How to train staff to recommend wine
Give the team simple criteria and the confidence to guide guests.
What this reference helps you decide
Wine training for floor teams doesn't have to be academic or exhaustive. It has to be practical, focused on the restaurant's actual list and geared towards sales.
How to use it
A 4-module training programme designed to be delivered in short sessions (30-45 min) during pre-service briefings.
Key points
Module 1: The list in 5 minutes
Teach the team to navigate the list, identify the main sections and know where to find each type of wine.
Module 2: The 3 key wines
Every team member should be able to describe and confidently recommend at least 3 wines. Choose those with the best margin.
Module 3: Simple pairing
Teach 5-6 basic pairing rules that cover 80% of situations: fish-white, meat-red, dessert-sweet, etc.
Module 4: The natural recommendation
Practise recommendation phrases that sound natural: 'Would you like a wine to go with that?' works better than 'Would you like to see the wine list?'
Recommended next steps
Measure the current situation with consistent data.
Choose one operational change and assign an owner.
Review sales, margin, stock and service impact after four weeks.