What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sommelier position at Maxwell Park?
About Maxwell Park and Pop Fizz (Dual Role)
Maxwell Park is a bar by Brent Kroll, award-winning sommelier, who has been in DC for 15 years. It will turn seven years old in 2024 while our newest bar, Pop Fizz heads into its second year after turning one in December, which features an all sparkling menu. Both bars are (intentionally) small 1,000 sq ft in the Shaw neighborhood of DC.
Maxwell Park is famous for its rotating monthly menus of fun themes centered around puns and pop culture. Just to name a few of the nearly 100 themes in the last few years are Maxwell Jurassic Park (almost extinct grapes), Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls (Rivers & Lakes), Royal Tanninbombs (play on the Wes Anderson film The Royal Tenenbaums). Schist Creek, etc. It's a high maintenance program where we begin tasting for the next month as soon as the new theme begins, but you are perpetually learning and tasting.
At Pop Fizz, from Champagne to crémant, cava to Lambrusco, beer, cider, spritzes & more, we gleefully celebrate all things effervescent. We love riffs on classics like champagne & caviar bumps, but on house-made Doritos. Anything crispy, fatty, buttery or otherwise indulgent that goes well with bubbly. Detroit-Style pizza is a nod to Brent's midwestern roots.
While both wine lists are seriously extensive, we take pride in not taking ourselves too seriously. We spend our shifts in themed t-shirts and comfortable sneakers, spending most of our shifts having dialogues about wine with guests, as our sales are about 85% wine.
Our websites:
- Maxwell Park www.maxwellparkdc.com
- Pop Fizz www.popfizzdc.com
About the Job
Collaborate and taste on upcoming wine themes. Co-run monthly wine classes and tastings. Willingness to learn about multiple businesses. Will train on admin work. Take care of guests, while running a section. Most importantly, you cannot be above any task. We hire on personality over pin, but respect higher education.
The Skinny
- $75k-$90k
- Nine day schedule over two weeks
- Medical, Dental and Vision benefits
- Wine Studies: We cover 100% of tests on a pass and 50% on a fail
- Wine Trip opportunities
- Buy wine at wholesale
Press
- Named Washington Post, Washingtonian and Washington City Paper Wine Bar of the Year, consecutively.
- Best New Wine Bars 2023 https://www.wineenthusiast.com/best-restaurants-2023/
- 2019 Esquire Best Bars in America https://classic.esquire.com/article/2019/6/1/the-best-bars-in-america-2019?fbclid=IwAR1lRsJgQpQPM-nlMNMoyWaNA3PTBYg3lRwIk0zpxYnit5mNXSo_Es6L5Rg
- Bon Appetit Guide to DC https://www.bonappetit.com/city-guides/washington-dc/venue/maxwell-park
- Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/somms-have-poured-their-efforts-into-dcs-restaurant-renaissance/2017/07/06/cd9c3ce6-61dc-11e7-84a1-a26b75ad39fe_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a130aed06647
- Brent Kroll 2018 Food and Wine Sommelier of the Year https://www.foodandwine.com/wine/sommeliers-year-2018
Interested candidates should reach out to admin@maxwellparkdc.com
Salary : $75,000 - $90,000