Alena Plaksina
Las Vegas,NV
Summary
Highly organized, dedicated, and enthusiastic professional, with a passion to work in a productive environment where success is clearly defined and appreciated.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Sommelier
Papi Steak Las Vegas, Fontainebleau Las Vegas
01.2024 - Current
- Curated extensive wine list to enhance guest experience and complement menu offerings.
- Conducted wine tastings, educating staff on flavor profiles and pairing techniques.
- Trained new team members on wine service standards and proper tasting protocols.
- Assisted in developing seasonal wine programs to align with culinary trends and guest preferences.
- Monitored inventory levels, ensuring timely reordering of popular wines and managing stock rotation efficiently.
- Managed wine inventory efficiently, ensuring proper storage conditions and rotation to maintain quality.
- Implemented feedback mechanisms from guests to refine wine selection and enhance overall dining experience.
- Handled questions and concerns skillfully and redirected customers toward higher profit items to increase per-ticket revenue.
- Increased wine sales by effectively presenting a diverse range of options to customers, showcasing knowledge and expertise.
- Shared knowledge of menu items and flavors, enabling customers to make personal decisions based on taste and interest.
Sommelier
LPM Restaurant and Bar, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
10.2023 - 01.2024
- Provided exceptional customer service by recommending wines based on individual preferences and meal choices.
- Represented establishment professionally with guests and earned consistent repeat and referral business.
- Improved overall dining experience by attentively addressing guest inquiries or concerns regarding wine selections or pairings.
- Monitored conditions of wine cellar, keeping all bottles stored at appropriate temperature.
- Managed wine inventory efficiently, ensuring proper storage conditions and rotation to maintain quality.
Head Sommelier
Azumi LLC, Zuma Boston
05.2019 - 09.2023
- Take on overall responsibility for the operational management of all wines and sake within the restaurant and ensure guests receive outstanding service
- Ensure that all wines are stored, presented and served to the required standards
- Assist the Events team in the sales of wine and sake to large groups of clients
- Assist the Wine and Beverage Director USA in creating, maintaining and developing all wine and sake stocks, wine and sake sales and wine and sake lists
- Regularly review the wine and sake list in line with the current trends and ensure that the list appeals to a diverse customer base
- Support all the Managers in the sales of wine and sake to advise them on the best selections appropriate for the guest or event
- Attend the weekly operational meetings
- Have a comprehensive knowledge of all International wines and sake, their characteristics and a detailed knowledge of all the wines and sake on the list
- Share the wine and sake knowledge and encourage the team to develop their wine and sake knowledge further through regular training sessions
- Be available at service times to support the team and provide a five star service
- Advise guests on wine and sake selection in articulate and friendly manner displaying professional salesmanship
- Create a wine and sake experience by advising guests on wine and sake choices while serving them with accuracy and flair
- Actively participate in the generation of ideas to impact positively on wine and sake sales revenue and assist in the implementation of these ideas
- Perform weekly inventory and present a report to the Wine and Beverage Director
- Ensure that the beverage cost and contribution margins for wine and sake meets the restaurant target
- Budgeting
- Ordering wine and sake according to the restaurant needs, processing invoices and making sure payments are done on time
- Responsible for assisting and ensuring that the beverage sales forecasted for the restaurant are met
- Strive to meet target cost of sales, including the monthly sales target
- Managing a wine and beverage team and responsible for making a weekly schedule in accordance with business levels and needs of the restaurant
Sommelier
Tavistock Restaurants LLC, Atlantic Fish Co.
08.2017 - 05.2019
- Developed and maintained a wine list which received a Wine Spectator Magazine Award of Excellence through extensive wine knowledge and market trends
- Raised the inventory while maintaining a lower cost percentage
- Coordinated with the Executive Chef to redesign wine lists, resulting in an increase in wine sales over one year due to regular staff training and improved product offering
- Developed and successfully launched a seasonal Sommelier Selection wine list which was coordinated with the Chef's seasonal menu
- Executed new wine program, providing ongoing wine education training opportunities for staff
- Providing weekly wine education for staff (2-3 days a week), including blind tasting and food pairing
- Working the floor five nights per week selling wine and providing educational experiences for guests. During service assisting staff with overall floor presence
- Assisting the guest with selections and wine pairings while providing the guest with extraordinary service
- Ensuring that all beverage products are at the highest quality before they are sold
- In charge of picking wines for large private parties based on the clients varied desires and price restrictions
- Built excellent vendor relationships
Server/ Server Trainer
Tavistock Restaurants LLC, Joe's American Bar And Grill
09.2011 - 08.2017
Server Trainer
Whiskey's Bar And Grill
01.2010 - 09.2010
Education
Court Of Master Sommeliers
2017
Bachelor of Science - Linguistics, Computer Linguistics, Interpreting, Teaching Foreign Languages
Minsk State Linguistic University
Minsk, Belarus2010
Skills
- Command of foreign languages
- Strong communication skills
- Fine-dining expertise
- Wine sales
- Wine education
- Event management
- Customer service oriented
- Sales oriented
- Upselling techniques
- Committed team player
- Strong leadership skills
- Employee training and development
- Vendor relations
- Courteous, professional demeanor
- Hospitality expertise
- Multitasking
- Quick learner
- Strong work ethic
- Cellar Management
- Inventory Management
- Menu Engineering
- Profit and Loss Reporting
Timeline
Sommelier
Papi Steak Las Vegas, Fontainebleau Las Vegas
01.2024 - Current
Sommelier
LPM Restaurant and Bar, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
10.2023 - 01.2024
Head Sommelier
Azumi LLC, Zuma Boston
05.2019 - 09.2023
Sommelier
Tavistock Restaurants LLC, Atlantic Fish Co.
08.2017 - 05.2019
Server/ Server Trainer
Tavistock Restaurants LLC, Joe's American Bar And Grill
09.2011 - 08.2017
Server Trainer
Whiskey's Bar And Grill
01.2010 - 09.2010
Court Of Master Sommeliers
Bachelor of Science - Linguistics, Computer Linguistics, Interpreting, Teaching Foreign Languages
Minsk State Linguistic University