Full Time Bartender

Tuesday-Saturday 3:30 PM - 12:00 AM

Kato Restaurant

Since Kato’s inception nearly five years ago, chef/owner Jon Yao has offered a menu that pays homage to his roots and identity as a Taiwanese American born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley. The flavors are familiar to many while presentation is unexpected, and hospitality is refreshingly sincere. The restaurant has earned and retained a Michelin Star since 2019, while Yao has recently received the distinction of this year’s Young Chef Award from Michelin. Notably in 2019, Kato also topped the Los Angeles Times’ 101 Best Restaurants list, and the year before Yao was selected as one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs, among many other accolades.

Join the Kato Restaurant team in providing high quality service to our guests in a warm, accommodating and professional manner.  We are seeking a hard working and passionate bartender to join our team.

Job Summary: Bartenders at Kato are expected to guide bar guests through their selection of cocktails, wine, beer and spirits in an approachable but deeply knowledgeable manner. They are expected to execute complex cocktails with detail oriented garnish and presentation for guests at the bar and in the dining room.
Most importently, bartenders will facilitate a multicourse tasting menu with pairings for ten guests at the bar each evening.
Bartenders will also assist the bar director in the preparation of bar mise en place. 

Responsibilities: 

• Maintain food handling procedures outlined by the front of house management team and SafeServe guidelines

• Thorough knowledge of menu descriptions and ingredients of both the tasting menu and the bar menu

• An unwavering commitment to excellence and hospitality 

• Establish and maintain positive relationships with coworkers

• Use thoughtful creativity to enhance the guests’ experience 

• Understand dining room and kitchen operations 

• Implement service standards and systems

• Ensure guest satisfaction from the time they enter the restaurant until the time they leave

• Check identification to ensure customers are the legal age to purchase alcohol

• Handle cash, credit, and debit card transactions, ensuring charges are accurate

• Available to work nights, weekends, and holidays.

• Maintain an incredibly organized work and storage area with the ability to lift all required products

• Maintain a safe and positive work environment 

• Maintain personal hygiene in and out of the workplace

• Consistent and punctual attendance

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Experience: 

• A passion for, and knowledge of, food, wine and cocktails, exceptional work ethic and dedication. Previous bartending experience is not required. Rigorous bar training will be provided to the right candidate. 

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Conversational English vocabulary

• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions and memos

• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations

• Strong team-minded approach to coworkers

• Comprehensive knowledge of cocktails, spirits, wine and beer

Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to handle objects, tools or controls, reach overhead and talk or hear.

The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus. 

Work Conditions: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works near moving mechanical parts and is regularly exposed to heat. The employee is occasionally exposed to cold.

The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

This job description should not be interpreted as all-inclusive; it is intended to identify major responsibilities and requirements of the job. The employee in this position may be requested to perform other job-related tasks and responsibilities than those stated above. 

Kato Restaurant is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against applicants due to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, or on the basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.

Compensation Details

Compensation: High Hourly + Tip Pool 

Benefits: Health, Dental, 401k