Server - Kappo Kappo

Situated in Downtown’s Second Street District, Austin Proper Hotel and Residences is an iconic luxury destination just steps from Lady Bird Lake, ACL Live, and the city’s best shopping. With expressive interiors by Kelly Wearstler and culinary concepts by McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality, the hotel offers 238 design-forward rooms and suites, a rooftop pool, immersive wellness experiences, and menus built around local farms, vibrant produce, and nutrient-rich ingredients. Wellness, design, and culture, seamlessly woven into every stay.

French Japanese Chef’s Tasting Menu restaurant now open at Austin Proper Hotel. A5 wagyu and pristine seafood served at an intimate chef’s counter in a Kelly Wearstler-designed space that brings you into the experience. Each evening unfolds like a conversation- unexpected, personal, and rooted in place.

Job Summary:

The Server is responsible for providing exceptional, personalized food and beverage service in a refined, high-end dining environment. This role requires a strong understanding of the menu, wine, and sake, along with the ability to guide guests through a thoughtfully curated dining experience.

The Server will confidently explain menu courses, ingredients, preparation methods, and beverage selections while providing informed pairing recommendations. This position requires attention to detail, professionalism, teamwork, and a genuine passion for hospitality. The Server is also responsible for maintaining a clean and organized dining area and collaborating with culinary and beverage teams to ensure a seamless guest experience.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Food & Beverage Service:
  • Greet guests warmly and professionally, offering menus and explaining specials or promotions.
  • Take accurate food and beverage orders, ensuring all guest preferences and dietary needs are noted.
  • Serve food and beverages in a timely manner, ensuring accuracy, presentation, and quality.
  • Offer menu recommendations and answer questions about food items, ingredients, and preparation methods.
  • Ensure all orders are delivered to the correct table, and any changes or adjustments are made quickly.
• Guest Interaction & Service Excellence:
  • Create a welcoming and friendly atmosphere by engaging with guests throughout their meal, ensuring their needs are met promptly and courteously.
  • Respond to guest inquiries regarding the menu, restaurant policies, and hotel services.
  • Upsell food and beverage items, including daily specials or featured menu items, to enhance the guest experience and increase sales.
  • Monitor guest satisfaction and ensure that all issues or complaints are handled swiftly and professionally, escalating to management when necessary.
  • Provide guests with accurate billing information and handle payments accurately.

• Wine & Sake Knowledge
  • Demonstrate strong wine knowledge, including grape varietals, wine regions, production methods, and food pairing principles.
  • Demonstrate working knowledge of sake, including styles, production methods, flavor profiles, serving temperatures, and food pairings.
  • Confidently present and recommend wine and sake selections based on guest preferences and menu courses.
  • Explain beverage pairings clearly and professionally, enhancing the overall dining experience.
  • Maintain current knowledge of the beverage program, including wine and sake lists, vintages, producers, and featured selections.
  • Support beverage sales through thoughtful recommendations and elevated guest engagement.

• Dining Area Maintenance & Cleanliness:
  • Maintain a clean, organized, and welcoming dining area, including resetting tables, clearing dishes, and preparing tables for new guests.
  • Ensure the dining room is stocked with necessary utensils, napkins, condiments, and beverages.
  • Collaborate with other staff members to maintain an efficient workflow in the restaurant.
  • Adhere to all health and safety standards, ensuring cleanliness and sanitation at all times.
• Collaboration & Team Support:
  • Work closely with kitchen and bar staff to ensure smooth and efficient service throughout the shift.
  • Assist with pre-service tasks, including setting up the dining area and restocking supplies.
  • Assist in training new servers by sharing knowledge of restaurant procedures, guest service expectations, and food & beverage offerings.
  • Support other team members as needed to ensure a seamless guest experience.
• Cash Handling & Transactions:
  • Process payments for food and beverage orders, ensuring accuracy and timely transactions.
  • Handle cash, credit card payments, and tips, following proper cash handling procedures.
  • Ensure guest bills are accurate and provide clear explanations if needed.

Education and/or Experience

• Previous experience in fine dining, upscale hospitality, or tasting-menu service preferred.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Strong wine knowledge required.
• Level 1 Sommelier certification or equivalent foundational wine education preferred.
• Knowledge of sake styles, production, service, and food pairings strongly preferred.
• Experience presenting beverage pairings and guiding guests through multi-course dining experiences is an asset.
• Knowledge of food safety and sanitation practices required; ServSafe certification is a plus.

• Skills/Specialized Knowledge

• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage guests and handle multiple tasks.
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high level of service.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, particularly in managing orders and guest needs.
• Strong teamwork abilities and a positive, customer-focused attitude.
• Ability to remember guest preferences and handle special requests.

Physical Demands

• Ability to stand and move around the restaurant for extended periods.
• Ability to carry trays, plates, and drinks, with the ability to lift up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to work in a high-energy, fast-paced environment, particularly during peak service hours.
• Occasional bending, reaching, and stooping to restock supplies or retrieve items.

Why Join Proper Hospitality

At Proper, we build experiences that move people — and that begins with the team behind them. As a best-in-class employer, we’re committed to creating one of the Best Places to Work in hospitality by nurturing a culture where creativity, excellence, and humanity thrive together.

Everything we do is grounded in the belief that hospitality is more than a profession - it’s an opportunity to care for others and make lives better. Guided by the Pillars of Proper, we show up with warmth and authenticity (Care Proper), strive for excellence in everything we do (Achieve Proper), think creatively and resourcefully (Imagine Proper), and take pride in the style and culture that make us who we are (Present Proper).

We believe our people are our greatest strength, and we invest deeply in their wellbeing, growth, and sense of belonging. From comprehensive benefits to meaningful development programs, Proper is designed to help you build a career, and a life, that feels as inspiring as the experiences we create for our guests.

Our Commitment: Building the Best Place to Work

Our Best Place to Work initiative is a living commitment — a continuous investment in our people, our culture, and our purpose. We listen, learn, and evolve together to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to imagine boldly, achieve confidently, care deeply, and present themselves authentically.

At Proper, joining the team means more than finding a job — it means joining a community that believes in building beautiful experiences together, for our guests and for one another.

Proper Hospitality is an equal-opportunity employer. We provide employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other federally or state-protected category.

We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with local Fair Chance Hiring Ordinances.