The Cellar Master / Cellar Manager is the guardian of beverage stock, quality, and control within the Bar & Beverage operation. This role ensures that wine, spirits, beer, mixers, and other cellar-held products are received, stored, issued, and recorded accurately so the venue can deliver a consistent guest experience while protecting profitability. In a restaurant, club, or lounge, the Cellar Master sits at the heart of back-of-house beverage operations, supporting service teams with reliable stock availability and tight inventory discipline.
- Reporting line and position in the organisation
- Typically reports to the Bar Manager, Beverage Manager, or F&B Manager, depending on the size and structure of the venue.
- Works closely with heads of bar, sommeliers, purchasing/procurement, finance, and kitchen management where beverage and food service operations overlap.
- Acts as the main link between receiving, storage, and service teams for all cellar-controlled beverage items.
- Core responsibilities
- Receive, inspect, and record beverage deliveries accurately, checking quantities, quality, breakage, and temperature-sensitive items.
- Maintain orderly, secure, and compliant storage conditions for all cellar stock, including proper rotation and labelling.
- Control issues to bars and service points, ensuring stock movement is documented and authorised.
- Conduct regular stock counts, reconcile variances, and investigate losses, spillage, wastage, or overpouring.
- Support beverage costing, inventory systems, and pars to help the operation manage margins and reduce waste.
- Coordinate with the bar team on stock availability, special orders, and seasonal or event-based requirements.
- Uphold health, safety, hygiene, and licensing standards in all storage and handling practices.
- What success looks like
- The ideal Cellar Master is highly organised, numerically accurate, and dependable, with strong attention to detail.
- They work calmly under pressure, communicate clearly, and can coordinate multiple priorities without losing control of stock.
- They are discreet, trustworthy, and proactive, with a strong sense of ownership over inventory and loss prevention.
- Success in the role requires pride in presentation, disciplined systems, and a practical understanding of how cellar operations directly affect service quality, profitability, and guest satisfaction.