NIKOLA KNEZEVIC
Brooklyn,NY
Summary
Hospitality professional with background in leading bar operations and creating exceptional guest experiences. Successfully managed bar staff, ensuring seamless service and high standards of quality. Strong focus on team collaboration and achieving results, with reliable adaptability to changing needs. Proficient in mixology and customer service, valued for leadership and interpersonal skills.
Experienced with crafting unique cocktails and creating welcoming bar atmosphere. Utilizes strong leadership skills to manage bar operations and staff effectively. Track record of maintaining high customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Lead Bartender
KYU Restaurant NYC
11.2023 - Current
- Besides devising an entire seasonal cocktail menu, created numerous cocktails for industry nights showcasing various brands during activations and spends
- Trained all new bar staff and oversaw backbar and menu restructuring
Bartender
Down and Out
12.2022 - 01.2024
- Company Overview: Bartender at a craft cocktail jazz bar in East Village with a huge selection of whiskeys, artisanal beers and organic wines
- Besides an innovative and sustainability forward cocktail menu, served oysters and seafood dishes during live jazz nights
- Bartender at a craft cocktail jazz bar in East Village with a huge selection of whiskeys, artisanal beers and organic wines
Bar Manager/Lead Bartender
H0l0
09.2022 - 01.2024
- Company Overview: High volume venue with events that held up to 500 people most weekends
- Bartended and managed the bars at the H0l0 nightclub
- Created several cocktails, brought in various products from brand ambassadors and supervised shift opening and closing duties
- High volume venue with events that held up to 500 people most weekends
Bartender
Le Pavillon
04.2022 - 07.2022
- Company Overview: Fine dining restaurant by Daniel Bouloud
- Bartender at Daniel Bouloud's fine dining restaurant
- Lunch and dinner bartender with service of prefixed menus at the bar as well
- Fine dining restaurant by Daniel Bouloud
Lead Bartender, F&B Manager, Bar Manager
The Standard Hotel East Village
07.2018 - 04.2022
- Company Overview: Hotel with multiple venues including The Cafe, Narcissa and The Garden
- Lead server in The Cafe, Narcissa and The Garden of the Standard Hotel
- After 1.5 years promoted to F&B manager and managed all 4 venues of the hotel
- Fluent in Chronos scheduling system
- Scheduled the entire staff on the weekly basis
- Performed inventory and trained all new FOH staff
- Lead bartender and mixologist at The Cafe, No Bar and all high profile hotel events
- Responsible for crafting new cocktail lists and syrups for seasonal menus and events in addition to barista duties
- Managed bar inventory and was responsible for keeping stock and adding new brands to the offering lists
- Hotel with multiple venues including The Cafe, Narcissa and The Garden
Server
The Standard Hotel Miami Beach
06.2017 - 06.2018
- Pool server at the Standard hotel with additional bar duties
- Worked multiple events in the hotel behind the bar and as a server
Bartender/Server
The Tides Hotel
04.2017 - 06.2017
- Company Overview: 5 star hotel on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach
- Bartender and a server in a 5 star hotel on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach
- Duties and responsibilities expanded to managing the bar
- 5 star hotel on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach
Bartender
La Concha Hotel
06.2016 - 03.2017
- Company Overview: 4 star hotel in Key West
- Bartender/server in both the lobby bar and the pool bar in a 4 star hotel in Key West
- Involved in doing inventory, ordering and creating several cocktails
- 4 star hotel in Key West
Server/Bartender
Village Café
09.2015 - 06.2016
- Company Overview: Resort restaurants in Fort Lauderdale
- Server and bartender with busser duties at resort restaurants in Fort Lauderdale
- Resort restaurants in Fort Lauderdale
Education
High School - Social Sciences & Language
Gimnazija
Banja LukaB.F.A. - Sociology
Faculty of Political Science
Banja Luka11.2013
Skills
- Food and beverage operations
- Staff training
- Staff management
- Suggestive selling
- Inventory
- Employee coaching
- Bar equipment maintenance
- Menu development
- Drink pairings
- Foreign language proficiency
- Cocktail list development
- Creative mixology
- Engaging personality
- Classic cocktails
- Clear and effective communication
Languages
Serbian
Native or Bilingual
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Professional Working
Timeline
Lead Bartender
KYU Restaurant NYC
11.2023 - Current
Bartender
Down and Out
12.2022 - 01.2024
Bar Manager/Lead Bartender
H0l0
09.2022 - 01.2024
Bartender
Le Pavillon
04.2022 - 07.2022
Lead Bartender, F&B Manager, Bar Manager
The Standard Hotel East Village
07.2018 - 04.2022
Server
The Standard Hotel Miami Beach
06.2017 - 06.2018
Bartender/Server
The Tides Hotel
04.2017 - 06.2017
Bartender
La Concha Hotel
06.2016 - 03.2017
Server/Bartender
Village Café
09.2015 - 06.2016
High School - Social Sciences & Language
Gimnazija
B.F.A. - Sociology
Faculty of Political Science
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