Owner · Polish + Pour
Michael Delgado
Hospitality Operations
& Experience Strategist
The practical range of an entire leadership team, united in one accountable executive.
I build the culture, original training, beverage programs and operating systems that turn a property’s vision into daily practice. I teach the individual, prepare the team and remain close to the work. Culinary judgment, inventive drinks and financial discipline serve the same purpose: people who feel understood and a business equipped to sustain that care.
Read the Executive Dossier ↗Professional Experience Scope
- FOH staff overseen: 40+
- Annual Food and Beverage revenue: $9M+
- Executive Chef/Culinary program oversight: No
- Beverage Program: 2,000+ wines; 200+ spirits; 14 house cocktails; 8 nonalcoholic libations.
- Wine Spectator Grand Award 1983–2026 • 33 consecutive AAA Four Diamond ratings • 42 consecutive Forbes Four Star ratings
- Direct wine, spirits, beer, happy hour and nonalcoholic offerings; execute an entirely clarified cocktail program. Apply culinary expertise to ingredient composition, balance, texture and aroma.
- Hire for personality; author complete FOH onboarding, hiring, service, culture and beverage education from scratch. Teach each individual how and why, without shame; welcome questions before staff advise guests.
- Build costing, purchasing and inventory systems; maintain wine inventory accuracy and reorganize cellar locations and storage.
- Translate menu strategy into menu engineering and Toast POS programming for keys and menu items.
- FOH staff overseen: 70+
- Annual Food and Beverage revenue: $11M+
- Executive Chef/Culinary program oversight: Yes
- Beverage Program: 400+ wines; 60+ spirits; 12 house cocktails; 10 nonalcoholic libations.
- Platinum Clubs of America • Colorado AvidGolfer Best Food Staff Pick 2022 and 2023 • No. 1 Best Denver Region Private Club • No. 1 Best Private Clubhouse
- Increased bottled wine sales 18%, supported by clear, approachable wine education and unpretentious guest guidance.
- Authored a copyrighted, proprietary 96-page FOH training manual that I legally own; made roles, standards and expectations explicit and created 46 supporting files and service education that helped elevate the club to national Platinum recognition.
- Directed FOH hiring, training, scheduling and labor; composed cocktail recipes, curated all playlists and music selections, and established a private dining program for nonmembers.
- Made member recognition a teachable discipline through quarterly surveys, detailed preference profiles, photographs and attention to body language and visual cues, equipping staff for personal service and genuine member relationships.
- Conceived five nonprofit charity events in year one and hosted them annually throughout tenure, each welcoming more than 1,000 guests.
- FOH staff overseen: 40+
- Annual Food and Beverage revenue: $5M+
- Executive Chef/Culinary program oversight: Yes
- Beverage Program: 300+ wines; 200+ spirits; 18 house cocktails; 12 nonalcoholic libations.
- Two-Time James Beard Award Winner • Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2010–2026 • 5280 Top of the Town winning mixology program 2019
- Executive Chef Jennifer Jasinski: James Beard Best Chef Southwest winner, 2013; Best Chef semifinalist, 2010 and 2011; finalist, 2012; Outstanding Chef semifinalist, 2016.
- Directed FOH and BOH P&L, ordering, costing and menu engineering in collaboration with Executive Chef Jennifer Jasinski.
- Authored complete onboarding, training and education materials from scratch; developed multi-store wine education with Master Sommelier Doug Krenik.
- Reconceived the wine list, earning regional Wine Spectator Award of Excellence recognition twice; increased bottled wine sales 8%.
- Created seasonal happy hour menus and programming, a guest relations role and a maître d’hôtel reservation incentive program; curated all playlists and music selections.
- Contributed to private event coordination and menu development; led the mixology program recognized in 5280’s 2019 Top of the Town.
- FOH staff overseen: 20+
- Annual Food and Beverage revenue: $4M+
- Executive Chef/Culinary program oversight: Yes
- Beverage Program: 200+ wines; 50+ spirits; 10 house cocktails; 2 nonalcoholic libations.
- Led the restaurant’s closure for remodel, aesthetic direction and reopening while directing P&L, hiring, scheduling, HR, purchasing, inventory and private events.
- Created beverage menus and programs; increased year-over-year revenue 12%.
- Authored complete FOH onboarding and service training materials from scratch, establishing a consistent standard for the restaurant’s renewed direction.
- FOH staff overseen: 40+
- Annual Food and Beverage revenue: $12M+
- Executive Chef/Culinary program oversight: No
- Beverage Program: 1,200+ wines; 160+ spirits; 12 house cocktails; 3 nonalcoholic libations.
- Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence 2012–2023
- Contributed to a wine list recognized twice on Wine Spectator’s national Top 100 list; managed beverage menu costing and inventory.
- Made beverage education a weekly discipline; authored complete FOH onboarding and training materials from scratch for every service position.
- Served as lead organizing manager of the outdoor Summer Concert Series, coordinating service for more than 600 guests daily during concert events.
- Trained hands-on in daily kitchen preparation and portioning.
- FOH staff overseen: 25+
- Annual Food and Beverage revenue: $3M+
- Executive Chef/Culinary program oversight: No
- Beverage Program: 400+ wines; 100+ spirits; 8 house cocktails; 4 nonalcoholic libations.
- Transferred to the corporate opening team to establish wine and spirits education for management and restaurant service staff.
- Created the opening wine list, inventory and costing structure, and original elevated dining service standards and sequence-of-service training materials.
- FOH staff overseen: 25+
- Annual Food and Beverage revenue: $6M+
- Executive Chef/Culinary program oversight: No
- Beverage Program: 500+ wines; 100+ spirits; 8 house cocktails; 4 nonalcoholic libations.
- Helped establish a new-market restaurant opening through server and server assistant training, private event coordination and banquet event orders.
- Contributed to the location that led the company in bottled wine sales.
- Built culinary understanding through hands-on training in kitchen preparation, portioning and costing.
Education & Credentials
Colorado State University
BS, Business Administration · 2006–2010
Johnson & Wales University
Introduction to Culinary Arts Certificate completed · 2015–2016
Court of Master Sommeliers
Level 1 — Introductory Sommelier Certificate
Level 2 — Certified Sommelier Certificate
Southern Wine & Spirits
Sommelier of the Month
May 2018 · January 2019 · June 2023
