Lead Barista in San Diego, California at The Margot Hotel

Position Summary

The Lead Barista is a hands-on leader responsible for delivering an elevated, approachable coffee and beverage experience that reflects the personality of Margot Lounge. This role combines exceptional barista skills with strong hospitality, beverage knowledge, administration, and day-to-day leadership. The Lead Barista sets the standard for service, coffee and beverage execution, cost control, presentation, cleanliness, and guest engagement while helping create the welcoming social atmosphere that makes Margot the heart of the hotel.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead by example during service and consistently deliver warm, polished, and genuine hospitality. Serve as a role model to the coffee and beverage operations team.

• Serve as the day-to-day lead of the coffee operation during assigned shifts, directing workflow, maintaining service standards, and communicating operational needs or concerns to the General Manager or Manager on Duty.

• Ensure the coffee operation opens on time, fully stocked, clean, organized, and ready for service.

• Prepare and serve coffee, espresso beverages, tea, pastries, food items, and non-alcoholic beverages to Margot standards, including cost containment.

• Execute the coffee and beverage menu with consistency, speed, accuracy, and attention to presentation.

• Understand and communicate the story, ingredients, and preparation behind Margot's coffee program, signature beverages, and offerings.

• Create an approachable experience that appeals equally to hotel guests, locals, business travelers, convention guests, and visitors to the Gaslamp.

• Maintain a strong knowledge of coffee, espresso, tea, specialty beverages, food offerings, and current coffee and beverage trends.

• Complete opening and closing procedures, daily coffee bar setup, stocking, sanitation, equipment cleaning, and cash handling.

• Buss, wash and polish glassware/dishes, reset tables, stock, and provide general service support as business demands.

• Maintain appropriate product pars, assist with inventory counts, monitor usage and communicate inventory needs to management.

• Order and receive approved products in accordance with established purchasing, receiving, and hotel accounting procedures.

• Adhere to POS controls including cash handling, comps, voids, discounts, room charges, refunds, and check adjustments. Ensure every transaction is accurately entered into the POS without exception.

• Ensure all coffee, beverages, food, and related products are stored safely, securely, and according to hotel standards.

• Monitor product quality, waste/spillage, portion control, recipe adherence, inventory variances, and beverage/food costs.

• Train and coach baristas and support team members on recipes, coffee preparation, service standards, POS procedures, equipment use, sanitation, and guest engagement.

• Help establish a culture of hospitality, accountability, teamwork, and positive energy.

• Work closely with leadership to introduce coffee features, seasonal beverages, promotions, and events.

• Ensure compliance with health, safety, sanitation, food handling requirements, and hotel policies.

• Resolve guest concerns professionally and escalate issues when appropriate.

• Assist management with menu development, recipe testing, coffee and beverage features, vendor coordination, and operational improvements.

• Maintain a clean, organized, stylish, and guest-ready coffee bar and surrounding lounge area.

• Review occupancy, VIPs, groups, conventions, Padres games, Gaslamp events, and other business drivers to anticipate volume, maintain appropriate pars, and prepare for busy periods.

• Be an ambassador for Margot and help build a local following and relationships in the neighborhood.

• Maintain professional relationships with vendors and represent Margot appropriately in all vendor interactions.

• Execute any reasonable requests by leadership.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of barista experience in a high-volume hotel, restaurant, specialty coffee shop, café, or similar environment.

• Previous lead or supervisory experience preferred.

• Strong knowledge of espresso preparation, coffee beverages, specialty beverages, and current coffee trends.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Strong attention to detail and organization.

• Ability to multitask while maintaining service standards.

• Comfortable training and mentoring team members.

• Ability to work mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and high-volume periods.

• Current California Food Handler's Card and completion of all applicable hotel-required training, including food safety, sexual harassment, PCI compliance, and other training based on assigned duties.

• POS knowledge, preferably Toast, and basic Word and Excel proficiency preferred. Ability to learn hotel purchasing and operational systems.

• Ability to operate and properly maintain espresso machines, coffee brewers, grinders, and other coffee/beverage equipment.