#barcelonawinebar
We passionately believe in growth and development. Whether someone is with us for a short or long time, we believe that the education and experience gained is of massive value and so we emphasize it at all times. The restaurant industry is one of the few that can provide someone an entry-level starting path, and in a few short years, the capability to run a vibrant business and earn six figures. We also believe that every step therein provides valuable learning and growth that is useful in any other career someone may choose to step in after working with us.
Working at Barcelona Wine Bar offers more than a job that pays for hours worked. We are committed to nurturing our employees to learn beyond their basic job functions. To truly gain experience that will take them further in their careers, whether that career is within the Barcelona Wine Bar company or somewhere else.
It’s literally part of the job. Every bartender, server and manager is required to gain knowledge of the wines on our list, and wine in general. We have developed a library of wine education tools via our internal learning management system we call “B-Life” that all employees have access to. Our Beverage Team has developed sommelier level classes that focus on the details of Spanish regions, and team members have the opportunity to become a Certified Wine Trainer that can teach the in-depth knowledge classes to the staff.
These classes taught at Barcelona have inspired many former and current employees to consider a deeper career in the wine industry – we love this. We offer full course reimbursement for any team member that pursues wine knowledge and sommelier certification courses.
Since Barcelona Wine Bar’s founding in 1996, we’ve grown into a collection of restaurants in vibrant cities like Boston, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and Denver and this growth has only been possible because of the developed talent and education of our teams who’ve made it possible. With 2-3 openings happening every year, we invite our best hourly and salary team members to be a part of this process, either to be a trainer for new hires or to be a temporary team member in a new city.
We bring managers and chefs to Spain because it imbues them with a sense of understanding we can’t get any other way. There’s a lot that discussion and explanation can do, and then there’s waves of “a ha!” moments that only come from being there– tasting it– feeling it. We make as many trips a year with different members of the team as we’re able– usually 2 and never the same trip twice. Each path through Iberia is planned individually, considering the specific people traveling. We rent a couple cars and we drive, and fly, and trek as necessary through at least 3 different regions of the country– meeting with winemakers and craftspeople and eating and drinking at inspiring restaurants, bars, and markets. Over 26 trips, the most consistent epiphany is how much work and obsession goes into making anything, food or wine, singularly beautiful and expressive of itself.
The chance to travel to Spain with the company is not exclusive to our managers and chefs. Annually, we test our full FOH team’s knowledge on food, beverage and service. This “proficiency test” sparks weeks of training classes, tasting parties and flash card cramming sessions. Our top scoring staff members are rewarded with a fully paid, week-long trip to Spain. Other restaurant companies may use sales contests to reward their team members, but we firmly believe this is not what is best for the guest at Barcelona – a diner would much rather have a passionately informed server or bartender, rather than an up-sell on a tapa, or a misguided wine recommendation. We prefer to reward our best ambassadors, rather than the ones that push the highest sales per check.
We strongly believe these field trips are an extension of training and development. And the staff members we take every year are motivated and hungry to improve what we do every day, strengthen our producer relationships, and inspire creative new innovations for the Barcelona guest.
