Culture of Excellence-initial training

Owners and managers,

In the second installment of this series I mentioned that our interview process includes an hour of training on the espresso machine with myself. I can learn a lot more about an applicant going through the espresso training process than I can by sitting and chatting. I’m looking for attitude expressed by physical “tells”, artistry and native talent, and their learning style. And of course every action is a two way communication. The fact that the owner dedicates his time exclusively to the act of teaching to be an artisan barista speaks a lot about the priorities of the company. And it gives all staff a way to get to know me.

And, I can make my coffee for them. I learn a lot by their reaction when we taste results together. It’s one thing to tell them that the espresso is ultra sensitive to flow rate, fast pours are sour, slow pours can be hollow, sour or bitter. But tasting a 20 second extraction really drives home the point, it’s sour astringent, so never serve it. In the states a lot of folks do not drink straight shots. So one trainer trick I employ is for them to taste the sour/astringent shot then a perfect shot right after. Most people will perceive the “god-shot” as much sweeter and richer after their palate has been assaulted with sour crema.

We run through settling and distribution technique, and dosing manually up front. I emphasize that distribution is always a focused moment and over the years it is crucial to maintain a student attitude, never dashing it off without paying attention to the process. A big tell here would be impatience with the process being expressed by rushing or excessive noise being generated- the hands revealing frustration or a “you’ve got to be kidding” attitude. Body language can be quite revealing. In a future great barista, this part of the training is always fumbly and cautious out of respect for the level of artistry Vivace has achieved. A “know it all” applicant will always try to appear really confident and cool. (This is not an automatic deal breaker with me but it is more difficult to teach someone that thinks they know it all already.)

Next we focus on rinsing the group head and cleaning techniques. This requires very precise timing. During this part of the training I mention that running an espresso bar to our standards is a series of small precise timings. For example, the shots are quite perishable and must be combined with the milk instantly at the moment that the milk is perfect. Rinse timing gives me a good window to see if precision is in their skill set.

Next we practice milk steaming and a latte art intro. I’m looking for some kind of enthusiasm or appreciation of beauty. At this point their attitude and appreciation towards the process is much more important that initial skill levels. I can teach skills but the appreciation of the coffee, and their own artistry or lack of it is innate to that person. And, nothing reveals this as well as an hour of training.

Next we will dive into the structure of a business that supports, or erodes, a culture of excellence.