Barista training, the key to a successful cafe

I am always amazed at the number of espresso machines out there being driven by those who know little more than which buttons to push. And I am not talking about those super automatics where yes, the skill lies mostly in knowing which button to push and positioning the cup in the right place.

There are way too many so-called baristas using your typical pump machine with a grinder-doser and it is plainly obvious that they have had little or no training.

Regardless of whether you blame the management who won’t spend the time and money to train their baristas, or the customers who accept sub-standard lattes and cappuccinos, there is simply no excuse for anyone (barista, manager or customer) not knowing that training is the key to learning – whether it involves getting your dog to come when you call or knowing how to deliver an exceptional espresso experience for someone who orders a coffee from you.

‘This is not rocket science’ as they say and it does not involve a university degree. It is about awareness.  However, many a café proprietor is still scratching their head wondering why the ‘hole-in-the-wall’ cafe next door is buzzing with customers or a simple coffee cart has them lined up down the street – when they have a few loyal souls dropping by one at a time. Why is this so they ask?  Even dare to declare they have the best beans and machines, comfy chairs and the best hand-made cakes in town. The truth is, nothing will change until awareness dawns about training being the key to success – about how to make perfect espresso beverages and how to deliver superior customer service to go with them!

Perfect beverages and superior service are the makings of an Exceptional Espresso Experience and equally achievable whether you are a hole-in-the-wall place or the one with the best of everything money can buy.

I cannot explain how to achieve an Exceptional Espresso Experience here. This has taken me a series of 10 books and training resources so far. But here are 10 tips to consider.

1 Get your work area organised with good workflow.
2 Plan your menu according to what your staff can manage easily.
3 Buy the best quality beans and machines you can afford.
4 Choose the freshest of beans and know how to keep them that way.
5 Grind, dose and tamp using the latest techniques.
6 Understand what goes on during extraction so you do it the right way.
7 Accept that milk techniques are the hardest and practice them over and over.
8 Clean and maintain your espresso machine and grinder-doser properly.
9 Have all your staff working to a consistent standard for everything.
10 Learn the language of espresso to speak with your colleagues and customers.