Beverage Director - Award-Winning Fine Dining Restaurant

Beverage Director

Award-Winning Fine Dining Restaurant

San Francisco, CA

Compensation: $90,000 – $115,000 annually

Employment Type: Full-time | On-site

An acclaimed San Francisco restaurant is seeking a seasoned Beverage Director to oversee and refine one of the nation’s most distinctive beverage programs. Reporting in close partnership with the Executive Chef and ownership, this individual will advance a beverage experience that is tightly aligned with the restaurant’s cuisine, its producers, and the seasonal rhythms of Northern California.

The restaurant operates a tasting-menu format grounded in careful sourcing, preservation, and a direct relationship with the land. The beverage program embodies the same principles through a substantial wine cellar, non-alcoholic pairings, house fermentations, and a continuing focus on ingredients, craft, and hospitality.

This is an operational leadership position suited to a sommelier or beverage professional who is equally committed to wine service, staff development, and ongoing program refinement.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct the complete beverage program, encompassing the wine list and cellar, spirits, beer, tea, coffee, and non-alcoholic pairings.
• Design seasonal beverage pairings for the tasting menu in collaboration with the culinary team.
• Oversee purchasing, inventory control, costing, and cellar organization.
• Establish and uphold service standards for wine and beverage throughout the dining room.
• Lead staff education, tastings, and mentorship for sommeliers and front-of-house personnel.
• Create house fermentations and non-alcoholic offerings that reflect the restaurant’s culinary perspective.
• Partner with ownership on beverage P&L management, vendor relationships, and long-term program strategy.

Required Qualifications

• Comprehensive knowledge of wine, spirits, beer, tea, coffee, and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Demonstrated leadership of a Michelin-caliber or comparably ambitious fine-dining beverage program in San Francisco or a similar market.
• Strong capabilities in pairing, narrative presentation, and guest engagement.
• Proven organizational and financial discipline in inventory management, cost of goods, and cellar operations.
• A collaborative leadership approach and a clear commitment to mentoring team members.
• Intellectual curiosity, humility, and dedication to continuous improvement.
• Wine credentials (CMS, WSET, or equivalent demonstrated knowledge) are advantageous.

Hospitality at this restaurant extends beyond the dining room. The organization values integrity, craftsmanship, generosity, and respect for those who produce what is served. The ideal candidate will share these principles and contribute to the next phase of this San Francisco restaurant.

Location: San Francisco, California

Compensation: $90,000 – $115,000 annually