Craft Bartender

Craft Bartender

The Nest | Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire

The Nest is looking for a Craft Bartender to join our opening team and help build a thoughtful, elevated cocktail program from the ground up.

We are creating a small, highly curated food and beverage experience centered around exceptional ingredients, beautiful presentation, warm hospitality, and attention to detail.

Our cocktail program will reflect that same philosophy.

We are not looking for someone who simply knows how to pour drinks quickly. We are looking for someone who appreciates the craft behind a great cocktail—balance, technique, quality ingredients, thoughtful garnishes, presentation, and the ability to create an experience for the guest.

The Nest is a small startup with a small team and a big vision. Our goal is to build something genuinely special in the Mount Washington Valley, and we want the people who join us early to feel a real sense of ownership and pride in what we create together.

The Cocktail Program

Our beverage menu will be intentionally focused and highly curated rather than oversized.

The program will include:

• Thoughtfully developed craft cocktails
• Seasonal drinks
• Classic cocktails executed exceptionally well
• House-made syrups
• Shrubs
• Fresh juices
• Infusions
• Purees
• Specialty garnishes
• Zero-proof and low-ABV options
• Carefully selected spirits, wine, and beer

Many of our cocktail ingredients will be made from scratch in collaboration with the kitchen, allowing the food and beverage programs to feel connected and cohesive.

We want every drink to feel intentional.

What You'll Be Responsible For

The Craft Bartender will be responsible for delivering excellent drinks while also helping establish the standards and systems behind The Nest's bar program.

Responsibilities will include:

• Preparing and serving cocktails with consistency, balance, and attention to presentation
• Providing warm, knowledgeable, and genuine hospitality
• Learning and understanding every cocktail on the menu
• Understanding the spirits, wines, beers, and ingredients we serve
• Preparing garnishes and assisting with fresh juices, syrups, shrubs, infusions, and other house-made cocktail components
• Maintaining consistent recipes, measurements, and presentation standards
• Properly setting up and breaking down the bar
• Maintaining an exceptionally clean, organized, and well-stocked workspace
• Monitoring inventory and communicating ordering needs
• Minimizing waste and using ingredients thoughtfully
• Following all alcohol service, sanitation, and safety requirements
• Helping refine cocktails and contribute ideas as the beverage program evolves
• Communicating closely with the kitchen and the rest of the front-of-house team
• Creating an atmosphere where guests feel welcomed, remembered, and taken care of
• Jumping in wherever needed as part of a small opening team
• Knowledge of Square POS

Hospitality Matters

At The Nest, the cocktail is only part of the experience.

We want guests to feel comfortable, welcomed, and genuinely cared for.

The right bartender knows how to read the room. Some guests want to talk about spirits, ingredients, and technique. Others simply want a great drink and a relaxed evening.

Being able to recognize the difference is part of great hospitality.

We are looking for someone who can be polished and professional without feeling scripted or pretentious.

Who We're Looking For

The ideal person:

• Has bartending experience, preferably in craft cocktails, upscale hospitality, wine bars, cocktail bars, or chef-driven restaurants
• Has a strong understanding of classic cocktails and proper bartending technique
• Understands balance, dilution, temperature, texture, and presentation
• Appreciates high-quality spirits and fresh ingredients
• Is interested in learning about shrubs, syrups, infusions, bitters, seasonal ingredients, and scratch-made cocktail components
• Takes pride in maintaining a beautiful, organized bar
• Is personable, confident, and genuinely enjoys interacting with guests
• Can work efficiently without sacrificing quality
• Handles busy periods calmly and professionally
• Is dependable and communicates well
• Is comfortable working as part of a very small team
• Is willing to help outside of a narrowly defined job description when needed
• Wants to contribute ideas and help shape the beverage program
• Understands responsible alcohol service and takes it seriously

The Kind of Person Who Will Thrive Here

The Nest is a startup.

That means we are building our systems, our reputation, and our culture at the same time.

We are looking for someone who is excited by that.

You should be someone who notices the details: the glass that needs polishing, the garnish that could look better, the bottle that needs replacing, the guest who has been waiting, or the recipe that could be improved.

We value people who take initiative rather than waiting to be told what to do.

Because our team will be small, every person will have an impact on the atmosphere of The Nest.

We want that atmosphere to feel welcoming, polished, creative, relaxed, and special.

Growing Together

Our goal is not simply to build a successful business for ownership. We want the people who help make The Nest successful to participate in that success.

As the business grows and becomes more profitable, we want that success reflected in increased opportunities, compensation, responsibility, and performance-based incentives for the people who helped create it.

We are building a small team where individual contributions will be noticed and valued.

For someone who wants to be part of creating a place from the beginning—not simply stepping behind another bar—The Nest offers the opportunity to help shape something distinctive in the Mount Washington Valley.

Experience

Previous professional bartending experience is strongly preferred, particularly in craft cocktails, upscale casual restaurants, wine bars, cocktail bars, or similar environments.

However, we care just as much about hospitality, curiosity, work ethic, attention to detail, personality, and willingness to learn as we do about a particular résumé.

If you love the craft of bartending, care deeply about the guest experience, and are excited about helping build something special, we would like to meet you.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $14.00 - $18.00 per hour

Expected hours: 20.0 – 40.0 per week

Work Location: In person