamwork, collaboration, and respect for everyone. We strive to make our employees feel they are part of a close-knit family and seek new team members who also embrace these values

At Kilowatt, the taproom and speakeasy experience is a key part of our success as it is usually the first experience consumers have with our brand and is the most important component of our business. The bartenders and beertenders, under direction of the Manager, are responsible for ensuring that speakeasy and taproom patrons feel welcomed, are well informed about specialty cocktail and beer choices, and are served quickly and efficiently. They will also share responsibility with Management of making sure that the craft cocktails and beer served is of optimal quality and that the speakeasy and taproom environments are extremely clean, organized, and comfortable.

Working conditions

This position requires an individual who works under a range of circumstances, including: shift work, weekend work, working with challenging patrons, working in the fast-paced environment of a crowded taproom, and potentially working within close proximity of an operating brewery (noise, heavy equipment, odors related to the brewing process).

Kilowatt Brewing is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $16.85 - $20.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule

Restaurant type:

• Bar

Shift:

• 8 hour shift
• Evening shift
• Night shift

Weekly day range:

• Every weekend
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person