Barista - American Gardens

About the role

American Gardens is home to our specialty coffee cart within the park. This role will bring an elevated, design-forward, and hospitality-driven coffee experience to Charleston, serving both daily park guests and selective BHC hospitality venues. As a Barista, you will be an ambassador of both coffee and hospitality, preparing exceptional beverages while delivering gracious service that reflects the ultra-luxury standards of Beemok Hospitality Collection (BHC).

Duties & Responsibilities

• Greet guests warmly, sharing the story of American Gardens and the inspiration behind the coffee program.
• Prepare espresso-based drinks, brewed coffee, and specialty beverages at the highest standard of quality and consistency.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of coffee beans, brewing techniques, and flavor profiles, confidently answering questions and making personalized recommendations.
• Operate and maintain all coffee equipment, including espresso machines, grinders, and brewing tools.
• Manage daily setup, breakdown, and restocking of the cart, coordinating with shared services when necessary.
• Monitor inventory of coffee, milk, cups, and other supplies, placing restock requests in a timely manner.
• Accurately and efficiently handle all guest transactions using the POS system.
• Ensure the cart and surrounding area remain clean, organized, and compliant with all health, sanitation, and safety standards.
• Support Park activations, seasonal events, and brand pop-ups
• Collaborate with American Gardens leadership and the Sales & Marketing team to execute promotional activations.
• Ensure product presentation, service style, and guest interaction align with BHC’s luxury brand positioning.
• Follow all food safety, sanitation, and handling procedures, especially regarding dairy and perishable items.
• Promptly report any equipment or safety concerns to leadership.
• Remain calm, attentive, and solution-focused when responding to guest concerns or emergencies.
• Participate in barista training sessions, tastings, and team meetings.
• Contribute to ongoing quality control efforts and provide guest feedback to leadership.
• Assist with daily cash-outs and reporting.

Required Skills & Experience

• Previous barista or fast-paced food & beverage service experience preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with a natural hospitality mindset.
• Basic math skills and proficiency with point-of-sale systems.
• Ability to stand, move, and perform repetitive tasks for extended periods outdoors.
• Current or pending food handler certification.
• Experience with specialty coffee and latte art a plus.
• Familiarity with food and beverage safety codes.
• Passion for hospitality, events, and storytelling.
• Availability for weekends, holidays, and early morning or evening shifts.

Physical Requirements

• Most work tasks are performed indoors. Temperature is moderate and controlled by restaurant environmental systems; however, must be able to work in extreme temperatures like freezers (-10°F) and kitchens (+110°F), possibly for one hour or more.
• Must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for at least 8 hours in length.
• Must be able to exert a well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously.
• Must be able to exert a well-paced ability to reach other departments of the restaurant on a timely basis.
• Must be able to lift trays of food or food items weighing up to 30 lbs. on a regular and continuing basis.
• Must be able to push and pull carts and equipment weighing up to 250 lbs. frequently.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space and to reach other locations of the restaurant on a timely basis.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space.
• Must be able to bend, stoop, squat, and stretch to fulfill cleaning tasks.
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, stooping, crouching, kneeling, listening, hearing, and visual acuity.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests, supervisors, and subordinates.
• Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near vision and depth perception.
• Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary equipment.
• Safely lift and easily maneuver plates, cases of water, chairs, and dining room tables.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.