Esquire Beverage Manager

M Street Entertainment Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan

Life insurance, AD&D, STD, LTD

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Esquire, a luxury steakhouse in Chicago's Gold Coast, seeks a Beverage Director to own wine, sake, spirits, and bar programs from end to end. You will shape the Wine Tower program, oversee price, sourcing, and inventory, and lead the Captain tier with training on wine, sake, and service standards.

Qualifications include Master Sommelier level 3 or equivalent, 5+ years of fine-dining beverage leadership, and experience with large-format cellars and Coravin.

Qualifications

• Master Sommelier certification or equivalent mastery.
• 5+ years beverage leadership in fine dining with Burgundy/Bordeaux and sake background.
• Experience leading bar programs and cocktail leadership; large-format cellar and Coravin experience preferred.
• Strong guest presence and proven team leadership.

Responsibilities

• Build and curate wine programs; own lists, sourcing, and pricing.
• Own bar operations, cost, and execution.
• Lead the captain team; train Captains and Lead Servers on wine/sake knowledge.
• Manage Coravin by-the-glass program and Wine Tower inventory.
• Direct Trophy Room spirits and barrel-aged cocktail identity.
• Own beverage cost, inventory, and supplier relationships; protect depth and margin.

Skills

Master Sommelier Cert

Beverage leadership 5+ yrs

Bar program leadership

Guest service & team leadership

Education

Illinois BASSET — REQUIRED

Illinois Food Handler — REQUIRED

Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) — RECOMMENDED

Tools

Coravin program

Wine Tower inventory mgmt

Job description

• Pay or shift range: $95,000 USD to $125,000 USD The estimated range is the budgeted amount for this position. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, location, qualifications and other job-related reasons.
• Front of House
• Full-Time
• Requisition #: ESQUI001133

Description

Location: 58 East Oak Street, Gold Coast, Chicago, IL Employment type: Full-time Classification: Salaried, exempt Reports to:General Manager

Why Esquire

Esquire is a 265-seat luxury steakhouse in Chicago's Gold Coast where Japanese precision meets French technique - anchored by an elite Wagyu and seafood program, a four-level Wine Tower, the OakSho omakase counter, and the invitation-only Maison 58. We hold an uncompromising standard and hire people who want to set it, not just meet it. Esquire is operated by M Street Collective, the group behind Nashville’s Virago, Moto, Kayne Prime, and Saint Añejo.

The Role

Owns the beverage soul of Esquire end to end - wine, sake, spirits, and bar. The four-level, ~5,000-bottle Wine Tower deep in Burgundy and Bordeaux, Coravin pours by the glass, an extensive sake list, the Trophy Room's rare spirits, and the cocktail program all report to this role. This is where quality and innovation meet the guest. Floor sommelier service is delivered through the Captain tier; this role builds the programs, trains the floor and leads the Captain team.

What You’ll Do

• Build and curate the wine programs; own lists, sourcing, and pricing.
• Own bar operations, cost, and execution.
• Lead the captain team; train Captains and Lead Servers on wine/sake knowledge, pairings, A5 service, and the sales standard.
• Manage the Coravin by-the-glass program and the Wine Tower's inventory, storage, and integrity.
• Direct the Trophy Room's spirits and barrel-aged cocktail identity.
• Own beverage cost, inventory, and supplier relationships; protect depth and margin.

What You Bring

• Court of Master Sommelier level 3 certification or equivalent demonstrated mastery.
• 5+ years beverage leadership in fine dining with deep Burgundy/Bordeaux and sake background.
• Bar-program and cocktail leadership experience; large-format cellar and Coravin experience preferred.
• Refined, ego-free guest presence and proven team leadership.

Certifications & Requirements

• Illinois BASSET (alcohol) — REQUIRED. Valid BASSET certification before any shift that involves selling, serving, or checking ID for alcohol, and no later than 30 days after hire (company policy; statute allows 120); renew every 3 years.
• Illinois Food Handler — REQUIRED. ANAB-accredited food-handler certificate within 30 days of hire; renew every 3 years. (Waived for holders of a current CFPM.)
• Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) — RECOMMENDED, so the role can serve as an on-duty CFPM (at least one required on site during all food prep and service hours).

Compensation — Pay Scale

$95,000 to $125,000 per year, paid as an annual salary (market-aligned). The final offer is confirmed in writing. This position is eligible for a performance bonus as a component of total compensation.

Eligible team members receive group medical, dental, and vision insurance (the Company pays part of the premium); a 401(k) plan; Company-paid life insurance, AD&D, STD, and LTD; and a confidential Employee Assistance Program. Time off includes Paid Time Off for eligible salaried positions, Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave, and paid bereavement leave, plus the protected leaves required by federal and Illinois law (FMLA, VESSA, military, jury, and voting). Final plan details and eligibility are confirmed in the written offer.

Held to Esquire’s four pillars - quality, consistency, hospitality, and innovation - and the five universal competencies: professionalism, teamwork, growth mindset, excellence, and hospitality.

About Esquire

Esquire is a modern luxury steakhouse on Oak Street in Chicago's Gold Coast - Japanese precision built on a French foundation, anchored by an elite Wagyu program and a seafood-and-sushi program that earns equal billing. Across a 265-seat dining room, a four-level ~5,000-bottle Wine Tower, the Trophy Room, the invitation-only 58 Club, and the OakSho omakase counter, it delivers omotenashi-inspired hospitality and culinary theater in a vintage-Hollywood setting.

About M Street Collective

M Street Collective is the hospitality group behind Esquire, with operations in Nashville and Chicago. Built on four pillars - quality, consistency, hospitality, and innovation - and a commitment to innovation, leadership development and world-class training, the Collective creates restaurants and experiences defined by an uncompromising standard and genuine, anticipatory care.

M Street Collective is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race (including traits associated with race under the CROWN Act), color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital or family-responsibilities status, disability, military or veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, arrest or conviction record (as limited by law), credit history, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, Illinois, or Chicago law. Consistent with the Illinois Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act, we do not ask about criminal history on the application, and we do not ask about salary history. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities, for pregnancy and related conditions, and for religious observance — contact People Operations. This position is performed in Chicago, Illinois.

Qualifications

Experience

Required

5 years: Beverage leadership in fine dining with deep Burgundy/Bordeaux and sake background

Preferred

Court of Master Sommelier level 3 certification or equivalent demonstrated mastery

Licenses & Certifications

Required

Cert Food Protection Mgr

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.