Momofuku

Momofuku was founded by chef David Chang in 2004 with the opening of Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York City. Credited with “the rise of contemporary Asian-American cuisine” by the New York Times and named the “most important restaurant in America” by Bon Appétit magazine, Momofuku has restaurants in the New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas as well as Momofuku Goods, a line of restaurant-grade products for home cooks.

The Lead Sommelier’s daily responsibilities include but aren’t limited to the selling of wine on the restaurant floor, maintaining the standards of the restaurant, assisting the other FOH positions when necessary, and working with Management to maintain a top-notch beverage program in conjunction with the Momofuku brand.

The daily responsibilities of the Lead Sommelier involve being a leader in all beverage and service-related areas. This individual will provide assistance in maintaining the beverage program, while working closely with the General Manager, Chefs, and FOH Managers on its creative development and standards implementation. The Lead Sommelier will be directly responsible for guest-facing beverage interactions, staff and personal education developments, and structure and daily upkeep of beverage offerings.

Why Momofuku?

At Momofuku, we value our team members and make it a priority to offer competitive compensation packages that encourage longevity with the company and long-term growth. We offer competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package, including vision/dental/medical, 401k, employee assistance program, flexible spending account, along with gym and commuter discounts, plus more after required wait periods. We encourage our team members to grow and learn, and offer many opportunities for personal and career development.

Compensation Rate: $20.00 (plus applicable tips)

Admin Compensation Rate: $25.00 per hour

Responsibilities

• Work together with the Beverage Director & General Manager to curate the wine program that enhances the guest experience.
• Assist with ordering, goods receiving and invoice processing at the direction and approval of the Beverage Director & General Manager
• Assist Beverage Director & General Manager with overseeing beverage costs and pricing.
• Training and developing the Sommelier team in product knowledge and service fuels the team’s desires to learn and grow.
• Hold training sessions for the full Front of House team to develop and improve knowledge.
• Assist Beverage Director & General Manager with developing Wine SOP’s
• Responsible for overseeing wine depletion & event depletions.
• Maintenance of physical wine book
• Setup and breakdown of wine station
• Oversee Wine storage and organization.
• Maintaining wine and sake education materials
• Drive the guest experience in accordance with restaurant goals through prioritization of beverage sales, service, and pairing
• Serve alcoholic beverages responsibly
• Run food from kitchen to tables
• Proactively seek opportunities for sales, in line with guests’ preferred experience
• Utilize the POS system correctly and confidently for order entry and payment processing
• Gain full knowledge of food and beverage menus, including but not limited to ingredient provenance and simple descriptions of unfamiliar ingredients or preparation methods
• Build relationships with guests to facilitate return visits or private event bookings
• Communicate of any menu changes and stock changes to General Manager and relevant staff, including ordering needs
• Ensure all BTG, Wine Pairing wastage and corked bottles are properly documented
• Continuously suggest program refinements to General Manager, Beverage Director, Chefs and FOH Managers
• Maintain accuracy of pre-service beverage notes
• Assist the FOH Managers in defining and enforcing beverage service standards
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of service areas throughout the shift
• Effectively and respectfully communicate service and/or guest irregularities
• Constantly push to creatively interpret positive guest relations and industry standards
• Perform a variety of administrative tasks, determined by the General Manager

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years Sommelier or other wine-focused service position in moderate to high volume, upscale restaurant
• Meticulous attention to small details
• Fine dining or high volume restaurant preferred.
• Solid foundational knowledge of wine required, other beverage knowledge such as spirits, N/A bev, etc preferred and welcomed
• Team-focused mindset and empathetic approach to collaboration
• A positive and enthusiastic attitude, as well as a desire to learn, grow, and develop new skills
• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and resolve guest conflict
• Willing to accept guidance in a positive manner & implement the direction in a way that is productive for both you and the team
• Ability to demonstrate quick thinking and adaptability in a constantly changing environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven ability to consistently generate a high level of beverage sales daily, including upper echelon wine bottles
• Consistently contribute to the expansion and versatility of the wine list to the benefit of the overall program
• Continued self-education and expansion of beverage knowledge base following proven mastery of Momofuku’s beverage program
• History of educating the service team effectively on wine, beer, sake, spirits and N/A bev
• Ability to train new sommeliers in all aspects and responsibilities of the role
• A proven track record of dependability, a continuous focus on learning and development, and a history of consistently and successfully fulfilling all role responsibilities

 Physical Demands

• The physical demands for this position are seeing, hearing, speaking, reaching, frequently lifting up to 25 pounds, occasionally lifting up to 50 pounds, sitting, standing, for 4 to 8 hours, bending, and moving intermittently during working hours. These physical requirements may be accomplished with or without reasonable accommodation.

The duties of this position may change from time to time. Momofuku reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of Momofuku or its managers. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed. It is not intended to be all-inclusive. 

Momofuku is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender (including gender identity or expression), pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, marital status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, ancestry, national origin, alienage or citizenship, age, disability, military or veteran status, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristic, or other protected status.