Training Your Baristas: Don't Just Teach Them How to Make Coffee

Barista training

A new barista doesn't just need to learn how to make an espresso.

They need to learn how your coffee shop works.

That's a much bigger job.

Start with the basics

They need to understand the coffee you're serving.

What is it?

Where does it come from?

What does it taste like?

Why was it chosen?

If they understand the coffee, they can talk about it with customers without sounding like they've memorised something from a poster.

Then teach the practical stuff

How to set the grinder.

How to dose.

How to distribute and tamp.

How to pull an espresso.

How to steam milk.

How to clean the machine.

How to recognise when something doesn't look right.

These are skills.

And skills improve through repetition.

Teach them how to taste

This is often forgotten.

A barista should be able to taste a coffee and say:

“This tastes too sour.”

Or:

“This is bitter.”

Or:

“This tastes different from yesterday.”

That's more useful than simply knowing that the espresso took 28 seconds.

Numbers can tell you that something changed.

Your mouth can tell you whether you like the result.

Teach them what to do when things go wrong

Because they will.

The grinder will be wrong.

The espresso machine will behave strangely.

Someone will forget to change the coffee.

The milk will be overheated.

A customer will send a drink back.

The answer shouldn't always be:

“Get the manager.”

Give your team enough knowledge to solve normal problems themselves.

That builds confidence.

And teach hospitality

This might actually be the most important part.

A coffee shop isn't a laboratory.

You're serving people.

Some customers know everything about coffee.

Some don't know the difference between a cappuccino and a flat white.

Neither is a problem.

Your staff should be able to talk to both.

Good coffee is important.

Good hospitality is what makes people come back.

And if your barista can explain why today's coffee tastes like strawberries without making the customer feel stupid for asking, you've probably got something going right.

Training Your Barista

— Henning  Al-Gharb Coffee Roasters, Algarve

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