Service Practice Checklist
Service Practice Checklist
Section titled “Service Practice Checklist”
This is the chapter’s closing tool: a self-scoring checklist that turns everything in the preceding lessons into something you can rehearse and grade week after week. Reading about service builds knowledge; checking yourself against a standard builds readiness. Use this before a mock exam, after a practice shift, or whenever you want an honest read on where your service actually stands rather than where you assume it does.
How to use it
Section titled “How to use it”Run a full mock service with a partner, then score each line honestly: solid, shaky, or not yet. Anything below solid becomes next week’s focus. Rotate which section you stress-test so no weak spot hides. The goal is not a perfect score today — it is a clear, specific list of what to drill next.
Setup and demeanor
Section titled “Setup and demeanor”- Tools clean and ready: waiter’s key, service napkin, coaster, decanter, correct glassware.
- Posture upright, presence calm, hands steady before you approach.
- Greeting and recommendation delivered warmly, without a scripted tone.
- Eye contact with the guest, not the bottle or the floor.
- Composure holds when interrupted or questioned.
Still wine service
Section titled “Still wine service”- Bottle presented to the host; producer, wine, and vintage stated; confirmation received before opening.
- Foil cut cleanly below the lip by turning the knife, not the bottle; cap pocketed.
- Cork extracted quietly — no pop — and placed to the host’s right; neck wiped.
- Host’s taste poured (small), approval received before serving the table.
- Guests served from the right in a logical order, host finished last.
- Correct fill level (roughly a third), finishing twist and wipe to prevent drips.
Sparkling wine service
Section titled “Sparkling wine service”- Bottle well chilled; thumb over the cork from the moment the cage is touched until the cork is out.
- Bottle aimed at a safe angle away from all guests.
- Bottle turned, not the cork; cork eased out with a soft sigh, not a pop.
- Two-stage pour that controls foam; correct glass (tulip/flute, not coupe).
Decanting
Section titled “Decanting”- Correct reason identified (sediment vs. aeration) and stated to the guest.
- For sediment: gentle handling, steady continuous pour over a light source, stopped at the first sediment.
- Judgment shown on whether a fragile old wine should be decanted at all.
Presentation, cork, and faults
Section titled “Presentation, cork, and faults”- Label shown clearly; vintage stated correctly; opened only after confirmation.
- Cork placed for inspection, not handed over to be sniffed.
- Host’s taste — not the cork — used as the quality check.
- Common faults (TCA, oxidation, heat) recognized and a flawed bottle replaced graciously.
Glassware and tray
Section titled “Glassware and tray”- Stemware handled by stem and base only — no fingerprints on the bowl.
- Tray balanced on a flat palm, loaded evenly, never reached over a guest.
- Glass shape and temperature matched to the wine style.
Guest interaction and sales
Section titled “Guest interaction and sales”- Preferences and budget read through questions and cues, not blunt price talk.
- Wine described in plain, appealing language tied to the guest’s food or taste.
- A clear recommendation offered, narrowed to two or three options.
- Modest bottles sold with the same warmth as expensive ones.
Recovery and problem-solving
Section titled “Recovery and problem-solving”- Mistakes met with a brief acknowledgment, immediate fix, and a clean reset.
- Unavailable bottle handled with a fast pivot to a matched substitute.
- “I’ll confirm that for you” used instead of bluffing an unknown answer.
Beyond wine
Section titled “Beyond wine”- Confident guiding spirits, cocktails, beer, and sake — glass, temperature, and a plain-language recommendation for each.
Turn the checklist into a plan
Section titled “Turn the checklist into a plan”Do not just tick boxes and move on. After scoring, write the two or three lowest-scoring lines at the top of next week’s practice, pick the role-play scenarios that target them, and run those under a timer with a partner. Re-score in a week. Progress on this list, section by section, is the most reliable signal that your service is genuinely exam-ready — steady hands, warm judgment, and correct technique that holds up under pressure.