Lead Barista

Job Description

Job Description

Café Exchange is a new gathering place coming to The Park in Berkeley Heights, blending culture, coffee, and community in a space designed for connection, conversation, and a little time to unwind. With artisan drinks, fresh pastries, thoughtfully prepared food, live events, and a cozy library-inspired atmosphere, Café Exchange is being built as a place people will want to return to throughout the day. We’re looking for an experienced Lead Barista who brings strong coffee knowledge, natural leadership, and a genuine understanding of elevated hospitality.

You’ll work alongside the team while helping set the standard for beverage quality, service, presentation, and the overall flow of the café. You’ll support and coach Baristas, help keep service organized during busy periods, and make sure every beverage and guest interaction reflects the experience we want Café Exchange to be known for.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Lead by example on the café floor, setting the standard for beverage quality, presentation, pace, and elevated hospitality.
• Prepare espresso, brewed coffee, tea, specialty beverages, wine, and other select alcoholic beverages with consistency and precision.
• Partner with Café Exchange leadership to identify opportunities to strengthen service, training, workflow, and the overall guest experience.
• Support the training and ongoing development of Baristas, reinforcing recipes, techniques, service standards, and operating procedures.
• Monitor beverage quality throughout service and provide real-time coaching when standards are not being met.
• Help coordinate the flow of service during busy periods, anticipating needs and keeping the team organized and supported.
• Create thoughtful guest experiences through strong product knowledge, personalized recommendations, and attentive service.
• Support deli and light food service while ensuring quality, presentation, and service standards are consistently maintained.
• Maintain appropriate product and supply levels across coffee, beverage, wine, deli, and service areas and communicate replenishment needs.
• Support opening and closing procedures, cash handling, and daily operational responsibilities as assigned.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and beautifully presented café environment.
• Follow and reinforce food safety, sanitation, responsible alcohol service, and workplace safety requirements.

What You’ll Bring

• 4+ years of professional barista experience, including hands-on espresso preparation and specialty beverage execution.
• Current TIPS certification before your first day.
• Availability to work a flexible schedule, including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
• Strong working knowledge of espresso, coffee preparation, milk steaming, beverage recipes, and café equipment.
• Previous experience training, coaching, or providing day-to-day direction to other team members.
• A strong understanding of elevated hospitality and the ability to anticipate guest needs while maintaining a polished, natural presence.
• Experience in a café, restaurant, wine bar, hotel, or other quality-driven hospitality environment.
• Comfort serving wine and other select alcoholic beverages and supporting light food and deli service.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to consistency, quality, and presentation.
• Confidence providing real-time direction and feedback while maintaining a collaborative, team-first approach.
• Strong organization, judgment, and the ability to remain composed during busy service periods.

Supporting Your Success

• Choice of Company-subsidized medical plan options
• Generous employer pension contribution
• Robust paid time off program and paid holidays
• Meal discounts and additional lifestyle and entertainment perks
• Career growth opportunities within a dynamic and evolving organization

Café Exchange is a chance to help shape something special from the very beginning. As our Lead Barista, you’ll have the opportunity to set the standard for the craft, hospitality, and attention to detail that define the experience we create every day. If you love great coffee, take pride in developing others, and know how to turn thoughtful service into an experience people want to return to, we’d love to have you help us bring Café Exchange to life.

While we leverage technology to support our recruiting process, every application is personally reviewed by a member of our Human Resources team because we recognize that behind every resume is a person, a career journey, and a genuine interest in joining our organization.

Table & Banter Hospitality is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and respected. We make all employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex, pregnancy or breastfeeding, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for military service, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We believe exceptional hospitality begins with exceptional people and are committed to creating a workplace where every team member can thrive. We participate in the federal E-Verify program to confirm employment eligibility for newly hired employees.

Table & Banter Hospitality is a hospitality group dedicated to creating elevated dining and guest experiences rooted in exceptional food, thoughtful design, and genuine service. We operate across restaurants and a diverse portfolio of environments including residential communities, workplaces, wellness studios, and large-scale destinations.

Our team is focused on delivering warm, intentional, and memorable experiences in every setting we serve. From restaurant operations and event production to hospitality management and amenity programming, we bring a detail-oriented, guest-first approach to everything we do.

We are a people-driven organization that values creativity, collaboration, and service excellence. At Table & Banter Hospitality, every team member plays a role in shaping meaningful experiences for guests and communities.

Company Description

Table & Banter Hospitality is a hospitality group dedicated to creating elevated dining and guest experiences rooted in exceptional food, thoughtful design, and genuine service. We operate across restaurants and a diverse portfolio of environments including residential communities, workplaces, wellness studios, and large-scale destinations.\r\rOur team is focused on delivering warm, intentional, and memorable experiences in every setting we serve. From restaurant operations and event production to hospitality management and amenity programming, we bring a detail-oriented, guest-first approach to everything we do.\r\rWe are a people-driven organization that values creativity, collaboration, and service excellence. At Table & Banter Hospitality, every team member plays a role in shaping meaningful experiences for guests and communities.