Barista.
The very word conjures up images of caffeine artisans
creating beautiful espresso drinks in small cafes in Italy. And well it should, since for
generations Italy was the home of the “espresso bartender,” who tended to be a
male, mentored and trained by other baristas to be a certified barista and held
in as high esteem as the sommelier. But thanks to increasing global travel and
the growth of the Starbucks Coffee chain, our seemingly endless love affair
with coffee culture has seen the rise of the North American barista, especially
in such centers as Seattle and Vancouver.
That’s good news for job seekers who are serious about
espresso artistry. Just ask Stuart
Ross, a champion barista in Toronto, Ontario,
Canada, whose
signature drink, the Triple Chocolate Maple Passion, put him on the map. After
a career as a stock broker, Ross
decided to open “Toronto’s
first latte art coffee shop,” Bull Dog Coffee, on the site of a hair dressing
salon, where he and two other baristas pull espresso shots for a crowd of
regulars.
“Espresso is a whole body experience, from when you smell it
to when it hits your tongue to when you taste it,” he says. As with other
baristas, his passion has become a quest to practice, learn, create and
introduce others to real espresso, created in the traditional way and not at
the push of a button. “For me, it’s a dream come true, and I feel like I’ve won
the lottery because now I’m a professional barista.”
Many serious baristas, like Ross, create signature drinks
and go on to compete at regional and national barista championships. But for
job seekers interested in becoming baristas, there are other options, too, such
as working in restaurants and bistros, college libraries, local cafes and
hotels.
A day in the life
Being a barista takes a lot more than pushing buttons on a
machine or pulling espresso shots, if you want to make a career of it.
For Stuart Ross, who owns his own shop, open from 7 to 7
daily, the day starts early. The equipment needs to run perfectly before the first customer orders. “You
end up throwing out your first few espressos,” says Ross,
until after the espresso machine has been properly cleaned and “coated”. You
need to ensure you’ve got all your supplies on hand: the right coffee, the
right grind, the appropriate cups and saucers, and of course knowledge of how
to create different espresso drinks. “You must have a passionate desire,” says Ross. From the first latte or cappuccino poured in
the morning, Ross’s day flows like the coffee until his daily cleanup routine
around 8 p.m. The days are fast-paced, but there’s great satisfaction in
pouring the best espressos for your regulars.
Where to learn more
Being a barista is both an art and a science. As with food
recipes, anyone can cook; not everyone can be a chef. Take courses, do
research, apprentice with professionals, practice at every opportunity. As Stuart Ross
advises, “Always keep on your quest to be the best.”
Ross trained with one of the barista masters, David Schomer,
at Espresso Vivace Roasteria, and an espresso maker from Bologna, Italy.
Professional baristas teach both the science and art of espresso making –
everything from machine maintenance, grind differences, bean knowledge and
water temperature to the creation of award-winning latte art.
While learning one on one with a professional barista is
still the acknowledged path for job seekers serious about their espresso, there
are now courses offered by coffee academies, such as the Canadian Barista &
Coffee Academy,
which are helping to popularize the field.
And there are publications devoted to enhancing your coffee
knowledge. Barista Magazine (www.baristamagazine.com)
as well as online resources like www.coffeegeek.com
and www.lucidcafe.com are just a few of
the Bibles of the industry.