Wellington Muromba
Colombo
Summary
Dynamic wine professional with extensive experience as a Sommelier, Brand Ambassador, Wine Educator and International Wine and Spirits Judge. Proven track record in building brands, international relations, sales and curating exceptional wine lists. Passionate about training teams to uphold high hospitality standards and enhancing guest experiences.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Head Sommelier | Wine Educator
City of Dream at Cinnamon Life Integrated Resorts
Colombo, Sri Lanka
04.2024 - Current
- Built and grew a successful wine culture in Southern Asia, enhancing guest satisfaction and service standards
- Developed comprehensive wine training manuals and conducted pre-opening training of 500 Food & Beverages staff
- Ensured compliance with corporate and hotel standards, supporting key financial, marketing and operational objectives
- Build profound relationships with suppliers and to source quality wines for wine bars and Hotel specialty outlets
- Maintained high-profile presence, fostering strong relationships with owners, guests, and suppliers
- Curated an acclaimed international wine list, ensuring consistency in prices and quality across the resort
- Wine list update, consistent par stock held in each outlet and correct wine storage
- Monitoring daily by the glass wines, reduce wastage and ensure effective use of wine preservation measures
- Wine service in outlets, and special events, position the hotel as a market leader
- Host VIP guests, curating tasting experiences and work with culinary teams on food and wine pairing
- Analyzed sales data to identify trends and make informed decisions on hotel operations
- Oversaw employee recruiting, hiring, performance management and discipline
- Enhanced ambiance and customer experience through strategic layout and design changes in front of house areas
- Reconciled daily transactions, balanced cash registers and deposited restaurant's earnings at bank
- Improved customer service by setting expectations and coaching employees on proper service etiquette
- Facilitated daily team meetings to discuss promotions, service standards, and team collaboration
- Coordinated with culinary management to ensure seamless service delivery
- Supervised activities of dining room staff to maintain service levels and support guest needs
- Monitored inventory levels and monthly stock take of wines for the resort
- Delivered high level of quality service to each patron, resulting in consistent, positive feedback from guests
- Ensured compliance with health and safety regulations in food and beverages areas
- Staff scheduling and maintaining optimal levels for peak and off-peak hours
- Managing daily operations, ensuring professional service and guest satisfaction
- Maximizing profit and revenue through upselling and cross-selling techniques
- Created weekly schedules for staff, optimizing efficiency while meeting labor cost
- Maintaining high levels of cleanliness, organization, storage and sanitation of food and beverage products to ensure quality
- Adherence to corporate and hotel standards, and support the achievements of the key financial, consumer, suppliers, operational and employee objectives, achievement of business objectives within annual budgetary guidelines
- To monitor daily by the glass wines, reduce wastage and ensure effective use of wine preservation measures in all Outlets
- To liaise with finance and assist with inventory, monitor and promote slow moving wines and establish control measures
- Training and development and maintain all wine training manuals and programs, training on upselling, presentation, wine knowledge, service and monitoring trends, suggest and implementation of revenue generating promotions to drive sales in outlets
- Wine service in outlets, assist customers with their choices, monitor targets, achievements, special projects, position the hotel as a market leader and general service standards
- Hosted VIP guests and curated exclusive tasting experiences, collaborating with culinary teams for food and wine pairings
- Created ultimate wine experience by advising guests on wine choices and serving with accuracy and flair.
Premium Wine Accounts Executive
DGB (PVT) LTD
Cape Town, South Africa
02.2021 - 03.2024
- Maximizing Premium Wine portfolio via listings in Main Market on Trade and Specialist Retailers & Eat Out Award Winning Hotels & Restaurants
- Identify new business opportunities to further grow On Trade and corporate customer base within the main market segment
- Work closely with Winemakers to Plan, co-ordinate and execute wine tastings, wine dinners and events
- Identify opportunities to grow premium wine portfolio image at wine tastings, wine dinners and events (Private, corporate, collectors & Top 50 EAT OUT Best restaurants)
- Provide ongoing market intelligence and trends to management
- Identify additional selling opportunities for Premium Wine Brands
- Deliver on quarterly KPI targets against wine sales through events, wine dinners and corporate opportunities
- Provide wine training and mentorship for internal sales teams as well as externally for customers
- Setting a high standard of service, protocols and procedures through Staff Selection, Training, and daily staff & service standards management
- Managing Reservations, Complaints Handling & Shifts
- Manage subordinates in accordance with company policies and laws
- Maintain stock levels, Correct Wine storage and Coffee & beverage quality
- Travelling nationally for Wine Festivals and events
- Wine list menu engineering, maintaining great wines that meet all levels of clients
- Daily Wine and Spirits Sales and service, Wine, and Food pairing & wine tasting
- Ensure understanding and keeping abreast of the competitive landscape to capitalize on sales and marketing opportunities
- Effectively manages Beverage-cost variances for the store
- Manage controllable cost against set budgets and targets for the store
- Perform regular stock-take procedures and readily addresses variances
- Strict adherence to cash handling procedures as per company policy
- Monitor expenditure, cost controlling & budget planning
- Ensure the store's banking is completed daily and in specific order in accordance with the company's cash handling policy
- Planning, Hosting functions and festivals, marketing & online platforms, bookings & special guest requirements
- Maintained up-to-date vendor contracts and agreements as well as other documentation related to accounts receivable and payable activities.
- Produced sales documents, finalized deals and filed records.
- Increased profitability and revenue by identifying customer needs and determining appropriate offerings.
- Generated periodic reports to detail financial performance against budget goals.
- Managed customer accounts by providing accurate invoices and payment information.
- Monitored credit limits for customers and maintained detailed records of payments received.
Wine Director & Head Sommelier
Wine Unlimited Restaurant & Wine Bar
Johannesburg, South Africa
01.2018 - 02.2020
FOH Manager & Sommelier
The Test Kitchen Group – Salsify
01.2016 - 01.2018
Wine Retail Manager & Sommelier
Wine Concepts
01.2014 - 01.2016
Assistant FOH Manager
One & Only Cape Town
Cape Town
01.2012 - 01.2014
Education
WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines - Business of Wine
WSET
true01-2016
ICSA - Marketing, Financial Accounting, Economics, Human resources, communication
Institute of Chartered Secretaries, ICSA
01-2007
8 O Levels - English, Mathematics, and Biology
Founders High School
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe01-1999
Skills
- International Wine Educator
- Wine and food-pairing expert
- Brand ambassador
- Corporate experiences
- Assertiveness
- Leadership
- Barista, Coffee trainer
- Wine list, menu engineering
Winebusinessqualifications
- WOSA – Wine of South Africa certificate
- WSET LEVEL 2 Certified (WINES & SPIRITS)
- WSET LEVEL 3 Certified (WINES & SPIRITS)
- WSET LEVEL 4 - DIPLOMA IN WINES
- D1 – Wine production (Completed)
- D2 – Business of Wine (current)
- D3 – Wines of the World (current)
- D4 – Sparkling Wines of the World (Completed)
- D5 – Fortified Wines (Completed)
- D6 – Research Project – Regenerative Viticulture (Completed)
- Michael Fridjhon Spirits Academy (International Spirits Judge)
- Michael Fridjhon Wine Academy (International Wine Judge)
- IWSC and Investec Trophy Wine Judging
Academics
8 O Levels including English, Mathematics, and Biology.
Professionalstudies
- WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines
- ICSA - Marketing, Financial Accounting, Economics, Human resources, communication
Computercertificate
- Word
- PowerPoint
- Access
- Excel
- Windows
- Outlook
Otheremployment
- Mathematics teacher (high school), Ministry of Education
- Sales & Administration manager, Grain marketing board
- Area Production and Stores Manager, Grain marketing board
Driverslicense
CODE 10 with PDP
Contacts
- One & Only Hotel, HR, (+27) 21 431 5800
- Wine Concepts, Mike Bambfield (Owner), (+27) 21 671 9030
- The Test Kitchen Group, Mr. Brown (GM), (+27) 83 723 9523
- Wine Unlimited, Morne Viljoen (MD), (+27) 79 583 3992
- DGB (PVT) LTD, Jacqueline Retief Meyer, (+27) 82 043 8843
- City of Dreams Hotels, Cinnamon Life Integrated Resorts (Sri Lanka - Asia), Current
Current duties
- Built and grew a successful wine culture in Southern Asia, enhancing guest satisfaction and service standards.
- Developed comprehensive wine training manuals and conducted pre-opening training of 500 Food & Beverages staff.
- Ensured compliance with corporate and hotel standards, supporting key financial, marketing and operational objectives.
- Build profound relationships with suppliers and to source quality wines for wine bars and Hotel specialty outlets.
- Maintained high-profile presence, fostering strong relationships with owners, guests, and suppliers.
- Curated an acclaimed international wine list, ensuring consistency in prices and quality across the resort.
- Wine list update, consistent par stock held in each outlet and correct wine storage.
- Monitoring daily by the glass wines, reduce wastage and ensure effective use of wine preservation measures.
- Wine service in outlets, and special events, position the hotel as a market leader.
- Host VIP guests, curating tasting experiences and work with culinary teams on food and wine pairing.
- Analyzed sales data to identify trends and make informed decisions on hotel operations.
- Oversaw employee recruiting, hiring, performance management and discipline.
- Enhanced ambiance and customer experience through strategic layout and design changes in front of house areas.
- Reconciled daily transactions, balanced cash registers and deposited restaurant's earnings at bank.
- Improved customer service by setting expectations and coaching employees on proper service etiquette.
- Facilitated daily team meetings to discuss promotions, service standards, and team collaboration.
- Coordinated with culinary management to ensure seamless service delivery.
- Supervised activities of dining room staff to maintain service levels and support guest needs.
- Monitored inventory levels and monthly stock take of wines for the resort.
- Delivered high level of quality service to each patron, resulting in consistent, positive feedback from guests.
- Ensured compliance with health and safety regulations in food and beverages areas.
- Staff scheduling and maintaining optimal levels for peak and off-peak hours.
- Managing daily operations, ensuring professional service and guest satisfaction.
- Maximizing profit and revenue through upselling and cross-selling techniques.
- Created weekly schedules for staff, optimizing efficiency while meeting labor cost.
- Maintaining high levels of cleanliness, organization, storage and sanitation of food and beverage products to ensure quality.
- Adherence to corporate and hotel standards, and support the achievements of the key financial, consumer, suppliers, operational and employee objectives, achievement of business objectives within annual budgetary guidelines.
- To monitor daily by the glass wines, reduce wastage and ensure effective use of wine preservation measures in all Outlets.
- To liaise with finance and assist with inventory, monitor and promote slow moving wines and establish control measures.
- Training and development and maintain all wine training manuals and programs, training on upselling, presentation, wine knowledge, service and monitoring trends, suggest and implementation of revenue generating promotions to drive sales in outlets.
- Wine service in outlets, assist customers with their choices, monitor targets, achievements, special projects, position the hotel as a market leader and general service standards.
- Hosted VIP guests and curated exclusive tasting experiences, collaborating with culinary teams for food and wine pairings.
Timeline
Head Sommelier | Wine Educator
City of Dream at Cinnamon Life Integrated Resorts
04.2024 - Current
Premium Wine Accounts Executive
DGB (PVT) LTD
02.2021 - 03.2024
Wine Director & Head Sommelier
Wine Unlimited Restaurant & Wine Bar
01.2018 - 02.2020
FOH Manager & Sommelier
The Test Kitchen Group – Salsify
01.2016 - 01.2018
Wine Retail Manager & Sommelier
Wine Concepts
01.2014 - 01.2016
Assistant FOH Manager
One & Only Cape Town
01.2012 - 01.2014
WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines - Business of Wine
WSET
ICSA - Marketing, Financial Accounting, Economics, Human resources, communication
Institute of Chartered Secretaries, ICSA
8 O Levels - English, Mathematics, and Biology
Founders High School
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