Barista Magazine

APR-MAY 2017

Serving People Serving Coffee Since 2005

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ly over-caffeinated, state. I was blown away by the professionalism and ownership they showed by fi nishing the whole task before taking a moment to step off the line. That mentality is something that has been instilled in me from my time working in a cocktail bar, and is something that we are desper- ately lacking in the coffee industry. This is the kind of dedication to the craft that takes us beyond being able to talk in detail about why SL-28 has been such an important hybrid for Africa. It is the ability to see beyond your personal desires or immediate needs, be it delaying a trip to the bathroom, or shoving a croissant in your mouth to combat the constant threat of caffeine poisoning. The best in this business are always setting themselves to be ready for the next push. These are the behaviors and standards that separate the casual service workers from the true service professionals. We all need to realize that our station, be it on bar or on register, is ours to own and keep presentable for our guests, because it is such an infl uence on their overall experience. The business that I work for, which is both a high-end restaurant and a specialty coffeehouse, believes that we are selling four products: food, beverage, service, and atmosphere. All of these components must be fi ring at the highest level constantly—otherwise, our guest doesn't get a full experience. That easily translates to cafés, especially because coffeehouses often host guests for such a short amount of time that one fl aw can alter the whole experience. The service interaction is the longest part of that interaction. If we all take a methodical approach to our varied business philosophies—which can and should be different—then we will be able to hold ourselves and each other accountable for a new standard of experience in cafés. That collective standard is the push we need to become truly excellent for every guest that walks in our doors and not just those we are able to identify as "coffee people." If we can all take that moment to clean up and reset our stations, to act like professionals rather than just identify as such, we will start to see our community become more respected and our peers be recognized as the professionals we truly want to be. Back to cleanliness and organization: Two things we should agree to start doing is polishing dishware (I know, I know it is very tedious and not what any of us want to be doing), and throwing away chipped and stained glasses and dishes. Here's an example of what I'm talking about: Think of the last time you ordered a glass of wine with dinner—was it served with lipstick still on the rim? Or covered in fi ngerprints? If that's happened to you, did you decide to let it slide, thinking that the staff just must have been too busy to properly clean the glass? Of course you didn't—you asked for a new glass. This is the one issue I won't be persuaded to budge on—that we as coffee professionals must match restaurant professionals. I'm sick of a substance that is so oily and generally dirty going into glass and ceramic that hasn't been proofed (checked for visible grime and grit) or polished (microfi ber towels, people—they're good for more than just wiping out baskets), much less a cup or glass or saucer that is chipped. Not only is using chipped dishware disrespectful and dangerous for our guests, it's a health-code violation. If we really want to call ourselves professionals, we can't be OK with chipping things in the fi rst place, much less serving a guest a drink in that cup. While we're on it, can we also please polish our demitasse spoons? Guests don't care to see your fi ngerprints or excess coffee grounds coating a spoon they intend to use. THE SHOW While it may seem obvious to some readers, it's important to address why this is all so critical to achieving the kind of café experience that keeps customers not only coming back, but telling their friends to try your shop, too. The biggest "why" for me is that it's all part of the show. Remember earlier when I said my favorite part of visiting other cafés, bars, or restaurants is to watch the show? Here's what that's all about: The show is for me the most important part of service, and yet an inordi- WHETHER YOU'RE ON BAR OR WORKING THE COUNTER, YOU ARE BEING WATCHED, AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE YOU ARE EXHIBITING A SKILL MOST GUESTS DON'T HAVE. 114 barista magazine

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