Wine Program Director

Industry:

Company: Wakuda

50 Eggs Hospitality Group is a dynamic leader in the lifestyle and hospitality industry, known for crafting distinctive dining and entertainment experiences that combine culinary excellence, innovative design, and warm hospitality. With award-winning brands including CHICA and WAKUDA, 50 Eggs has consistently set the benchmark for elevated restaurant concepts that celebrate diverse cultural flavors, aesthetics, and guest experiences.

Job Details

Role: Wine Program Director

Reporting to: Senior Vice President

The Wine Director reports directly to the Senior Vice President of Operations. This role oversees the strategic development, management, and execution of a world-class wine program, encompassing an extensive wine list, sake selections, and expert pairings with a focus on Japanese cuisine. The Wine Director ensures that all aspects of the wine program, including guest engagement, cost management, and team training, meet the company’s high standards of excellence and profitability.

Primary Job Duties:

Duties include, but are not limited, to the following:

1. Wine Program Development and Management:

• Curate and maintain an extensive wine list showcasing global and regional vintages with an emphasis on wines that complement Japanese cuisine.
• Develop a comprehensive sake program, including sourcing, categorization, and education for staff and guests.
• Regularly assess wine and sake trends to keep the program dynamic, innovative, and aligned with guest preferences.
• Collaborate with culinary teams to design wine and sake pairings that enhance menu offerings and elevate the guest experience.

2. Training and Development:

• Create and deliver a robust wine education program for all front-of-house staff, ensuring strong knowledge of wines, sakes, and pairing techniques
• Mentor sommeliers and service staff, fostering a culture of passion and expertise in beverage service.
• Implement ongoing education and tasting sessions to keep the team informed about emerging trends, vintages, and sake innovations.

3. Brand Integrity and Consistency:

• Ensure wine and sake service adheres to the company’s brand ethos, emphasizing luxury, refinement, and authenticity.
• Engage with guests to provide personalized wine recommendations and enhance the overall dining experience.
• Work closely with marketing teams to promote the wine program through events, tastings, and collaborations with winemakers and sake brewers.

4. Operational Excellence

• Manage wine inventory, ensuring proper storage, rotation, and consistent availability of key selections
• Oversee vendor relationships, negotiating pricing and sourcing unique offerings to set the program apart.
• Ensure compliance with all health and safety regulations related to beverage storage and service.

7. Financial Management

• Develop and oversee the wine program budget, including cost control, pricing strategy, and revenue targets.
• Conduct regular profitability analyses to identify high-performing items and opportunities for improvement.
• Plan and execute promotional wine and sake events, driving incremental revenue and guest engagement.

8. Guest Experience and Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with wineries, sake producers, and beverage industry leaders.
• Represent the company at industry events, tastings, and conferences to stay at the forefront of the wine and sake world.
• Act as a brand ambassador, promoting the wine program and the company’s commitment to excellence.

Job Requirements

Certification

• Advanced knowledge of wine demonstrated by at least a Level 2 certification from a recognized organization (e.g., WSET, Court of Master Sommeliers).
• Proficiency in sake, with a strong understanding of its production, styles, and pairings.

Experience:

• Minimum 7-10 years of experience in a wine-focused role within fine dining or luxury hospitality, including management responsibilities.
• Proven track record of creating and managing wine programs, with expertise in pairing wines with international cuisines, especially Japanese.

Skills and Attributes:

• Exceptional palate with expertise in wine and sake tasting, evaluation, and curation.
• Strong leadership abilities, with experience training and inspiring teams to achieve excellence.
• Financial acumen, including budgeting, cost control, and profitability analysis.
• Outstanding guest engagement and communication skills.

Physical and other 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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; bend; walk; use hands or fingers, handle or feel; talk; hear; see, and reach with hands and arms and requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies up to 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function.

A bold, artful collision of time and culture, traditional eastern mythology and seductive design created by world-renowned, two-michelin-starred chef tetsuya wakuda and 50 eggs hospitality group. wakuda captures the tension between traditional and modern japan in a bold and thoughtful way through cuisine, design, and art.