Head Sommelier

KERZNER INTERNATIONAL LIMITED; Dubai; On-site; AED 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous F&B privileges

Health insurance with dental coverage

Annual flights home

Life insurance

Incentive program

Job summary

Kerzner International Limited is seeking a Head Sommelier for Carbone in Dubai to lead wine program development, selection, and guest wine recommendations with a focus on pairing excellence. You will collaborate with the Restaurant Manager and Wine Manager to rotate stock and maintain premium service standards across a luxury hospitality environment.

The role requires at least 3 years in luxury dining or hotel wine programs, international experience preferred, and a strong ability to train staff

Qualifications

• Solid background in luxury restaurants or hotels.
• WSET Level 3 qualification mandatory.
• International experience preferred.
• Experience preparing wine lists, maintaining wine stock and training staff required.

Responsibilities

• Search, select and buy wines with Procurement.
• Ensure wines are stored, presented and served to standards.
• Assist in creating and developing wine stocks and wine lists.
• Review wine list to reflect trends and appeal to diverse guests.
• Support managers in wine sales and advise on best wine pairings for guests/events.
• Provide wine training to staff to up-sell and maximise revenue.
• Create wine experiences for guests with recommendations on wine and after-dinner drinks.

Skills

Wine pairing knowledge

Leadership skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Education

WSET Level 3

Job description

About the role

As a Head Sommelier in Carbone restaurant you will be working closely with the Restaurant Manager and the Wine Manager in updating the wine list, ordering wines and rotating wine stock. You will have the opportunity to be part of an exceptional Food and Beverage Team using your excellent knowledge of wine pairing to make wine suggestions to pair with our authentic dishes. In addition to this you will also be attentive to our guests recommending wines based on their preferences. You will also ensure wines are served at the right temperature and with the perfect glassware. You will have a natural flair for recognizing opportunities to upsell any beverage creating an amazing guest experience.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Search, select and buy wines from around the world in conjunction with the Procurement team.
• Ensure that all wines are stored, presented and served to the required standards.
• Assist the Beverage Team in creating, maintaining and developing all wine stocks, wine sales and wine lists.
• Regularly review the wine list in line with the current trends and ensure that the wine list appeals to a diverse customer base.
• Support Outlet Managers in the sales of wines and to advise them on the best wines appropriate for the guest or event.
• Share wine knowledge and encourage the team to develop their wine knowledge further through regular training sessions.
• Actively participate in the generation of ideas to impact positively on wine sales revenue and to assist in the implementation of these ideas.
• Ensure that the beverage cost and contribution margins for wine meets the budget.
• Provide wine tasting to team members and provide training on how to recommend and up-sell wines to guests to maximize revenue and profit.
• Create a wine experience by advising guests on wine and after dinner drinks choices while serving them with accuracy and flair.
• Responsible for assisting and ensuring that the beverage sales forecasted for the outlet are met.
• Liaise with suppliers to arrange frequent product knowledge training in both wine and spirits.

We offer a competitive tax-free salary paid in UAE Dirhams AED alongside a wealth of benefits. These include:

• generous food and beverage privileges
• exclusive discounted rates at all Kerzner properties worldwide
• comprehensive health insurance with dental coverage
• annual flights home
• life insurance
• an incentive program
• a variety of colleague wellness and social initiatives

With a strong emphasis on learning and development, colleagues at Atlantis enjoy access to world-class training, career mobility and internal growth opportunities across the Kerzner portfolio - making this an ideal environment for ambitious individuals seeking a long-term fulfilling career in luxury hospitality.

The ideal candidate will have a solid background in luxury restaurants or hotels, having worked at this level for at least 3 years with a level 3 qualification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. International experience in a similar role would be preferred, while having experience preparing wine lists, maintaining wine stock and training staff is mandatory for the role. You should have excellent communication, interpersonal and leadership skills and be able to communicate effectively with all levels inside and outside of the organization.