Barista

About us:

From innovative menus and striking design to impeccable service and critical attention to detail, at Great Performances, we weave our mission into all we do. Serving New York City for over four decades Great Performances has evolved from a waitress staffing agency to the leading catering, events, and hospitality companies in the greater New York area. We provide food services in an array of celebrated New York City cultural institutions including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Wave Hill, and The Apollo Theater. We are known for full-service catering and events, corporate workplace dining and amenity programs, and large-scale event and festival production. Great Performances is the nation’s first caterer to own and operate an organic farm, Katchkie Farm located in Kinderhook, NY. Progressive from the start, we consistently set the pace for industry best practices.

We are seeking highly motivated and talented individuals to join our team and to support our vision, mission, and values through everything they do. If you share our passion and want to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to apply.

Our Vision: Building Community to Better Our World

Our Mission: Unleash Joy through Genuine Hospitality

Our Core Values:

Craftsmanship: developing new menus, designs, and moments to deliver engaging experiences to our clients and guests.

People: creating fair access, opportunity, and advancement for everyone. Our employees are our greatest asset.

Sustainability: upholding and elevating standards for sustainable behaviors that support our planet.

Collaboration: aligning with our clients’, colleagues’, and community’s visions to execute a successful experience.

Doing Good through Food: engaging in action around food access, health and wellness, education, and philanthropy.

Love great coffee, elevated hospitality, and creating exceptional guest experiences? We want to meet you!

We’re seeking an energetic, polished, and personable Barista with strong professional barista skills, bartending experience, and extensive experience providing high-level service to VIP guests and clients. This role is ideal for a hospitality professional who understands the importance of discretion, attention to detail, anticipating guest needs, and delivering personalized service while maintaining exceptional coffee and beverage standards.

Responsibilities

Coffee & Barista Service

• Prepare and serve high-quality espresso beverages, including espresso, cappuccino, latte, Americano, cold brew, and specialty coffee drinks.
• Demonstrate strong espresso extraction, milk steaming, beverage preparation, and presentation techniques.
• Operate and maintain commercial espresso machines, grinders, and other coffee equipment.
• Maintain consistent beverage quality, portioning, presentation, and service standards.
• Maintain strong knowledge of coffee selections, ingredients, preparation methods, and specialty offerings.

Bartending & Beverage Service

• Prepare and serve cocktails, wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and other specialty drinks.
• Demonstrate professional bartending techniques, including proper pouring, mixing, garnishing, glassware selection, and presentation.
• Maintain a clean, organized, fully stocked, and service-ready bar throughout the shift.
• Provide knowledgeable beverage recommendations based on guest preferences and requests.
• Follow responsible alcohol service requirements and all applicable company policies and regulations.

VIP Guest Experience & Hospitality

• Provide polished, personalized, and discreet service to VIP guests, executives, clients, and high-profile individuals.
• Anticipate guest needs and preferences to deliver seamless, attentive, and elevated hospitality.
• Demonstrate exceptional discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment when interacting with VIP and high-profile guests.
• Recognize and respond to individual guest preferences, special requests, and service expectations.
• Build positive guest relationships while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Remain composed, attentive, and solutions-focused when handling last-minute requests or changing service needs.

Café & Bar Operations

• Set up, stock, and maintain coffee and bar stations to ensure readiness throughout service.
• Monitor beverage, coffee, garnish, glassware, and service supply levels and replenish as needed.
• Communicate inventory shortages and operational needs promptly to management.
• Complete opening and closing responsibilities, including setup, breakdown, restocking, cleaning, and organization.
• Accurately process guest orders and payments using the point-of-sale (POS) system.

Quality, Cleanliness & Safety

• Maintain clean, organized, sanitary, and visually polished coffee and bar stations.
• Follow all food safety, sanitation, health department, responsible alcohol service, and workplace safety standards.
• Properly clean and maintain espresso machines, grinders, bar equipment, glassware, tools, and work areas.
• Properly handle, store, rotate, and maintain beverage products and ingredients.
• Minimize waste, spills, and breakage while following established portion and quality standards.

Professional Appearance & Presence

• Maintain a polished, professional appearance appropriate for a VIP and client-facing hospitality environment.
• Maintain excellent personal hygiene, grooming, and cleanliness standards.
• Ensure uniform is clean, presentable, and worn according to company standards.
• Represent the company professionally and discreetly during all guest, client, and VIP interactions.

Teamwork & Collaboration

• Collaborate with culinary, service, management, and beverage teams to ensure seamless guest service.
• Communicate VIP preferences, special requests, service needs, and operational concerns clearly and professionally.
• Support team members during high-volume service periods and special events.
• Participate in pre-shift meetings, training, beverage education, and service briefings.
• Perform additional hospitality and operational responsibilities as assigned by management.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2–3 years of professional barista experience in a restaurant, catering, corporate hospitality, private club, luxury hospitality, or similar environment.
• Professional bartending experience required, with strong knowledge of cocktails, wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and proper beverage service.
• Extensive VIP service experience required, including direct experience serving executives, clients, high-profile individuals, and VIP guests.
• Strong knowledge of espresso preparation, milk steaming, specialty coffee beverages, and professional coffee service.
• Demonstrated understanding of elevated hospitality, VIP service etiquette, discretion, confidentiality, and anticipating guest needs.
• Exceptional interpersonal and guest service skills with a polished, warm, and professional presence.
• Strong verbal communication skills and confidence interacting with VIP guests, executives, clients, and management.
• Ability to remain calm, organized, discreet, and attentive to detail in high-volume and high-profile service environments.
• Demonstrated reliability, professionalism, punctuality, and ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Experience operating POS systems and accurately handling cash and electronic payment transactions.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, responsible alcohol service, and proper food-handling practices.
• Ability to lift a minimum of 30 lbs. and stand for up to 8 hours during a shift.

Location: New York, NY

Schedule: Full-time, On-Site

Compensation: $30.00–$34.00 per hour, based on experience.

Benefits: Vacation time, 401(k), medical, dental, and vision insurance, transit benefits, paid and unpaid safe and sick time, and FSA (Flexible Spending Account).

Must be able to provide valid documentation that you are legally eligible to work in the United States.

Great Performances is an equal opportunity employer. At Great Performances, we employ qualified individuals based solely on ability, training, and experience. Great Performances does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment or promotion based on race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.