Great Food Deserves
Great Wine
TJ Douglas works with independent restaurants to build beverage programs that excite guests and grow revenue.
Beverage list Management
All of the expertise you need - at a fraction of the cost of a salaried Beverage Manager. Serving independent restaurants in Boston, throughout New England and nationally.
Your wine list isn’t working
Most restaurants can’t afford a dedicated Beverage Manager. Instead, wine lists get built by distributors hunting for placements, a few nationally-known favorites, and selections that haven't been refreshed in years. The result is a stagnant restaurant wine program that doesn’t complement the menu and underperforms with low by-the-glass sales, bottles that sit too long, and margins that never reach their potential. If you’re bored by your wine list, your customers are too.
it doesn’t have to be THIS way
TJ Douglas has worked on every side of the hospitality industry including restaurant management, distribution, and beverage retail. He knows what a great restaurant beverage program looks like, what it takes to build one, and how to sell it to your customers. He also knows how to make sure that it positively impacts your bottom line. Urban Cellar Consulting offers curated restaurant beverage program consulting that fits your restaurant and your goals - all without having to hire a dedicated, salaried employee.
Stop leaving Profit on the table
Most independent restaurants leave that revenue unrealized through uninspired lists and undertrained staff. A professionally managed restaurant wine program doesn't just improve the dining experience. For many independent restaurants, it's the most impactful financial lever available.
Boston Symphony Orchestra | Tanglewood Music Center | Gourmet Caterers
Our Clients
Restaurant Beverage Consulting Services
Our restaurant beverage services use a flexible quarterly consulting model, allowing TJ to become a trusted member of your restaurant’s team while bringing sommelier-level expertise to your wine program - all without the overhead of a full-time staff member.
Seasonal Wine List Curation
Every quarter, or at a cadence of your choosing, TJ curates a restaurant wine list that reflects the season, complements your menu, and is priced to move. Every bottle is chosen with your guests and your margins in mind.
Most restaurants work with the same two or three distributors. TJ will broaden your network, and dig deep into his distribution network to find you the true gems.
Ordering, Inventory & Returns
Your margins are only as good as your inventory management. TJ teaches your team how to order smartly, manage par levels, and handle returns. He’ll leave you with a team dedicated to eliminating the costly guesswork that leads to overstocked cellars and stagnant inventory.
Staff Wine Training
Your front-of-house team is your most powerful sales tool. TJ's staff trainings give your servers the confidence to talk about wine naturally, suggest pairings, and turn a table's first glass into a second bottle.
TJ’s food and wine pairing techniques improve the guest experience and the check average at the same time.
Marketing Support
From wine list copy to email campaigns, Urban Cellar Consulting helps you tell the story of your wine list in a way that makes guests excited before they even sit down.
Don’t believe the hype that Gen Z isn’t interested in wine. No matter their age, every customer is hoping for the same thing - an approachable wine list that makes them feel welcome.
Wine Dinners & Special Events
TJ can concept and execute restaurant wine dinners, curated tasting events, and sommelier-led programming that drives foot traffic, rewards loyal guests, and generate the kind of word-of-mouth that no ad budget can buy.
Your customers are looking for new ways to support their favorite local businesses. TJ can help you keep them engaged and excited to walk back through your door.
“I’ve been building fresh and exciting wine lists that sell for over 25 years. Most restauranteurs think there are two choices - hire a full time beverage manager or struggle doing the list themselves. Let me show you the third way, an exciting list built to increase revenue while keeping costs down.”
- TJ Douglas
Ready to Build a Beverage Program That Works?
Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to reinvigorate a restaurant wine list that's gone stale, TJ is ready to help. Quarterly beverage consulting engagements are designed to be flexible, accessible, and genuinely impactful. Sommelier-level expertise shouldn't be reserved for restaurants with a full-time beverage manager on staff.