Lead Bartender / Mixologist

Chattanooga Driving Club | Chattanooga, Tennessee

The Chattanooga Driving Club is looking for an experienced, creative, and personable Lead Bartender / Mixologist to help build something special from the ground up.

This is not simply a bartending position. We are looking for someone who wants to take ownership of the Club’s bar program, develop relationships with our members, create memorable drinks, and help establish the culture and standards of the Chattanooga Driving Club.

Our ideal candidate is a true mixologist—someone who understands classic cocktails, enjoys creating original drinks, knows how to provide polished but comfortable service, and genuinely enjoys getting to know the people sitting across the bar.

The Chattanooga Driving Club is a small, private membership club built around great cars, good food and drinks, and lasting relationships. Our atmosphere is relaxed, welcoming, and personable, while our expectations for quality and service remain high.

What You’ll Do

As Lead Bartender, you will take a leadership role in the Club’s beverage operation and member experience.

Responsibilities include:

• Create and develop the Chattanooga Driving Club’s signature cocktail program
• Build a thoughtful beverage menu featuring classic cocktails, seasonal selections, spirits, beer, wine, and creative house specialties
• Establish the personality, standards, and culture of the Club’s bar
• Provide exceptional, personable service while getting to know members, their preferences, and their favorite drinks
• Lead by example behind the bar and on the floor
• Train and mentor bartenders and servers on cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, service standards, and responsible alcohol service
• Serve as a trusted key holder and shift leader
• Help maintain consistent opening, closing, cash-handling, and security procedures
• Assist with beverage ordering, inventory control, product rotation, and reducing waste
• Maintain a clean, organized, well-stocked, and professional bar
• Develop recipes, specifications, garnishes, and presentation standards so drinks are consistent every time
• Work with Club leadership and the culinary team to create beverage pairings, special events, tastings, member dinners, and seasonal features
• Help identify interesting spirits, wines, local products, and trends that fit the personality of the Club
• Ensure all alcohol-service and food-safety requirements are followed
• Help create an environment where members feel comfortable pulling up a chair, staying awhile, and coming back often

Who We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who is:

• Experienced behind a quality cocktail bar
• Knowledgeable about spirits, classic cocktails, wine, and beer
• Creative and excited about developing original cocktails
• Trustworthy, dependable, and comfortable with responsibility
• Naturally personable and able to build genuine relationships with members
• Professional without being stiff or overly formal
• Confident in training and leading other team members
• Organized and attentive to detail
• Comfortable taking ownership instead of waiting to be told what to do
• Able to remain calm, positive, and welcoming during busy periods
• Interested in helping build a bar program and culture rather than simply working shifts

Previous leadership experience is preferred, but we are equally interested in an exceptional bartender who is ready to take the next step in their career.

Private club, upscale restaurant, craft cocktail bar, luxury hotel, or similar hospitality experience is a plus.

What Makes This Opportunity Different

Hospitality careers do not always have to mean sacrificing your entire personal life.

The Chattanooga Driving Club offers:

• Excellent hours for the hospitality industry
• Most major holidays off
• Competitive hourly compensation
• Full health benefits
• A small, personable work environment
• A welcoming and fun atmosphere
• The opportunity to help create a beverage program from the beginning
• Significant creative freedom in developing signature cocktails and bar traditions
• Direct interaction with Club leadership
• The opportunity to build meaningful relationships with members rather than serving an endless stream of anonymous guests
• Opportunities for professional development and continued beverage education
• The ability to make a real impact on the identity and culture of a new private club

The Right Person

We want someone who takes pride in remembering a member’s favorite bourbon, knows when to introduce them to something new, enjoys teaching a young server why a Manhattan should be made a certain way, and understands that a great private-club bar becomes one of the places members most look forward to visiting.

You will have the opportunity to create drinks that become Club traditions, help establish service standards that last for years, and play an important role in shaping the Chattanooga Driving Club experience.

If you are passionate about cocktails, hospitality, people, and building something from the ground up, we would love to meet you.

Pay: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour

Expected hours: 38.0 – 48.0 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person