Everything that goes into a Sommelier job description that draws the right applicants — what to include, what to screen for, and what to pay.
- Descriptions — role-specific job description language you can lift and adapt.
- Pay data — real market compensation ranges, not guesses.
How to Write a Great Sommelier Job Description
What should be included in a Sommelier job description?
A complete post has eight blocks: job title, location, employment type and pay range, a short "about us," a position summary, the responsibilities, what you're looking for, the benefits, and how to apply. Specificity is what separates a description that draws the right applicants from one that gets ignored — so the more brackets below you replace with the real details of your operation, the better it performs. Here's the full template, ready to copy and adapt:
Copy-paste templateSommelier · Job DescriptionA typical structure, based on Culinary Agents posting data. Replace every [bracket] with your specifics.Starting compensation will be determined based on experience, certification, and other job-related factors. Some rooms add tips or a commission on wine sales.
About Us
[1–2 sentences on the restaurant — concept, cuisine, service style, and what makes the wine program worth joining. Example: "(Restaurant Name) is a (fine-dining / wine-focused) (cuisine) restaurant with a (list size)-bottle list and a cellar built around (region / style). We are a team that values hospitality, craft, and a great glass of wine."]Position Summary
The Sommelier owns the wine program — the list, pairings, guest guidance, inventory, and staff education — elevating both the beverage experience and the margin. Working the floor during service, the Sommelier guides guests to the right bottle, sells wine tableside, curates and maintains the list, manages the cellar and purchasing, and trains the service team. This role reports to the General Manager or Beverage Director.
What You'll Do
- Build and maintain the wine list and by-the-glass program, and design pairings that fit the menu
- Guide guests and sell wine tableside, reading the table and the occasion to match bottle, dish, and budget
- Manage wine inventory, purchasing, receiving, and the cellar, keeping stock accurate and turning
- Control beverage cost, pricing, and margin while keeping the list appealing to guests
- Train and quiz service staff on the list and pairings so the whole team can sell wine
- Host staff tastings and guest tastings or wine events; manage supplier and distributor relationships
- Maintain glassware, storage, and service standards for all beverage service
- Partner with the culinary team and management on menu changes, special events, and the beverage program direction
What We're Looking For
Required
- [3–6] years in wine-focused service [in a fine-dining / high-volume environment]
- Broad wine knowledge across regions, producers, and styles, with strong pairing instincts
- Proven tableside guidance and selling, with a track record of growing beverage sales
- Experience with wine list curation, inventory, purchasing, and cellar management
- Command of beverage cost, pricing, and pour-cost discipline
- Strong hospitality, communication, and teamwork; a warm, guest-first presence on the floor
- Availability to work [evenings, weekends, and holidays] as scheduled
Preferred
- [Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) or WSET] certification preferred
- Existing supplier and distributor relationships in [your market]
- [Additional language skills, POS / inventory-system familiarity, etc.]
Work Environment
- Ability to stand and walk the floor for extended periods (full shift)
- Ability to lift and carry cases of wine up to [50] lbs and work in the cellar
- Ability to work [evenings, weekends, and holidays] as service requires
What We Offer
- Competitive salary based on experience: [$XX,000–$XX,000 / year]
- [A bonus or commission on wine sales]
- [Health, dental, and vision insurance]
- [Paid time off]
- [Dining discounts at affiliated restaurants]
- [Education and certification support — CMS / WSET tuition]
- [A clear path to Beverage Director]
How to Apply
[Application instructions — e.g., "Apply through Culinary Agents" or "Submit your resume to (email)." Add any screening questions or next-step details here, such as a tasting or tableside interaction.]
[Restaurant/Company Name] is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members. We comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
Before you post- Publish a real salary range — the single biggest driver (~2× the applies of posts without one). Skip "competitive."
- Swap boilerplate for specifics — name the list size, the cellar, the cuisine, and your service style.
- Describe the program and the path — pairings, tastings, and a route to Beverage Director beat a generic post.
- Add one real photo of the room or the cellar when you post.
What core responsibilities does a Sommelier have?
These are the duties named most often across real Sommelier posts — a baseline to trim to your program:
- Build and maintain the wine list and pairings
- Guide guests and sell wine tableside
- Manage wine inventory, purchasing, and the cellar
- Train service staff on the list and pairings
- Control beverage cost and margin
- Host tastings and manage supplier relationships
How much should you pay a Sommelier?
Before you set your rangePay shifts a lot by market, and the compensation snapshot below is a national reference. Search your local metro on Hospitality Career Paths to ground your number, then post the role once your range is set.
How much experience should a Sommelier have
Three to six years in wine-focused service is the working range for most rooms — fine-dining programs and larger cellars push toward the top of it, while a growing wine-forward spot can bring on a strong server or wine steward ready to step up. Certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers or WSET is common and signals commitment, though it isn't a substitute for time on the floor.
Years matter less than where they were spent: time in a serious wine program often outperforms a longer run somewhere with a short list. On the resume, the signal that predicts staying power is tenure — 12+ months at one operation beats a string of short stops. And palate and guidance, the things that separate experience that shows from experience on paper, are what a blind tasting and a tableside interaction reveal that an interview can't.
What skills should you look for in a Sommelier?
Across Sommelier posts on Culinary Agents over the past year, these ten skills come up most often:
- Wine knowledge
- Pairing expertise
- Tableside guidance & selling
- List curation
- Inventory & cellar management
- Beverage cost control
- Staff wine education
- Guest hospitality
- Certification (CMS / WSET)
- Supplier relationships
What benefits should you offer a Sommelier?
When two rooms pay the same, benefits decide where a sommelier signs. The ones that move the needle for a wine professional:
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Paid time off
- A bonus or commission on wine sales
- Dining discounts across the group
- Education and certification support (CMS / WSET)
- A clear path to Beverage Director
Education and certification support is its own draw — covering CMS or WSET tuition tells a sommelier you invest in the program and the person. List the benefits you actually offer; an empty "competitive benefits" line reads as no benefits at all.
The bottom line
A Sommelier post that names a real salary range, describes the program and cellar, and shows a path to Beverage Director will out-draw a vague one every time. The template above does the structural work — the specifics you bring are what turn a listing into applications.
The job description language above is ready to pre-load — adjust the specifics and publish.
