Server - Cooper Coffee & Wine

The Cooper; Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Cooper Coffee & Wine is seeking an experienced Server to join our front-of-house team in Charleston. The role focuses on selling, preparing, and serving beverages, wine, and food while delivering exceptional guest experiences.

You will lead bar operations, train new hires, and collaborate with sommeliers and managers to ensure superb service. The ideal candidate has 3-4 years in fine dining mixology, excellent knowledge of wine and beverages, and a professional, team-oriented mindset.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3-4 years of fine dining mixology experience.
• Cleanliness, organization, and teamwork are crucial.
• Extensive Food and Wine knowledge; must be at least of legal drinking age.

Responsibilities

• Understand and perform duties per restaurant manuals.
• Oversee front of house with service, greet and seat guests, manage bar operations.
• Coordinate with FOH & BOH and with managers for VIP procedures.
• Describe dinner features, menu changes and daily additions.
• Take beverage orders and food orders, provide setups for guests at the bar.
• Maintain clean, safe bar environment and ensure compliance with health and safety standards.

Skills

Fine dining mixology

Team player

POS system

Wine knowledge

Food & beverage knowledge

Microsoft Office

Education

High school diploma

Tools

POS system

Cash register

Job description

The Server at Cooper Coffee & Wine, is responsible for selling, preparing and serving all beverages, wine and food. Duties include overseeing bar maintenance, making menu suggestions, delivering food and drinks, describing the offerings to guests, recommending wine selections, monitoring guest satisfaction, and managing inventory. Must be pleasant, conscientious, and professional with an extensive knowledge of coffee and tea, product, and beverage selections. Must be able to operate effectively as part of a team, communicate clearly, and ensure smooth service operations and quality service.

Essential Job Functions

• Understand and perform job duties to the expectations of the restaurant Service, Food, Beverage, and Wine manuals.
• Oversees and assists the entire front of house team with all elements of service. Takes ownership of the bar, knowing the names and preferences of their guests and VIPs, greeting, seating, running, bussing, re-setting etc.
• Executes and facilitates service in cooperation with other Baristas, sommeliers, and managers. Facilitates the communication between the FOH & BOH.
• Describes dinner features as needed, including menu changes and daily additions.
• Follows through and communicates with Management team/Chef on VIP procedures and special requests.
• Conducts continuous training with service team regarding the spirit and cocktail list and provides complete training for all new hires.
• Participate in Pre-Shift meetings and learn new menu items.
• Taking and making beverage orders.
• Describes dinner features as needed, including menu changes and daily additions. Takes food orders and provides setups and service for guests dining at the bar.
• Coordinating transfers with manager/server team
• Welcome all guests and ensure guests receive responsive, professional, and gracious service at all times.
• Develops rapport with guests.
• Describes dinner features as needed (including changes and additions).
• Answer any questions about the menu, specific food items, the wine list or any other inquiries the guest may have.
• Liaise with server to ensure communication at all times about wants and needs of guests.
• Understand the order taken by the server and any changes in the menu, dietary restrictions, food allergies, etc.
• Assists the Chef in expediting the food to the bar.
• Ensure that all food and products are consistently prepared and served according to the restaurant’s standards.
• Maintain a clean, safe environment all times in the bar (front bar, back bar, well, floor).
• Fully understand and comply with all federal, state, county and municipal regulations that pertain to health, safety, and labor requirements of the restaurant colleagues and guests.

Supportive Functions

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the manager based upon the particular requirements of the restaurant.

Specific Job Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace.
• Must be able to read and write to facilitate the communication process.
• Requires good communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Must possess basic computational ability.
• Must possess basic computer skills. Must have complete knowledge of POS system.
• Knowledge of the appropriate table settings and service ware.
• Ability to describe all menu items, prices and methods of preparation. And to use suggestive selling techniques to encourage the guests to choose items that are house specialties.
• Must have complete knowledge of and use the service guidelines outlined in the Front Server Manual.
• Must have complete knowledge of products and specifications that is outlined in the dinner menu matrix and the cuisine, beverage and wine manual.
• Further duties not currently listed in this outline may be added at the manager’s discretion.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 3-4 years of fine dining mixology experience. Knowledge of service and food and beverage, generally involving at least 2 years of dining room experience and thorough knowledge of fine dining, service procedures, and functions.
• Cleanliness, organization, and the ability to work well in a team situation are crucial to this position.
• Extensive Food and Wine knowledge
• Must be minimum age to serve alcohol.
• High school or equivalent education required.
• Applicants must possess a strong dedication toward learning, and motivation to progress in a fine dining environment.
• Possess excellent basic math skills and have the ability to operate a cash register POS system and Microsoft based computer systems.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite of products and strong financial acumen.
• Must be impeccably groomed, maintain good hygiene, good posture, and have required uniform and tools.
• Responsive to constructive feedback from Chefs and Managers.

Grooming

All colleagues must maintain a neat, clean and well-groomed appearance per Sorelle and partner standards outlined in the Service manual.

Language Skills

Ability to communicate effectively with management, guests and hourly staff.

Physical Demands

• Most work tasks are performed indoors. Temperature is moderate and controlled by restaurant environmental systems; however, must be able to work in extreme temperatures like freezers (-10°F) and kitchens (+110°F), possibly for one hour or more.
• Must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for at least 8 hours in length.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to reach other departments of the restaurant on a timely basis.
• Must be able to lift trays of food or food items weighing up to 30 lbs. on a regular and continuing basis.
• Must be able to push and pull carts and equipment weighing up to 250 lbs. frequently.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space and to reach other locations of the restaurant on a timely basis.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space.
• Must be able to bend, stoop, squat and stretch to fulfill cleaning tasks.
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, stooping, crouching, kneeling, listening, hearing and visual acuity.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests, supervisors and subordinates.
• Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near vision and depth perception.
• Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary equipment.
• Safely lift and easily maneuver plates, cases of water, chairs and dining room tables.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

BHC is an equal employment opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs, and are not based on race, color, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, uniformed service, political affiliation, genetic information, or any other factor or characteristic protected by applicable law. BHC participates in E-Verify.