Junior Sommelier
(Wine Jobs:
Wine Retail & Sommelier)
Full Time
Cotogna
San Francisco,
California
Cotogna is the quintessential neighborhood spot featuring seasonally and daily changing Italian cuisine with house-made pasta, spit-roasted and grilled meat, wood-oven pizza, local seafood, and produce coming from the restaurant’s own farm. In keeping with Chef Michael Tusk’s cuisine, Cotogna showcases the best of Italian viticulture with an emphasis on organic, small scale wines true to their terroir.
The Junior Sommelier position at Cotogna is geared toward those with a passion for wine who want to further gain experience and knowledge while working at one of San Francisco’s premier wine destinations. Cotogna’s wine program features selections which showcase the breadth and intersection of both traditional and “natural”/minimal-interventional wine styles, while also offering the full depth of the cellar of its three-Michelin star sister restaurant, Quince. The role comprises floor sommelier duties, cellar work, and general service responsibilities. As a member of the Quince & Co. staff, the person hired for the role will be expected to uphold the standards and behaviors outlined in the Quince & Co. Employee Handbook.
WHAT WE OFFER YOU:
- Consistent scheduling with 2 days off in a row
- Competitive compensation
- 100% paid Medical, Dental, and Vision, 401K with up to 4% match
- Deep retail-cost wine discounts, Cotogna Farmer’s Market & restaurant dining discount
- Trips to our Fresh Run Farm in Marin and participation in our Employee Purchasing Program
- Tax deferred commuter benefits for parking or public transportation
- Personalized development plan, advancement opportunities, wine education curriculum
- Sponsorship of continuing education classes in food and beverage
- Supplemental relocation expenses possible and assisted housing search as needed
WHO YOU ARE
- You are passionate and curious about all aspects of wine and wine service.
- You believe that traditional and minimal-interventional wines can have a complementary rather than adversarial relationship.
- You get just as excited about wines that might be more humble and everyday as much as those that are rare and highly coveted.
- You believe wine works best when served alongside food and shared with other people.
- You harbor a particular fondness for Italian wine and minimal-interventional winemaking.
- You are a confident, efficient, humble team-player with experience in a busy, dynamic restaurant environment.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Wine Service and Guest Interaction
- Help guests navigate the by-the-glass (BTG) and by-the-bottle (BTB) lists to provide them with the best wines for their experience.
- Perform wine service tasks including opening of bottles, decanting, pouring, traying glassware, and performing follow-through tasks.
- Facilitate the beverage portion of Cotogna Chef’s Table experiences.
- Assist in general service activities including running of food, topping off glasses, water service, check running, etc.
- Be an active member of a dedicated team who is willing to step in and perform tasks to benefit the overall guest experience.
Cellar Work
- Aid in maintaining a clean and organized cellar by stocking bottles and fridges, replenishing BTG stock, performing cleaning tasks, and understanding general storage standards and processes.
- Process deliveries from the verifying of invoices through the breaking down of boxes and everything in between.
- Conduct monthly inventories alongside the entirety of the wine team.
- Keep track of all BTG inventory levels to ensure healthy stock on a regular basis.
Administrative Duties
- Work with our inventory platform to update all wine lists with respect to 86s and pricing.
- Ensure that all bottles in the cellar are properly stored and labeled.
- Help to process invoices, facilitate transfers, and update inventory levels as needed.
EXPECTED BEHAVIORS
- Reflected in the Quince & Co. mission statement, model the Core Values while continually striving to infuse their meaning, relevance and impact into all aspects of your role.
- Represent Quince & Co. professionally through your personal appearance, communication, and respect for others and follow through. Strive to exceed the standards of cleanliness.
- Demonstrate ownership of job responsibilities through focus, determination, and attention to detail with the goal of elevating the guest experience in every interaction.
- Act with integrity, honesty and knowledge, working towards achieving personal fulfillment rather than public attention.
- Demonstrate an attitude of teamwork by working collaboratively with peers to identify positive solutions to problems or issues. Be open and receptive to changing needs and priorities.
- Display trust in your actions, having confidence in knowing that we are all looking out for each other’s best interest.
- Strive to elevate your personal performance and maintain standards of quality.
- Take responsibility for maintaining a clean, neat, and orderly work environment. Use equipment, supplies, and other materials with a focused effort to reduce waste and increase safely.
- Welcome suggestions and new ideas as an opportunity to learn, grow and improve services.
- Anticipate and respond to guest needs in a respectful and timely manner.
- Strive to establish a benefit for our guests, each other, the restaurant, and the overall industry into the future.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Previous restaurant experience preferred.
- Food Handler’s certification.
- Priority will be given to those with a significant knowledge base of winemaking techniques, viticulture, classic and/or Italian regions, styles and top wine producers, whether with or without educational credentials. That said, those with a budding knowledge base, but also with drive, passion and work-ethic should feel comfortable to apply.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
- Availability to work every day of the week including holidays
- Ability to traverse all parts of the restaurant quickly and safely
- Must be able to work in a stationary position for 7-8 hours (excluding breaks) at a time
- Must be able to move 40 pounds at time.
- Must be comfortable working on a ladder, including carrying a case of wine.
- Must be able to comply with all health and safety standards.
Continue, develop, or launch your career with us at Cotogna.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to inclusion and diversity. We ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.
As we are looking for someone with a sense of drive and perspective, we feel that the inclusion of a brief cover letter will allow us to see where one’s passions, interests and goals may lie.
Compensation Details
Compensation: Hourly ($18.07) plus tips
Benefits & Perks: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Paid Time Off, 401k, Commuter Benefits, Dining Discounts
