Coffee is important, damn important! It's even more important that it's made well, no one likes a burnt Americano. Below we have some advice from a barista on why it rocks to make coffee.
Rise and Shine:
Being a Barista will transform you into one of those awful chirpy morning people. Opening the cafe at 7am may seem like a pain at first but soon you'll be getting so much more out of your days AND irritating your friends. Win, win.
Working with Coffee:
The smell, the taste - nothing compares. You get to work with something you love and improve your skills on a daily basis. Doing is learning and if you're doing it 6-8 hours a day you will be a master in no time. Finally, the constant supply of incredible caffeinated beverages you whip up will keep you happy and make you popular with other staff in the cafe.
Knowledge is Power:
If you love coffee you'll always want to learn more. The best place to do this is as a Barista. You're at the forefront, working with the equipment, talking with suppliers and getting feedback from customers. It's exciting to be in a job that ties all of these strands together, you are always learning about something you love!
Latte Art:
It's art & science combined to make edible masterpieces. It takes time, but once you figure it out it's pretty freaking sweet! Shock and impress your friends and customers with perfectly textured milk every time. Dazzle them with displays of flowers and love hearts. Enter competitions based solely around latte art and become a legend!
The Opportunity to Travel:
Being a barista has no borders. Everyone wants to a good cup of coffee regardless of where they live. With the right training and experience, soon you will be able to work almost anywhere on the planet impressing people with your fresh brews and mad milk texturing skills.
The Tips:
The base may not always be the best but improve your skills and work in the right spot and soon you'll be making mad skrilla. People tip well for good coffee because good coffe is surprisingly rare.
The Regulars:
You'll meet a lot of "not so nice" customers, it's the nature of any customer facing job, but you will love your regulars. These are people who pop in most days, always pleasant, will eventually start offering you intimate details on their personal lives. Learn their names and learn their orders. The regulars will evetually become new pals, except these new pals will probably tip you more ;).
Hopefully this advice from a barista to an up and coming barista helps you find your feet! It's an amazing area to work in right now. Coffee is blowing up everywhere - people want better quality brews and more knowledgable baristas. Places are paying more and more for better baristas. The only way to catch the craze is getting that training that helps you stand out!
Think you have what it takes? Check out our checklist on what makes a kickass Barista!
...or back to the blog!