Who is a barista and what does he do?

Who are baristas?

If you want real coffee with a perfectly balanced taste and aroma, then you should contact a barista. This specialist will select a blend in accordance with your preferences, tell you about the origin of the grain, and is also able to prepare a lot of incredibly tasty espresso-based drinks.

No self-respecting coffee establishment can do without a coffee maker. The barista profession is young, but already in demand and rapidly developing. Every year the demands on coffee brewing specialists become greater.

Is the word "barista" inflected?

The word barista is of Italian origin, possibly borrowed into Russian through English. Literally translated as “a person working behind a bar.”

“Barista” is a noun, masculine, animate. It does not decline in cases and numbers, the form of the word does not change even in the plural. The stress falls on the second syllable.

The word often causes controversy regarding declension by case. For now, the generally accepted version remains the inflexible form. Perhaps over time the rule will change.

Responsibilities and tasks of a barista

Some may think that the duties of a barista are quite simple - to brew coffee. But that's not true. There are many recipes for making a drink based on coffee beans. But sometimes they are not enough, so experienced coffee makers invent their own. The barista's responsibilities also include the following:

• listen to the client’s wishes, tell about this or that recipe, help make a choice;
• serve each visitor, and in the evening report on the cash register;
• keep records of products and consumables, draw up purchase requests, selecting the right varieties.

As in any business, a professional needs to constantly improve. This also applies to baristas. He has to monitor what types of coffee appear on the market and get acquainted with their aromas. It is necessary to own equipment that includes not only a coffee machine, but also many devices for preparing a delicious drink.

Pros and cons of the specialty

Among the advantages of the profession are the following:

1. To obtain the necessary knowledge, it is enough to take special courses, which will not require much time;
2. lack of experience is not a problem when finding a job;
3. great opportunities to improve your professional skills;
4. the opportunity to become an individual entrepreneur and open your own establishment.

But the profession also has many disadvantages:

• You should not expect that from the first days of work there will be a high salary, and in the future it is unlikely that you will be able to earn money if you do not start your own business;
• high probability of stressful situations occurring in the workplace (as in any industry related to working with clients, one of the functions of the coffee maker is serving visitors);
• shift work;
• Most of the working day has to be spent on your feet; it is rarely possible to sit down, since cafe owners prefer to have one specialist per shift.

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History of the profession

The first specialists in brewing coffee using coffee machines appeared in Italy. In the 1980s, the idea was picked up by Howard Schultz, owner of the Starbucks coffee chain. This is how baristas appeared in the USA. At the same time, the term initially referred to bartenders and only in the 80s of the twentieth century received a modern interpretation.

Coffee makers appeared in Russia recently. This is due to the development of the Starbucks coffee chain in the country. At the moment, any self-respecting coffee shop owner has a real professional on his staff.

Features of a barista's work

Not everyone is suitable for the position of coffee maker, although everyone has the opportunity to obtain this profession. The fact is that a good barista must not only have a good understanding of coffee, its varieties, production, but also know 40 basic recipes for the drink. A coffee brewer must also have excellent taste and be able to distinguish the slightest shades of aroma. He will also have to create his own recipes.

The profession requires a person to give up bad habits, as well as comply with certain restrictions. Invalid:

• alcohol;
• smoking, including hookah;
• perfumery;
• gels, shampoos, deodorants with strong odors;
• excess of sweet, salty foods, abuse of herbs and spices.

These restrictions are explained by the fact that the coffee maker must subtly sense even the slightest shade of taste and aroma of coffee.

Main responsibilities

A barista works behind the bar. Primary responsibilities include brewing coffee. First of all, espresso. At the same time, dozens of different types of grains and their combinations can be used as raw materials. The client can choose the variety himself or ask the coffee maker to help him so that the drink turns out to suit his taste and wishes.

The barista should:

• know all the varieties of coffee, where they grow, the difference between varieties;
• understand the degree of roasting of beans;
• easily distinguish Arabica from Robusta;
• make aromatic blends;
• be able to cook from 40 varieties of drink;
• own basic equipment and accessories;
• grind;
• select the correct pressure and temperature of the liquid;
• whisk the milk masterfully.

The coffee maker's responsibilities also include taking inventory. It is required not only to check the availability of all equipment, but also to measure the remaining coffee and auxiliary ingredients. For example, measure the remaining liqueur or sugar syrup in centimeters, weigh bulk additives. Otherwise, raw materials may run out at the wrong time.

A person’s personal qualities are important – communication skills, patience, kindness, responsibility.

The importance of knowledge, skills, abilities

The more a barista knows and can do, the more earnings he can expect. For this reason, you need to choose the right teacher, take advanced training courses if possible, follow new products and developments, and participate in competitions and championships.

Drawing on coffee is popular. At a primitive level, it is enough to create beautiful pictures using stencils and cocoa or cinnamon. Special printers have even been invented that can recreate a client’s portrait in a cup of drink. But real professionals are fluent in latte art - they know how to draw coffee and milk on their own.

It is important to add syrups correctly. True coffee lovers rarely ask for something like this to be added to their drink, and coffee lovers often want to try something new. It is necessary to select suitable flavors for the selected type of grain.

In addition to coffee, the barista prepares tea. And this is additional information about all its varieties, recipes for preparing all kinds of variations.

In America, it is considered normal for the coffee maker to additionally prepare a sandwich. This is also in demand in Russia. It is also important to know how to use a cash register, because not every barista has assistants.

What is the difference between a barista and a bartender?

Initially, both words meant the same thing - the person behind the bar. Later their responsibilities were divided. The bartender became responsible for alcoholic drinks and cocktails, and the barista for coffee. At the same time, in America, for example, if the question arises - who will prepare a sandwich for a client - the coffee maker will do it.

Necessary equipment

A barista works with different equipment. The main one is a coffee machine. Espresso is brewed on it. The process of preparing the drink involves passing water at the desired temperature through coffee compacted into a tablet. Water is supplied under pressure provided by the device. And with the help of steam generated by the coffee machine nozzle, the milk is heated and frothed.

A coffee specialist has a lot of other tools in his arsenal that help prepare different types of coffee:

1. Holder. This is a special holder with a partafilter. The holder, or horn, is designed for pouring coffee grinds. It is inserted into one of the groups of the coffee machine.
2. Temp. This is a tool for tempering, or tamping, coffee. Temperas come in different sizes. The one that fits the partafilter is used. Tempering is one of the necessary procedures when preparing espresso. The tool must have a smooth surface. Chips or dents will prevent pressing.
3. Pitcher. This is a container designed for heating and frothing milk. The pitcher is a metal jug with a spout. With its help, the barista performs latte art, that is, draws on the surface of the drink.
4. Grinder. This is a coffee grinder. The degree of grinding depends on the grinder, which greatly affects the taste of the coffee.

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What does a barista use when working?

The qualifications of a specialist largely depend on what tools he knows how to use. The responsibilities of a barista include grinding beans, brewing coffee, frothing milk, and decorating the finished drink. Each action requires special mechanisms, equipment, and accessories.

In addition to the basic equipment, a professional coffee maker must have scales, a thermometer, towels, rags, a shaker, a timer, and a knock box.

Coffee machine

Modern coffee machines can fully automate the process. Starting from grinding grains to serving whipped and heated milk. Nevertheless, real professionals more often choose levered (classic manual) varieties. The coffee maker manually controls the spillage, as a result, from the same raw materials he can prepare drinks with different taste, intensity, and aroma. It’s rare to see such a miracle in a modern coffee shop, and they cost about 400 thousand rubles.

The flow can be adjusted in a semi-automatic coffee machine. Only there is no lever (lever), the barista uses a button. This technique is considered a classic for an Italian coffee shop. It is used, like the previous option, in places that are not very accessible, since it requires the attention of the employee. Price 120-850 thousand rubles.

In places where there is high customer traffic and novice baristas work, automatic coffee machines are suitable. The boss sets up the device every day, and employees calmly brew coffee on it during their shift. The price depends on the manufacturer - 140-770 thousand rubles.

There are also superautomatic coffee machines. The barista simply needs to pour in the grain and milk, then the device itself will prepare the coffee depending on the program. The preparation of the drink is primitive, a coffee maker is not required, and visitors understand that in this establishment coffee is a related product, not the main one. The cost of equipment is 480-700 thousand rubles.

Coffee grinder

Professionals rarely use a regular kitchen coffee grinder. But sometimes this device can be found in inexpensive coffee shops. For this reason, the barista must be able to use the grinder so that the grind is uniform and the right size.

Grinder

This is a professional coffee grinder. It can be manual or automatic. A professional will need a grinder with the ability to adjust the grind size and uniformity of the mixture.

Holder

This is a portafilter, part of a coffee maker. Ground coffee is poured into it and pressed with tempera. Can be intended for preparing 1, 2 or 3 servings of drink.

Temper

Used for pressing coffee in a holder. It comes in different diameters, as well as handle shapes and sizes. The base is flat or convex. The specific type of tempera is selected to match the existing holder.

Pitcher

Stainless steel jug designed for frothing milk. When working as a barista, you may need pitchers of different volumes - 0.15, 0.35, 0.6, 1 l and others.

Jigger

Stainless steel measuring cups. Designed for preparing and measuring espresso used for lattes and other milk variations of coffee.

Demitas

Cup capacity 80 or 150-220 ml for espresso and cappuccino. Most often white.

Is it worth hiring an inexperienced barista?

If a candidate without experience is hired, then you need to be prepared that it will take some time to train him. And then practice, which is gained in the process of work. At first, a newbie will not have high quality and speed of service. The coffee business cannot avoid this.

In the future, the employee may leave the establishment for various reasons. To prevent this, when applying for a job, you should draw up a contract and specify the conditions in it.

It should be borne in mind that young specialists are very vulnerable due to their inexperience and uncertainty, so you need to show tact and patience towards a newcomer. If his resume says stress-resistant, this does not mean that he can handle all stressful situations.

For a barista to grow into a professional, it takes the efforts of not only the beginner, but also the cafe manager and the entire team.

But, there is every chance to get your own coffee bartender, who will be trained for a specific establishment. With his eyes closed he will be able to navigate the cafe, because from the very beginning he knows where everything is. Can easily find replacements for ingredients that are temporarily unavailable. It grows and develops along with the business and forms a single whole with it.

If you don’t want to waste time training a new person, then you can hire a professional. Such a person will be able to independently adapt to the specifics of the establishment, but will find an approach to the guests. In addition, he has many ideas that can be brought to life. But here it should be remembered that such a person works as long as he is interested. Once interest wanes, the cafe may lose an employee.

Therefore, in order to retain a professional, you need to create conditions for self-improvement.

As you can see, there is no clear answer whether or not to take a newcomer to your team. Each leader makes this decision independently. However, we must remember that the main thing is not only to find a barista, but also to retain him.

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How to become a barista?

There are several ways to get a profession. The most common one is to learn everything on the job, becoming an apprentice chef barista. The remaining options are more suitable for foreign countries; in Russia, such an opportunity is available in large cities.

At work

In many coffee shops, owners prefer to train coffee makers themselves. In this case, the new employee will comply and will not have to waste time and effort on retraining. Training with renowned chef baristas is also valuable. Having learned from such a person, you can easily find a job by referring to his name.

The training is free and often lasts a week. A day can range from a few hours to a full 12 hour shift. Certificates are not issued, but they are not particularly needed. In this profession, the main thing is skills and knowledge, not a piece of paper with a stamp.

Special courses

In a number of Russian cities, special courses are organized to teach the profession of a barista. They don’t help with job placement, but they do issue paper confirmation of completion of training. Course duration – from 1 day.

You can also study online. After payment, a person receives a link to his personal account, goes through lessons sequentially, and completes homework. The organizers provide feedback, pointing out errors and shortcomings.

You can choose different programs:

• Basic;
• Professional barista;
• Expert;
• Chef barista.

Academic programs

For those who decide to learn the profession thoroughly, there are also more advanced versions of training. Some require knowledge of the basics of bartending.

Some examples of accredited educational institutions:

• Russian branch of SCAE, St. Petersburg;
• St. Petersburg Bartenders Association;
• Northwestern Coffee Company, St. Petersburg;
• Institute of Coffee and Tea, St. Petersburg;
• Academy of Coffee Art, St. Petersburg;
• St. Petersburg College of Economics and Technology;
• Siberian Hospitality Association, Krasnoyarsk.

Where do you learn to be a barista?

Today in Russia there are three ways to obtain this specialty.
Learn on the job

Large chain coffee shops are willing to hire people with training. “Shokoladnitsa”, “Coffeemania” or “Starbucks” will provide a good opportunity to work in the system and try your hand as a novice specialist.

Training usually lasts from one day to a week, and subsequently qualifications are enhanced by participation in professional training.

Vocational training courses

They operate at training centers, such as the Russian branch of the European Specialty Coffee Association (SCAE), and the Bartenders Association. Barista courses are conducted by regional Hospitality Associations. Some large trading companies also have departments for training staff for coffee shops. Not long ago, an “Independent Barista School” opened in Moscow, where you can also learn all the intricacies of the profession.

Short-term courses can last from 3 days to two weeks.

Academic programs

Some accredited educational institutions offer them. For example, the Baltic Institute of Tourism, Omsk College of Entrepreneurship and Law.

Academic programs last from 2 to 6 months.

What prospects do baristas have?

At first, coffee makers improve their skills, knowledge and abilities, gain experience in order to earn more. You can rise to the position of chef barista, as well as participate in various competitions and competitions.

But this is the only opportunity to grow as a barista. Then some move on to other positions, others, having gained experience, open their own coffee shops, and still others change their field of activity.

In Russia, a profession is considered a temporary part-time job while studying at the institute, for example. In the West, on the contrary, baristas become baristas after 30 years of age, when they realize that they like this business.

Baristas in different countries

The responsibilities of a barista differ between Western and domestic representatives of the profession. For example, in European countries it is believed that the profession of a barista is suitable for a man of 30-40 years old who has some experience in this area and his own secrets in making coffee.

In Russia, on the contrary, girls under 25 years of age often master the profession of coffee specialist, and their employers do not require them to have comprehensive knowledge - girls simply know how to prepare drinks.

The difference is that if in Western countries a barista is a person who makes only coffee drinks, then a girl barista in Russia often performs the duties of a bartender, and in some cases, a cashier and a waiter, serving desserts and other drinks and making payments to the client.

Barista competition

The main annual competition for baristas is held by the non-profit organization Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). In this case, competitions can take place in Europe or for America.

The SCA community includes thousands of professionals and companies from all over the world. The Russian branch of this organization regularly holds championships, trainings, camps, as well as certification and educational programs. Only the best are sent to international competitions to represent the country.

To participate in the championship, the barista must prepare thoroughly. It is important that the senses work perfectly, and that a new recipe for a delicious drink is prepared.

Coffee brewers (one per country) can take part in competitions held jointly with the WBC:

• Captesting;
• Coffee-Alcohol;
• Ibrik – Turkish coffee;
• Latte art.

Participants are assessed on their ability to follow the technology and the organoleptic quality of the finished drink. At the same time, you need to prepare not just 1 variety, but 3. Taking into account the number of jury members, you get 12 servings - 4 espresso, 4 cappuccino, 4 author’s versions without alcohol and dessert varieties. The time for this is only 15 minutes.

How much can a barista earn?

A coffee maker can earn on average from 1,000 to 2,000 rubles per shift. Payment depends on the city and place of work, skills and tips. You can earn the most money at outdoor events, for example, on City Day, your salary can be 5,000-7,000 rubles.

In the US, one shift can bring a coffee maker $8-13. Argentine baristas earn an average of $480 per month, French baristas, like in America, Romanian baristas, no more than $420.

Pros and cons of work

Advantages:

• simple training;
• demand in the labor market;
• often flexible schedule;
• the opportunity to combine work and study;
• work in your favorite industry;
• New acquaintances.

Flaws:

• not the highest salaries;
• 12 hour shift;
• sometimes long working hours, work on holidays and weekends;
• work with people;
• some restrictions, for example, on alcohol and smoking;
• the need to always look great and be friendly.

Differences between professions in Russia and abroad

Table. What are the differences between working as a coffee maker in the Russian Federation and other countries?