Lead Server / Sommelier

About Tasting House:

After a life-changing visit to a small cheese shop in southern France, we decided to bring that experience home to Los Gatos. We opened Tasting House in January 2022 with the aim of making quality food and wine pairings part of daily life.

Since opening, we have been recognized as Best New Restaurant in Los Gatos and Best New Restaurant in Silicon Valley, and we were awarded the Best of Excellence Award by Wine Spectator in 2022 and 2023. Tasting House is multi-faceted with three core businesses: Our Tasting Bar (restaurant), Champagne Bar, and our e-commerce site featuring artisan cheeses, quality wine, and bean-to-bar chocolates.

About the Lead Server (Captain) / Sommelier Role:

The Lead Server (Captain)/Sommelier will be leaders in the service team. They are passionate about high-quality hospitality, and they provide warm, humble, and excellent service throughout the property – both at the Wine Bistro and in the Champagne Bar. They are knowledgeable about wine and food, and they can offer pairings based on guest preferences and orders. They have a deep understanding of the wine list – selections and price points. They are responsible for being the liaison between the guest and the culinary team, taking and delivering orders with special attention to dietary needs. They manage cleaning, setting, and clearing tables throughout service. They attend daily lineup meetings, and they have a deep commitment to continuing their education in food, beverage, and hospitality, and they act as a mentor to their back servers and kitchen servers. They are a role model within the organization, representing it positively and inspiring their colleagues, guests, industry partners, and the community. They have a team spirit mentality and the ability to work independently and collaboratively. They are willing and able to take direction and take charge of any duties assigned to them.

Pay: Hourly + tips

Qualifications:

• Minimum 5 years of related food, beverage and/or service experience
• Level 1 (Introductory) Sommelier certification preferred. If you do not hold this certification, you will be required to enroll in the course within 30 days of starting and to pass the certification within 60 days.
• Great interpersonal and communication skills
• Flexibility and initiative
• Creative problem-solving and critical decision-making skills
• Valid Manager or Food Handler Certificate.
• Responsible Beverage Service Certification
• Understanding and knowledge of safety, sanitation and food handling procedures.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to speak and hear, vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Constant standing with some walking
• Be able to work in a standing position for long periods of time (up to 8 hours).
• Be able to reach, bend, stoop and frequently lift up to 35 pounds and occasionally lift/move 50 pounds.
• Be able to climb stairs and ladders or stepstools
• Continual use of manual dexterity and gross motor skills with frequent use of bi-manual dexterity and fine motor skills
• Flexibility in the work area. May be required to sit or stand and move locations as space permits
• Varying schedule to include evenings, holidays and extended hours as business dictates.
• Generally in an indoor setting.

We encourage all qualified applicants to submit a résumé for consideration.

Tasting House is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $16.00 - $19.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Restaurant type:

• Fine dining restaurant
• Upscale casual restaurant

Shift:

• Day shift
• Evening shift

Work Location: In person