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
Las Vegas, NV
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
Las Vegas, NV
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
Boston, MA
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.
Boston, MA
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
Boston, MA
09.2011 - 08.2017
Server Trainer
Whiskey's Bar And Grill
Boston, MA
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