Ruth's Chris Lead Bartender

AHC Hospitality•Grand Rapids, MI

About The Position

AHC Hospitality is hiring a full-time Lead Bartender for Ruth's Chris. The role leads the bartending team and coordinates bar staff, ensuring team members meet Darden brand standards and that guests receive high-quality service in line with AHC Guest Service standards. The Lead Bartender works bar shifts while overseeing bar service and storage areas, maintaining bar setup and cleanliness, and supporting smooth service across the main bar, patio bar, and private dining mobile bar. The position supports management with inventory, ordering, waste control, cash drawers, cocktail development, guest concerns, and special occasions. It also communicates drink specials and stock issues to restaurant staff, trains team members on beverages, and collaborates with management on beer, wine, and cocktail menus. Weekend availability, including Friday and Saturday, is essential.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Previous bartending experience in a fine dining or comparable restaurant.
Full beverage and cocktail knowledge, including garnishes, beer, spirits, and wine.
Ability to memorize menu items, drink builds, and recipe specifications.
TIPS certification and ability to properly card guests ordering alcoholic beverages.
Ability to manage varied staff and guest personalities while maintaining a high level of service.
Ability to communicate effectively, work well with others, and maintain a positive, courteous attitude.
Ability to follow attendance, uniform, grooming, safety, green, and Health Department requirements.
Ability to use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects; frequently reach with hands and arms; regularly talk or hear and taste or smell; occasionally sit, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and occasionally lift or move up to 40 pounds.
Required vision abilities include close, distance, and peripheral vision.
Availability to work Fridays and Saturdays.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a mixologist.
TIPS certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate bar staff and lead the bartending team, ensuring team members follow Darden brand standards.
Work bar shifts in the service well, at the bar rail, providing table service, and running food.
Maintain beverage and cocktail knowledge, learn menu items and recipes, and research cocktail trends and techniques.
Oversee the main bar, patio bar, private dining mobile bar, and bar storage areas, including the liquor cage, walk-in cooler, and bar cart.
Ensure bar areas are stocked and properly set up; complete daily setup, breakdown, cleaning, and side work.
Support management with nightly ordering and quarterly inventory of bar food, beer, spirits, and wine.
Rotate products using first-in, first-out practices and properly record or dispose of expired products.
Monitor beverage and food waste, report waste to management, and help control expenses.
Develop new recipes and collaborate with management on beer, wine, and cocktail menu ideation, creation, and engineering.
Train staff on new cocktails and other beverages, including beer and wine.
Share monthly drink specials and stock issues with restaurant staff during pre-shift meetings.
Manage cash drawers and help organize parties and private dining events.
Resolve guest concerns and department issues, provide recommendations, and suggestively sell to generate revenue.
Follow hotel guest service, safety, recycling, green, and Health Department standards.
Maintain a neat, clean work area and help keep public and back-of-house areas free of trash.
Communicate bar needs and concerns to management and other restaurant and hotel staff.
Work weekends, including Friday and Saturday.