What kind of education do you need to learn to make coffee? Is it better to learn to make coffee and go to a chain coffee shop or an independent coffee shop?

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Walking on the way to work or class with a cup of coffee in hand is already the scenery of the city.

If you are also a corner of the scenery and love the aroma of coffee, have you ever wondered whether you can one day become a coffee maker who makes coffee for others instead of drinking coffee made by others every day?

Enter "coffee shop" in Openrice to display the information of 1673 cafes in Hong Kong. It doesn't seem too difficult to join the ubiquitous coffee shop and become a coffee dispenser. You can learn and do it at the same time, and you don't have to have a relevant degree.

"but the most important thing is to have love for coffee beans!"

You read it right. In the "barista basic concept sharing meeting" held in Trial and Error Lab X Alternative Cafe last month, he galloped around the coffee shop workbench for many years. Ouyang Ronghan and Steven Tsang, coffee dispensers of Alternative Cafe, pointed out that if you want to be a coffee mixer as a career, you should not only make a cup of coffee in front of you, but also walk with your heart and beans.

Alternative Cafe's coffee maker Ouyang Ronghan (center) and Steven Tsang (left) share with you how to get into the business.

[1] can you become a coffee maker without a degree?

As a newbie in the workplace, interested in the catering industry but inexperienced, joining the ranks of coffee mixers (remember that those who make coffee in a coffee shop should be called Barista) may be a good start. Ouyang Ronghan has worked as a restaurant consultant for many years. Among the many positions in the catering industry, he believes that Barista is the most clear promotion ladder and future. "there are too many things to learn as a cook, and the exam is not easy to deal with. If you work as a floor, you may not be able to have recognized qualifications for a few years. But if you learn to make coffee, you can enter the industry without experience and education. Every day's experience will help you make a cup of coffee, and the exam is not too difficult to deal with. "

To obtain the Barista qualification, even if you have average academic qualifications, you can go to different schools to take courses in coffee mixers. In addition, you can also obtain certificates from internationally recognized coffee institutions such as SCA (Specialty Coffee Association), SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America), SCAE (Specialty Coffee Association of Europe) and City and Guilds in Hong Kong. "for example, I have four qualifications in SCA's Barista Skill, Brewing, Roasting and Sensory Skill, while Steven Tsang is also a registered trainer for SCA and a cup tester Q Arabica Grader issued by the American Coffee quality Association (CQI)." These are all qualifications recognized by the QF.

He stresses that coffee dispensers have low barriers to entry and good pay. "and coffee is the second largest trading commodity after oil, so coffee is also known as' Black Gold'. There are coffee shops all over the world, and everyone loves coffee. If you have this major, you can work anywhere!" Where can I find a job with such an international outlook?

Steven Tsang means that as a coffee maker, there is no other way but to be careful and careful.

[2] but how to get into the profession? Can I quit the coffee shop naked and knock on the door?

"of course!" At that time, Ouyang Jung-Han resigned naked to get a coffee certificate. "the employees retraining Board has a book-free coffee dispenser course, and you can apply as long as you don't have a job." However, if there are a large number of applicants, or they may not be able to attend class immediately, they have to wait patiently.

Even if you do not have a certificate, you can still apply for a coffee shop clerk. Even if you have no experience and may be employed, you will receive on-the-job training, and you can also take exams after work and get certificates in different areas of the coffee profession. After officially becoming a coffee dispenser, you can also qualify as a coffee trainer and then be promoted to the operational management of the coffee shop. "our coffee shop often has some young people who are completely inexperienced to apply. Of course, it is easier to admit with a certificate, but if you have no experience but are enthusiastic, you also have a chance to succeed."

Ouyang Ronghan, who has worked in the catering industry for many years, believes that coffee mixer is the most confident and successful position.

[3] what is the most important condition for a coffee dispenser?

"of course you have to have your tongue functioning properly!" (laughter) Ouyang Ronghan says that Barista requires a sense of taste to distinguish the sweet, sour, bitter, and other different levels of taste of different coffee beans. "otherwise, if you have to drink dozens of cups of espresso a day during the exam, you will fail the same way!"

It's not just red wine that has different tastes. Coffee beans from different regions can bring very different tastes to coffee, depending on the year of production, climate, roasting, and even the thickness of coffee beans. So Steven Tsang also stresses, "this can't be practiced at 01:45. In daily life, we should pay attention to the taste of food. For example, when eating a cabbage heart, we have to tell the difference between fried and fried. In fact, the taste buds have to be sensitive."

[4] but my tongue doesn't seem to be bright enough.

It doesn't matter, because the most important thing is to be careful, patient and curious, and to love coffee beans. "Coffee beans seem to behave differently every day, meaning that coffee beans will be affected by the humidity and temperature of the day. You have to learn to 'talk to them' every day in order to judge how to make a good cup of coffee." If you use a general fully automatic coffee machine, of course, all kinds of coffee beans have little taste, but Barista uses an Italian coffee machine or even uses a pair of hands to make coffee. There are no shortcuts at all. You have to use manual control from grinding beans to brewing them. "therefore, when you rework every morning, you have to carefully and patiently observe the state of the coffee before you decide what coffee beans and young to use, smell them, touch them, and listen to their voices." Sounds like a date.

Ouyang Ronghan also points out that Barista is sometimes as curious as a scientist. "each guest has different requirements, so try to satisfy them and create new flavors." Just like an old man, he said he wanted a glass of lemon, but I can't add a piece of lemon to it. It's not a teahouse. So I tried to make smoothies with lemon juice and espresso, and the old man actually liked it. It tasted like it used to, and it made me happy for a few days! "

So you should have the creativity and courage to create different coffee works, and you can't stick to one method, Steven Tsang added. "Yes, basic skills and certificates are only the basics. The most important thing is to practice carefully, patiently and curiously, and carefully make coffee every day to accumulate experience." All absolutely have to practice, just like bartender, can have their own work, "the day is meritorious, it is absolutely visible in Barista."

Alternative Cafe is a newly opened small coffee shop for young people who are interested in becoming coffee dispensers.

[5] is it better to join an independent coffee shop or a chain coffee shop?

It depends on what skills you want to learn. Steven Tsang takes his own experience as an example. In large or chain coffee shops, he learned systematic management. "everything, from coffee beans to rough and young choices, is decided early on." No wonder our star XX all over the world also drinks the same taste! "what large coffee shops or chain coffee shops have learned is personnel management, and the promotion ladder is also obvious, but there is little use in making coffee, so it is difficult to find a way to make their own coffee."

If you go to a small coffee shop, you will learn all about making coffee. "you can even make coffee at what temperature to take out, not to mention the choice of coffee beans and blending methods, you can try and explore on your own." Ouyang Ronghan adds that the small coffee shop is human, but it also depends on the master. "I once attended a coffee exhibition in Guangzhou and saw a mainland chef who was super good at pulling flowers, but the process of making coffee was very dirty, and the coffee powder was all over the machine. I really failed the exam. If I learn from him, I will learn a bad master." Or you don't have to follow a master. When some skills are mature, you can go to work in different coffee shops and learn other skills.

This evening's coffee tasting, which uses Laos and Ethiopia beans to make coffee, tastes very different and makes the participants very interested.

[6] but I not only want to make coffee, but also want to open a coffee shop.

When the two Barista asked who wanted to open a coffee shop, more than a dozen people raised their hands. It seems that there are many future coffee shop owners at the table.

Steven Tsang warned that opening a coffee shop with no experience is like holding a grenade. It's easy to explode. It means that entering the catering industry is not as romantic and easy as you think. "the most difficult thing is personnel management, and the relationship between chefs and dishwashers has to be dealt with, while good business and no business are all troubles!" Of course, the location, design and even bean selection of coffee shops are also knowledgeable. In order not to lose hands and feet in investment, it is best not to be impatient and learn to make a good Barista before we know how to save costs and manpower when opening a shop in the future, and not to lead employees by the nose.

After listening to the sharing of the two experienced Barista this evening, the most anticipated session is of course to enjoy Steven Tsang's impromptu demonstration of hand-brewing coffee and coffee tasting. Steven Tsang is mixed with beans from Laos and Ethiopia, the former with citrus fruit and floral aromas with chocolate, and the latter with fruit and cranberry flavors, with different color and taste. Looking at Steven's skillful adjustment skills, raising his head and throwing his feet full of demeanor, it is reasonable to say that Barista makes people bloom with confidence. However, in fact, it is not necessarily to be a Barista, as long as it is a job that rewards hard work and gives full play to self-confidence, that is, an appropriate professional ambition, right?