A sommelier is a wine professional who builds the wine list, recommends pairings, and serves wine in a restaurant. Sommeliers work in fine dining and wine-focused restaurants, guiding guests and training the service team. Here is what the job looks like across a shift, in the order it happens.
Opening duties
- Check the cellar and wine fridge for temperature and organization
- Review reservations and note guests with wine preferences or special occasions
- Pull wines for the day and prep decanters, glassware, and tools
- Taste by-the-glass offerings for freshness
- Brief the team on featured wines and pairings
During service
- Greet tables and offer wine guidance without pressure
- Present bottles, check the label, open and pour with correct technique
- Decant wines when needed and monitor service temperature
- Suggest pairings with the chef's menu
- Handle corked or faulty bottles with grace
- Support servers with wine questions during service
- Track bottles opened for inventory and by-the-glass freshness
Closing duties
- Return unfinished bottles to storage or preserve them
- Clean and polish glassware, decanters, and tools
- Restock wine for the next service
- Update inventory counts for bottles sold
- Note guest preferences and issues in the log
Weekly duties
- Taste wines with distributors and sales reps
- Update the wine list and adjust pricing
- Count inventory and place orders
- Train service staff on new wines and pairings
Writing a posting? The sommelier job description turns these duties into a ready-to-paste template. For shift planning, try the free restaurant schedule template.