Job Description
Job Details
Sommelier — Emelina | West Palm Beach, FL
Full-Time | Wed–Sat | Wage: Competitive, based on experience, plus tips ABOUT EMELINA Emelina is an intimate 16-seat chef’s counter in West Palm Beach, Florida, offering a single tasting menu guided by Florida’s seasons, its coastline, and its local producers. Cuban cuisine is not recreated here as it is known today. It is reimagined, asking what it might have become if allowed to evolve freely, shaped by movement, exchange, and abundance. The menu reflects memories carried forward, honoring tradition without being bound by it. Hospitality at Emelina is quiet and intentional, expressed through Omotenashi, Sensai, and Komakai — thoughtfulness, devotion to craft, and attention to the smallest detail.
Emelina holds one Michelin Star and is led by Chef-Owners Camila Salazar and Osmel González.
THE ROLE At Emelina, the Sommelier is the guest’s guide through a wine program built on direct relationships with growers who farm sustainably and with reverence for terroir — balancing classical benchmarks like Burgundy, Champagne, and the Loire with lesser-known appellations shaped by a new generation of thoughtful producers. You will work closely with Chef-Owners Camila Salazar and Osmel González and APM Restaurant Group’s wine leadership to run service on a 16-seat counter, build pairings course by course, and help the list continue to evolve alongside the menu. We are looking for someone who reads a room as well as they read a label. Precise on the floor, warm with guests, and genuinely invested in the story behind every bottle.
RESPONSIBILITIES - Lead wine service for every seating, building thoughtful pairings for the tasting menu course by course
- Guide guests through the wine list and pairing options with warmth, clarity, and genuine enthusiasm, never pretension
- Maintain and organize the cellar, ensuring proper storage conditions, rotation, and glassware standards
- Support ongoing development of the wine list, sourcing selections that reflect Emelina’s ethos of sustainable, terroir-driven producers
- Manage wine inventory, ordering, and cost awareness in coordination with the Chef-Owners and APM’s wine leadership
- Train and coach the service team on wine knowledge, pairing logic, and proper service technique
- Conduct pre-service tastings, briefing the team on nightly pairings and any new additions to the list
- Build and maintain relationships with distributors, importers, and growerproducers
- Maintain a polished, organized bar and service station at all times
- Uphold all responsible alcohol service and compliance standards
- Available for select Sunday and Tuesday events as needed
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- 3-4 years of professional sommelier or wine service experience, preferably in a fine dining or tasting menu environment
- Working knowledge of classic and emerging wine regions, with a genuine curiosity for grower-driven and sustainably farmed producers
- Court of Master Sommeliers or WSET certification (Level 2 or higher) is a strong plus
- Experience in Michelin-recognized restaurants is a strong plus
- A genuine connection to Cuban and Latin culture is a plus, curiosity and respect for it is a must
- ServSafe Alcohol certification or ability to obtain
QUALITIES WE VALUE
These are the things we notice, and the things that make someone exceptional at a counter like ours.
- Presence. You are fully engaged during service. Your attention does not waver.
- Generosity. You share knowledge freely. You lift the people around you.
- Humility. You are confident in your craft and open to learning. Ego has no place here.
- Curiosity. You ask why a wine works with a dish, not just what to pour. You care about the story behind the bottle.
- Consistency. You hold the same standard on a quiet Wednesday as on a full Saturday. Every time.
WHY JOIN US - Emelina is a rare environment. Small by design, serious by choice. You will work directly alongside the people who built this restaurant and this wine program learning, contributing, and growing within a kitchen and cellar recognized at the highest level of the industry.
- One Michelin Star kitchen with an intimate, collaborative team
- Four-day work week (Wednesday–Saturday)
- A wine list that evolves and a seat at the table for that conversation
- Meals during service
- Exposure to grower-driven, terroir-focused producers alongside APM Restaurant Group’s wine leadership
- Opportunity for professional development, tastings, and travel as the restaurant grows
- A culture where your work is seen, your craft is respected, and your growth is part of the plan
TO APPLY Send your resume and a brief note on why Emelina is the right fit for you to info@emelinawpb.com.
Job Tags
Full time, Local area, Night shift