Wine Steward

Santa Monica, CA, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Part-time

Hourly

Compensation

Hourly

Exact $18.81

Work Schedule

Flexible

Benefits

growth opportunities

Flexible Hours

Education Reimbursement

dining discount

Professionalism

Strong company culture

productive environment

Job Description

Water Grill is a prestigious seafood restaurant that has been delighting seafood enthusiasts in Southern California for over 25 years. Renowned for its impeccable quality and fresh fish preparations, Water Grill has earned accolades including being hailed as "the best seafood in Southern California" by the internationally recognized Zagat Guide. This accolade reflects the restaurant's commitment to delivering an exceptional dining experience anchored in superior ingredients and expertly crafted dishes. Known for its elegant ambiance and dedication to culinary excellence, Water Grill has become a beloved destination for those seeking both classic and innovative seafood cuisine. The restaurant prides itself on maintaining a vibrant company culture that encourages growth, teamwork, and professionalism among its staff.

Joining Water Grill means becoming part of a team that values its employees, offering premium benefits, including competitive hourly wages plus commission, flexible scheduling, and significant growth opportunities within the organization. The restaurant fosters a supportive environment where education reimbursement, generous dining discounts, and ongoing training are emphasized to help employees advance their skills and careers.

The role of Wine Steward at Water Grill is a critical position that plays a pivotal role in enriching the guest dining experience through expert wine knowledge and exceptional service. As a Wine Steward, you will be responsible for guiding guests through an unparalleled wine experience that complements Water Grill's outstanding seafood offerings. This includes pairing wines with food to enhance flavors, taking wine orders, and delivering impeccable wine service including decanting and pouring techniques. The Wine Steward is a central figure in the dining room, interacting with guests, management, and staff to ensure seamless communication and service.

Beyond service, the Wine Steward maintains and evolves the wine list, ensuring it remains current and appealing. You will manage the physical inventory of wines, coordinate with vendors, and contribute to the overall maintenance of wine storage and glassware standards. Your role demands a deep knowledge of wine regions, producers, vintages, and styles, as well as mastery of state liquor regulations and company service standards. Your passion and enthusiasm for wine will be essential in driving sales, providing an unforgettable guest experience, and upholding Water Grill’s reputation for excellence.

Water Grill is committed to promoting from within, offering training and professional development initiatives that empower employees to grow their careers. If you are skilled in wine service, passionate about delivering extraordinary customer experiences, and eager to join a company that values its team members, the Wine Steward role at Water Grill offers a rewarding opportunity to advance in a thriving restaurant environment.

Job Requirements

Minimum of 21 years of age
High school graduate or equivalent
Current California Food Handler’s Card
Ability to communicate effectively in English both verbally and in writing
Ability to operate and add notes to Open Table database
Skill in opening all types of wine and champagne bottles
Knowledge of wine standards and service techniques
Familiarity with wine regions, producers, and vintages
Understanding of proper wine glassware and decanting
Awareness of state liquor laws
Capability to maintain high service standards

Job Qualifications

Minimum of 21 years of age
High school graduate, some college
Level 1 Court of Masters, WSET level 2, or equivalent
Current CA Food Handler’s Card
Ability to communicate verbal and written English with guests, management and co-workers
Ability to add guest notes to Open Table database
Ability to open all wine/champagne bottles with ease regardless of the difficulty of corks, openers, size of bottle, etc.
Ability to recognize a wine that is up to our standard
Complete knowledge of proper glassware to use and decanting technique
Maintain knowledge of major winemaking regions, vineyards, styles, vintages and producers and bottlings
Ability to maintain complete knowledge of the service standards
Ability to describe characteristics, pricing and descriptions of every wine/champagne 'by the glass' selection and all major wines on the wine list and dessert wine list
Understanding of state liquor regulations, particularly those prohibiting service to minors, intoxicated persons and drunk driving

Job Duties

Drive sales at all times, keeping in mind the taste preference and budget parameters of the guest, using suggestive selling techniques
Visit table, take wine order, confirm during order-taking and upon presentation of wine, serve wine in an expert manner including proper pouring and decanting technique
On a shift-by-shift basis, build open table guest notes database to build history of guest to better serve/sell to the guest
Manage the evening’s inventory of wine (restocking as needed)
Follow wine service standards for ringing in and tracking orders
Maintain wine stock in service areas so wine can be served quickly to guest
Maintain neat and organized condition of all wine storage areas