Bespoke Words
By Jenny Drinkwater
SOLO Magazine #10
Taking your first steps into the world of speciality coffee is an exciting prospect, and for many of us this debut role tends to take the form of a barista. As in any industry, this front-line, customer-facing, boots-the-ground position is the best way to learn about what’s going on in the industry, new trends, what customers want, and inevitably, what they don’t. But after a few years, in those mid-afternoon lulls, your mind may start to wander to imagine what you would do differently if the shop was yours, if you had the chance to source the beans, organise cuppings and work with producers in some of the most beautiful corners of the globe.
So, how do you go about making that happen? If you want to stay in speciality, where could you career take you once you have a few years’ experience under your belt, and how do you boost your knowledge and standing in the industry we know and love?
One of the most talked about career progressions in speciality is opening a shop of one’s own. There’s no shortage of inspiration. From Amsterdam to Madrid, from Austin to Sydney, you’re bound to find at least one speciality coffee shop in every major city, hotbeds for new trends, recipes and experimentation and each one an opportunity to discover new flavours from around the world. But with great autonomy comes great responsibility and for many it is a bumpy road to success. Nevertheless, where there’s a will, there’s often a way.