The easiest, fastest, and most effective restaurant staff wine training ever

Training the staff at a restaurant can be a lesson in frustration.

First off, it’s like hearding cats, trying to get everybody organized.

Then, if the sales rep is doing the any of wrong things, it will go overtime and the attendees will be bored or antsy.

Want to do the easiest, fastest, and most effective restaurant staff training ever? Here’s what you do.

As people arrive for the training, give them a sheet of paper and a pen. The first handful of people (3 to 6) that arrive also get a copy of the wine list. When the training starts (and always, always, start on time … don’t wait for people that are late) ask the first group that arrived to pick one wine they don’t know much about. One wine on the list (maybe under a certain price threshold, or only available by the glass) that they get nervous about when people ask them about it. If they get nervous about that wine, I guarantee you most of their co-workers around the table do as well.

Then have them go and get the wine they picked. Pass the bottle around so everybody can see the label. Have them pop the corks and pour for the table. Tell everybody about it while it’s being poured. Immerse yourself in discussion about that producer, that place, and any stories you have about that wine for 10 minutes or so. Have everybody take notes. Then move to the next wine.

Simple as that. Identify the problem, then work a solution.

Life doesn’t have to be more complicated than that.

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