Beverage Director

Join the Opening Team at Bistro Lagniappe

Bistro Lagniappe is a new restaurant coming soon to downtown Healdsburg, serving French-inspired farmhouse cuisine rooted in California’s seasonal bounty. Our menu highlights pasture-raised meats, line-caught fish, and produce from regenerative farms across Sonoma County. We’re building a kitchen—and a team—that reflects the values of the producers we work with: respect, care, and craftsmanship.

We’re currently seeking a Beverage Director to oversee our wine and cocktail program. The ideal candidate is a strong leader with deep wine knowledge and a solid understanding of beverage service, a passion for classic cocktails, and a commitment to delivering warm, elevated hospitality. This role will be responsible for building and overseeing a highly curated wine list and a focused, seasonal beverage program—including a classic cocktail offering—managing inventory and costs, and training the front-of-house team on product knowledge and service. We're looking for someone who leads by example, takes pride in mentorship, and is excited to help shape a program and team from the ground up.

Responsibilities

• Provide warm, humble, and knowledgeable service throughout the property
• Liaise with restaurant staff to ensure a seamless guest experience
• Attend daily briefings and relevant departmental and interdepartmental meetings
• Lead daily lineup meeting
• Ensure the dining room and bathrooms are clean
• Responsible for all dining room waitstaff in conjunction with General Manager
• Assist in creating a culture that encourages our staff to grow personally and professionally, act as a mentor
• Support reservation and guest services teams
• Schedule labor as required by anticipated business activity while ensuring that all positions are staffed when and as needed and that all labor cost objectives are met
• Prepare all required paperwork including forms, reports, and schedules in an organized and timely manner
• Financial review - monthly, quarterly, annually
• Ensure that safety, security and loss control policies and procedures are complied.
• Ensuring privacy and anonymity of all guests through adherence to company policy
• Aware of and assist training of other staff on the property’s safety, fire and emergency procedures
• Respond to guest complaints in a timely fashion
• Closing duties
• Reconcile closing service reports
• Close office
• Set alarm
• Lock all outer doors
• Check email regularly and respond to messages
• Oversee organizational, functional, and cleanliness standards are adhered to in the dining room including service items and tools by personal inspection
• Ensure consistent, thorough, and timely communication to subordinates, peers, managers, guests, and vendors
• Fill in where needed to ensure the guest experience is never compromised as a result of operational challenges
• Continually strive to provide opportunities to advance the education and development of staff as it relates to food, wine, and service
• Understand and comply with all federal, state, county, and municipal regulations/ordinances that pertain to health, safety, and labor requirements of the farm/restaurant/inn, its employees, and its guests.
• Know, follow, and implement all policies and procedures regarding personnel and administer prompt, fair, and consistent corrective action for any and all violations of company policies, rules, standards, and procedures
• An early in-time to assist in the management, direction, and supervision of beverage program
• Ensure that safety, security and loss control policies and procedures are complied.
• Ensuring privacy and anonymity of all guests through adherence to company policy
• Aware of and assist training of other staff on the properties safety, fire and emergency proceduresInventory and cost control
• Planning and maintaining storage of wine
• All other duties as assigned

Skills and Aptitudes

• Professional communication skills and demeanor are required
• Ability to have difficult conversations with compassion and understanding
• Ability to take direction and also give direction
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure.
• Must have problem-solving abilities, be self-motivated and organized.
• Commitment to quality service, and customer service knowledge.
• Commitment to genuine hospitality

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of related food, beverage and/or service management experience
• Extensive knowledge of California and French wine regions
• Relevant experience in reservations and operations
• Excellent computer competency, e.g. well versed in PC and/or Mac based MS Office, POS and PMS
• Knowledge of OpenTable, or similar booking platforms
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities under time constraints
• Great interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work with confidential information
• Flexibility and initiative
• Ability to prioritize without being overwhelmed
• Exceptional communication skills in English (including oral, written and presentation skills)
• Fluency in Spanish a plus
• Creative problem-solving and critical decision-making skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across the organization

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
• Generally in an indoor setting.
• Will be using a computer daily.
• 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
• Able to work in ever-changing work settings
• Generally in an indoor setting.
• Will be using a computer daily
• Varying schedule to include evenings, holidays and extended hours as business dictates.

Personal Attributes

• Excellent interpersonal skills: friendly, personable, approachable
• Neat and well-groomed appearance
• Ability to take ownership of problems or situations
• Tactful, courteous, able to motivate and coach others
• Fair and consistent
• Strong sense of integrity
• Team player who is punctual, reliable, organized, and self-motivated
• Ability to be flexible, multitask, and communicate effectively
• Professional communication skills are required.
• Discretion/Independent Judgment
• Ability to take direction.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure.
• Must have problem solving abilities, be self-motivated and organized.
• Commitment to quality service, and food and beverage knowledge.

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 2 years experience in Beverage Management

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Food Service Management, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Hospitality, Business Administration, or related major; 2 years experience as F&B Manager

Required Licenses and Qualifications

• Valid Manager/ Food Handlers certificate.
• Able to speak, read, write, and understand the English language.
• Knowledge of health department rules and regulations, liquor laws, and regulations.
• Understanding and knowledge of safety, sanitation and food handling procedures.

Compensation Details

• Compensation: Salary ($80,000.00 - $90,000.00)
• Benefits & Perks: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance

Required Skills

• Leadership
• Mentorship
• Attention to Detail
• Time Management
• Adaptability
• Conflict Resolution
• Team Building
• Organizational Skills

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance

Ability to Commute:

• Healdsburg, CA 95448 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $80,000 - $90,000