How Baristas See Themselves vs. How You See Baristas: Essential Skills for the Modern Coffee Professional

The Unpredictable Weather

The recent weather has been quite unpredictable.

Sunny in the morning, pouring rain in the afternoon.

Especially around quitting time, when nature starts working its magic.

A flash of lightning tears across the sky—

"Crackle, rumble~~"

Raindrops as large as Kyoho grapes fall densely from above my head, then quickly merge with the earth.

Oh my dear friend, looks like I'll be washing the car again tonight. What joy.

Customer Perceptions of Baristas

Taking advantage of everyone being unable to leave work on time and still immersed in their tasks, I quickly "incognito visited" several coffee enthusiasts hidden in my WeChat contacts.

I asked them: Can you tell me what your impression of baristas is like? Hmm?

• Cool and stylish, walking with confidence, a jack-of-all-trades (knows everything)
• Black uniform sleeves rolled high, a capable profile that's intoxicating; focused eyes during extraction and latte art; fluid, unconscious movements when frothing milk and washing cups

Before getting familiar:

• (Professional smile) Hello, what coffee would you like? What flavors do you prefer? I can recommend something for you. If you like acidic, try this one. If you prefer rich and mellow, try this one.

After getting familiar:

• (Glancing with a mischievous smile) We have a new bean that's incredibly delicious—you'll definitely love it. Want to come in and make it yourself? It's very simple, I'll teach you.

Through the Eyes of Others

So what are baristas like in the eyes of other baristas?

Goodness, won't their hands crack from washing so many cups?

Should I go help them (heart sinks)

They haven't stopped since coming in, should I go help them (heart sinks)

That table left and there are so many cups there, should I go help them (heart sinks)

OH, NO

The Barista's Self-Perception

So what are baristas like in their own eyes?

Some say that being a barista—a profession whose very name carries aroma and warmth—always has an irresistible urge that makes people want to get closer (hey, watch your words).

Can make espresso

Can make pour-over

Can make creative specialty drinks

Can make lemon tea

Can make milk tea

Can make small cakes

Can make small desserts

Can make snacks

Can ship packages

Can help watch over packages

Can communicate normally with people

Can control the urge to share

Wash cups

Clean toilets

Clean air conditioners

Unclog drains

Fix faucets

Change light bulbs

Mover

Carpenter

Electrician

Cleaning staff

Can film videos

Can listen to music

Can tell jokes

Can be a confidant

Can make drip coffee bags

Has a signature smile

Has personal charm

Has dreams

Has lofty ideals

Can stand for long periods

Can endure mosquito bites

Can accept working holidays as usual

Original kidneys must be good enough to hold it

Original stomach must be good enough to endure hunger

Can endure loneliness

Can maintain original intentions

Salary doesn't matter

Doesn't shake hands when drinking too much coffee

Doesn't shake hands when making too much pour-over

Doesn't shake hands when making too much latte art

Limited sleep

No sleep

Late to bed, early to rise

Can make breakfast

Can make lunch

Can make dinner

Can make late-night snacks

Understands a little English

Understands a little dialect

Can use iOS system

Can use Android system

Can use Windows system

Can set router passwords

Can teach guests to connect to Wi-Fi

Can help guests look after children

Can help guests take solo photos, group photos, collective photos

Can build relationships with neighborhood cats

Buy cat food

Clean litter boxes

Grow flowers

Human navigation

Prepare new stores

Bar design

Floor plan layout

Hard decoration

Soft decoration

Market research

Market investigation

Write copy

Distribute flyers

Do promotions

Operate Bilibili

Operate website

Operate WeChat official account

Operate Xiaohongshu account

Operate Weibo account

Do performance assessments

Do accounting

Can manage bar

Can do cost accounting

Develop clients

Customer retention

Plan activities

Personnel recruitment

Employee training

Customer experience

New product development

Quotation

Settlement

Bookkeeping

Debt collection

UnionPay card payments

Transfer remittances

WeChat Alipay cash payments

The Reality of the Coffee Industry

Actually, as of now, coffee is still an industry not understood by most people.

Many people still think that those standing behind the bar making coffee are baristas, making coffee = being a barista.

But in reality, within the coffee industry chain, there are also coffee farmers, bean hunters, green bean sellers, roasters, product developers, quality control specialists, and so on.

As I've mentioned many times in previous articles, a qualified barista is not just a technical operator who makes coffee—they are an artist who knows how to appreciate and identify coffee, and understands coffee etiquette and culture.

What do you all think?

Image source: Internet

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