What does a sommelier do? Find out if it's worth hiring one

Delivering an amazing experience to customers is one of the main goals of every restaurant or bar that wants to be a success. After all, people value quality, exclusivity and excellence more and more.

However, finding ways to stand out from the competition and catch consumers' attention is a challenge. In that regard, the sommelier stands out for the potential to elevate the dining experience.

If you want to know what a sommelier does and the benefits of hiring one, keep reading this article.

Also check out: Fine Dining Menu: How to Stand Out?

What is a sommelier?

The word “sommelier” has French origins and initially referred to the professionals in charge of tasting wines before they were served to the king, to make sure the drink wasn't poisoned.

By the 19th century, the term came to be used for the professionals responsible for restaurant beverages, especially wines.

So, over time, the sommelier became a wine specialist, with deep knowledge of grape varieties, production methods, wine regions and renowned labels.

More recently, professionals specialized in other types of drinks — such as beers, spirits, coffees and teas — have also come to be called sommeliers.

Leia também: What Roles Do Bar Professionals Play?

What does a sommelier do?

A sommelier can help your restaurant or bar offer a more sophisticated experience to your customers. This professional performs several roles in a restaurant or bar; the main ones are:

Building the beverage menu

They're responsible for the beverage menu of the restaurant or bar. A wine sommelier, for example, chooses which labels best fit the establishment's concept and the customers' preferences. 

In other words: they play a key role in strengthening your brand identity and meeting consumer demands. They can keep the list always up to date, bring in new options and present special labels to impress customers.

Pairing drinks and food

Another role of the sommelier is suggesting pairings between the drinks and the dishes served at the restaurant or bar. Since they have a palate trained to identify different flavors, they're the right professional to create perfect combinations in partnership with the chef. 

The sommelier can help, for example, in putting together a tasting menu. Esta é uma das melhores formas de oferecer uma experiência gastronômica de alto padrão aos seus clientes. 

Managing the beverage portfolio

The sommelier also manages the beverage portfolio, keeping a variety of labels and ensuring proper storage, with ideal temperature, light and humidity. They also take care to serve each bottle at its peak of quality.

Their work also involves financial aspects, such as negotiating with suppliers, setting the selling price and running analyses to identify which wines or other drinks sell best.

On top of that, the sommelier is always keeping an eye on the market and looking for new options to build the beverage collection.

Recommendations for customers

Another activity of a restaurant or bar sommelier is making recommendations to customers based on their preferences and the dishes they ordered.

This direct contact with customers is less common and usually happens at more upscale establishments. It's a way of providing an exclusive, personalized experience. 

What are a sommelier's skills and knowledge?

If you're considering hiring a sommelier for your restaurant or bar, you need to evaluate some of the professional's skills and knowledge. First of all, take into account which qualifications they have, such as recognized certifications and courses. 

To carry out their role, it's recommended that the sommelier have the following skills and knowledge:

• Grape varieties and wine regions.
• Tasting and identifying flavors.
• Pairing wines with dishes.
• Winemaking techniques and beverage production.
• Vintages and wine aging.
• Etiquette and high-end wine service.
• Creating balanced, appealing wine lists.
• Personalized guidance in choosing wines for customers.
• Inventory management and wine storage.
• Understanding of trends and new developments in the beverage world.

On top of that, it's also worth assessing whether the professional has previous experience, has good communication and interpersonal skills (since they'll have to interact with the team and with customers) and flexibility to work your establishment's hours, such as nights, weekends and holidays.

Why hire a sommelier?

Now that you know what a sommelier does and which skills are needed for the role, it's time to understand whether it's worth hiring this professional for your establishment.

Having a sommelier can have a big impact on your business, especially if your goal is to offer a more sophisticated, exclusive experience to your customers.

First of all, it's worth analyzing your audience's profile to understand their behavior and consumption patterns. Se você costuma atender clientes exigentes, um sommelier pode ajudar a elevar o nível de satisfação. 

That's because the customer experience is enhanced: they'll get personalized service, have the guidance of a specialist and be able to try new flavors with confidence.

Another relevant point is that you can start offering premium wines, which helps raise the average ticket and revenue of your restaurant or bar. It can also attract an audience interested in high-quality wines and expand your customer base. 

Finally, in the long run your business can stand out and earn the reputation of a sophisticated, specialized restaurant.

Offer the best experience to your customers

A sommelier can certainly contribute a lot to perfecting the customer experience, but it's worth remembering that it's affected by several other aspects, such as an excellent service, an agile and efficient operation. 

In that regard, having a system for restaurants and bars like EPOC can be the big differentiator for your business.

That's because, in addition to being a PDV that's complete and has flexible features that adapt to your operation and make service easier, EPOC also has other integrated solutions to simplify management and boost your business: KDS system, digital menu, inventory control, CRM, Analytics and much more.

To find out how it works in practice, Schedule a free demo right now!