Edward Bailey

Maxime's is an exclusive members club set on Madison Avenue in the Heart of Manhattan. Founded by Robin Birley the proprietor of two of London's famous members clubs; Oswald's and 5 Hertford Street.

• Being a member of their opening team I had the opportunity to help building the Club's operations, reputation and guest experience from very early in the Clubs conception.
• Working in a Luxury Hospitality environment learning about fine details, methods of delivery and forming relationships with members of the club.
• Collaborating closely with chefs to pair wines with seasonal menus complied of highly sort after ingredients such as Caviar, Truffle and many more.
• I was able to build upon my guest service by recommending wines based on the members preferences. It was amazing to see that after the initial first couple of months members were declining the wine menu and ordering based on what I recommended, these sometimes in depth conversations lead to a higher level of trust between me and the members who I served often.
• In this role I educated myself and others on how to work effectively under pressure during busy shifts while maintaining the high standards of the company.
• I had a substantial hand in both building and maintaining the wine cellar making sure proper precautions were kept in the storage of wines and spirits.
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5 Hertford Street was the first private members club opened by Robin Birley in 2012. It is widely known as one of the most exclusive members clubs in London.

• This was my first role as a sommelier and the reason I fell in love with the world of wine and luxury hospitality.
• During my time there I had the amazing gift of working with highly knowledgeable and passionate individuals, learning off other employees with decades of experience.
• It was in these 3 years of exposure to both rare and premium wines when my knowledge and interest expanded to that of a experienced Sommelier.
• I had the responsibility of conducting regular inventory checks.
• Ensuring the wines were served to members in optimal condition by both cellar management, recommendations and pairings.
• I worked closely with my seniors on menu development, training and continued education for myself.

• Maintained a clean and organised bar, enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Recommended drinks to customers, increasing overall sales.
• Assisted in menu planning offering innovative ideas based on popular preferences.
• Ensured compliance with all health and safety regulations by regular inspections and maintenance checks.
• Developed rapport with regular patrons fostering a loyal customer base.

My first job and where I found my passion for guest facing relations, excellence in delivering standards and educating myself on the many transferable skills learned through working in the hospitality industry.

During this role I worked a number of positions within the hotel including waiter, bartender, room service attendant, supervisory and a period supporting the conference and banqueting staff.

Other additional responsibilities within this role included:

• Helping our team organise multiple restaurant and bar venues within the hotel.
• Promoting daily specials leading to increased sales.
• Resolving customer complaints efficiently, fostering positive relations and repeat business.
• Training new team members, being that role of support when needed.
• Most of all as the hospitality industry is a constantly changing environment being able to adapted quickly to changing schedules, events and guests needs ensuring consistent performance.