How do professional baristas enter the profession? Where should novice baristas start? Start with coffee beans.

Start with coffee beans.

Many people think that knowing how to mix a cup of coffee is tantamount to putting coffee powder into a cup and then mixing it well with water and milk. In fact, this is a very common misunderstanding that makes people think that baristas are an easy industry to enter. As a matter of fact, baristas can be called professional baristas only if they have a basic understanding of coffee, and they must also have an understanding of the techniques and tools of cooking and coffee beans.

Watch the beans in the micro

To get to know coffee, we should first start with raw coffee and raw beans. The origin of coffee beans comes from different countries, and coffee trees grow in different places, there will be differences in quality. Coffee beans are mainly divided into two types: Arabica and Robusta. High-quality Arabica is mostly planted in highlands above 1000 meters above sea level, while Robusta with strong adaptability is planted in areas below 1000 meters above sea level. The acidity and bitterness of each kind of coffee beans are different. It is necessary to understand their characteristics before you can cook a cup of coffee that suits the taste of the guests.

Coffee beans will change with humidity, light, air, temperature and other factors, so baristas must know how to "look at the beans." According to the daily state of coffee beans, baristas should use coffee machines and bean grinders to make appropriate adjustments to the roughness and powder content of coffee beans.

Knowledge + technology

In fact, in addition to brewing coffee, baristas have other jobs to take care of. When entering the job, you will start with basic catering operations, such as cleaning, service skills, communication, daily operation and necessary coffee brewing skills.

In addition, of course, you should take care of all the work in the coffee bar, such as cleaning and shopping, and so on. Knowledge is important, technology is important, responsibility is important, and another key task is to communicate with guests and use their own professional knowledge to make the coffee that best suits the guests' preference.

International qualifications pave the way for entry into the industry

With the popularity of coffee culture, drinking coffee is not only for refreshing, but also the pursuit of taste. At present, in addition to chain coffee shops, boutique coffee shops have also opened into the market, in order to win by quality and attract demanding coffee lovers. As a matter of fact, customers pay more attention to quality than ever before, so baristas must possess professional knowledge and skills in order to satisfy their "picky" taste. As the industry is becoming more and more professional, baristas will have greater opportunities for development if they can obtain internationally recognized qualifications.

There is a market for boutique coffee

In chain coffee shops, customers can only choose the specified taste from the menu. The selling point of boutique coffee shops is that they pay more attention to the variety, freshness and baking methods of coffee beans, as well as the skill frame of baristas, which is very popular with coffee fans. The reason why many people patronize boutique coffee shops is to taste a cup of coffee that suits their own taste. At present, most boutique coffee shops operate on a small scale, and baristas from some chain stores do not hesitate to change jobs to small shops to increase their understanding of boutique coffee. However, large coffee shops also have a "boutique" trend, so employees have more access to boutique coffee than before.

International qualifications are getting more and more attention.

The popularity of boutique coffee has undoubtedly made the coffee industry more diversified. Baristas must constantly upgrade themselves in order to cater to the preferences of different customers. Many baristas start from a low level, but their knowledge may be limited to the level involved in their work, and they may not necessarily have the opportunity to acquire a comprehensive knowledge of coffee.

If you want to become a professional barista, in addition to learning while doing, you can also pave the way for further study. At present, there are different coffee certificate courses to choose from, but only SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America), SCAE (Specialty Coffee Association of Europe) and City and Guilds are internationally recognized. City and Guilds offers a "International Coffee Blender skills qualification course". Through 20 hours of training, trainees can learn coffee knowledge, coffee machine operation, beverage blending skills (including coffee, chocolate, tea and smoothies) and customer service skills. Upon completion of the course and assessment, you will be qualified as a coffee dispenser.

The article comes from jobsDB HK.