How should I describe my venue in a Sommelier job description?

Date modified: 29th September 2025 | This FAQ page has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Sommelier Job Description Template

This job description template provides a full working exmaple using our six step approach. Open the template in the Pilla app and customise each section to make it specific to your role and business.

We operate an award-winning restaurant with an extensive wine program featuring 300+ carefully curated wines from established and emerging regions worldwide. Our sommelier leads wine service excellence, educating guests and staff while managing our comprehensive wine collection. The role combines guest interaction with wine program management, including inventory control, supplier relationships, and staff education. You'll work in an elegant dining environment serving wine enthusiasts, special occasion diners, and corporate guests seeking exceptional wine experiences. This position offers excellent opportunities for professional development, including wine travel, supplier visits, and involvement in wine events and tastings that enhance our restaurant's reputation as a wine destination.
• Provide expert wine recommendations and pairings, enhancing guest dining experiences through knowledgeable service • Maintain comprehensive wine inventory including purchasing, storage, and rotation to optimize quality and profitability • Develop and update wine lists, including seasonal selections and special wine program features • Conduct staff training on wine knowledge, service techniques, and upselling strategies • Manage wine cellar operations including temperature control, storage systems, and inventory tracking • Build relationships with wine suppliers, distributors, and producers to source exceptional wines • Organize wine events, tastings, and educational dinners to promote wine program and drive revenue • Ensure proper wine service standards including decanting, temperature control, and glassware selection • Handle wine complaints and quality issues with professionalism and expertise • Collaborate with kitchen team on food and wine pairing development • Monitor wine program profitability including cost control and pricing strategies • Maintain wine service equipment and ensure compliance with licensing requirements
Essential Skills: Comprehensive wine knowledge across major wine regions, varietals, and production methods; expert tasting abilities with skill in identifying wine characteristics and quality; outstanding guest service abilities with confidence in wine presentation and education; strong organizational skills for inventory management and cellar operations; effective communication skills for staff training and guest interaction; ability to work collaboratively with kitchen and service teams. Preferred Qualifications: Formal sommelier certification (Court of Master Sommeliers, WSET Level 3+); 2+ years wine service experience in fine dining environments; additional language skills for international wine knowledge; spirits and cocktail knowledge for complete beverage program management; experience with wine inventory software and POS systems; knowledge of wine law, importing, and distribution.
We're looking for passionate wine professionals with solid foundation knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for sharing wine expertise with others. You should have at least 18+ months wine service experience and be working toward or have achieved sommelier certification. While advanced certifications are great to have, we care more about your passion for wine, ability to connect with guests, and commitment to continuous learning. We provide ongoing education support including wine courses, supplier tastings, and travel opportunities to wine regions. Career advancement opportunities include head sommelier positions, beverage program management, and involvement in wine program development across our restaurant group. We support professional development through certification programs and industry networking.
We're looking for someone who combines deep wine knowledge with approachable personality, making wine accessible and enjoyable for all guests regardless of their wine experience level. You should be naturally curious about wine, eager to continue learning, and skilled at sharing knowledge without intimidation. The ideal candidate will have excellent memory for wine details, palate development for quality assessment, and patience for educating both guests and staff. You should be detail-oriented in cellar management, reliable in inventory control, and creative in wine program development. We value professionalism, continuous education, and collaborative approach to beverage program success within our restaurant's overall hospitality experience.
Competitive salary of £28,000-£35,000 annually based on certification level and experience, plus wine sales commission structure and quarterly performance bonuses. Comprehensive benefits package includes: wine education allowance for courses and certifications; wine tasting budget for menu development and supplier evaluations; 26 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays and professional development time. Professional development opportunities including wine region travel, supplier visits, and industry event attendance. Health and wellness benefits, staff meal programs, and wine industry networking opportunities through our established supplier relationships.

Describe your wine programme's comprehensive scope and guiding philosophy including regional focus and quality standards, distinctive dining style and sophisticated guest demographics, impressive cellar capacity and systematic wine storage facilities, collaborative team structure and supportive sommelier culture, established venue reputation and industry recognition for excellence, and exceptional opportunities for wine professional development and meaningful career advancement within your prestigious establishment.

Common misunderstanding: Venue descriptions should focus on facilities rather than wine programme culture and development opportunities.

Quality sommelier candidates prioritise programme philosophy, learning opportunities, and professional development alongside operational details. Cultural elements and growth potential often attract better candidates than facility descriptions alone, particularly for experienced wine professionals seeking career advancement.

Common misunderstanding: Venue descriptions should be modest rather than highlighting achievements and recognition.

Professional recognition, awards, and industry reputation attract ambitious candidates seeking association with quality programmes. Modest descriptions often fail to communicate programme calibre and career development potential that motivate quality sommelier applications.

What wine programme details should I highlight in a Sommelier job description?

Highlight comprehensive wine list size and strategic regional focus reflecting programme philosophy, impressive cellar capacity and sophisticated storage systems ensuring optimal wine conditions, competitive price range and target market alignment with quality standards, established supplier relationships providing access to sought-after allocations and exclusive wines, dynamic wine event programming and guest education opportunities enhancing programme reputation, and prestigious programme awards or industry recognition demonstrating commitment to excellence and professional standing.

Common misunderstanding: Wine programme details should emphasise quantity rather than quality and philosophy.

Programme philosophy, curation standards, and quality focus often attract better candidates than size statistics alone. Thoughtful programme descriptions communicate professional standards and working environment more effectively than operational metrics.

Common misunderstanding: Supplier relationships and allocations are operational details rather than career benefits.

Access to quality suppliers, allocated wines, and industry relationships provides significant career value for ambitious sommeliers. These relationships often determine programme potential and professional development opportunities more than immediate working conditions.

How can I make my venue appealing to quality Sommelier candidates?

Emphasise genuine commitment to wine programme excellence through substantial investment and quality standards, meaningful opportunities for creative input and programme development including buying decisions and curation involvement, quality of guest interactions reflecting appreciation for wine expertise and education, comprehensive professional development support and valuable industry connections for career advancement, collaborative team environment fostering learning and mutual support, and venue's established reputation for service excellence and innovative wine programme leadership within the industry.

Common misunderstanding: Venue appeal depends primarily on compensation rather than professional development and programme quality.

Quality candidates evaluate total opportunity including learning potential, creative involvement, industry connections, and career advancement alongside compensation. Programme quality and development opportunities often determine long-term career satisfaction more than immediate financial benefits.

Common misunderstanding: Team environment descriptions are less important than individual role responsibilities.

Team culture significantly affects job satisfaction, learning opportunities, programme success, and career development. Collaborative environments often produce better results and higher retention than those emphasising individual performance alone, particularly in complex wine service operations.