Barista is – Barista is a very popular contemporary term, especially among today’s youth. With the expansion of cafes and coffee shops, the word “barista” no longer feels foreign. In general, the barista is someone who is in charge of preparing and serving coffee. So, is this 100% true?
Barista turns out to be someone who then specializes in making and serving various drinks. Plus, most baristas do more than just make great-tasting drinks. In fact, the barista is also tasked with helping to manage inventory, run the cash register, and solve various other problems.
Many of the baristas then receive an hourly fee, but are often able to earn tips in addition to their hourly wages. In addition, to become a barista, special skills are needed in preparing drinks.
Want to know, what skills are needed by baristas, especially coffee baristas? To find out the info, then you can refer to this review, Sinaumed’s. So, what are you waiting for, see the review until it’s finished, OK?
Barista Skills
The word barista comes from Italian, which means “bartender”. Baristas in Italy serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including coffee and espresso drinks. In the United States and Indonesia the term itself is limited to coffee-based drinks.
Below are some coffee barista skills that you need to have if you want to become a coffee barista, starting from technical skills and also soft skills :
1. Knowledge of Coffee
Baristas must have technical skills and knowledge about coffee. There are many things a barista should know about coffee. For example, knowledge about the different types of coffee and their different tastes. For example, Arabica coffee has a more sour taste when compared to Robusta coffee.
Differences in the size of the coffee bean grinder, the right temperature to use for steaming milk, roasting (temperature and time affect the final result and taste of coffee), coffee brewing methods, and so on. With basic knowledge about coffee and good technical skills , a barista can then work optimally and be able to serve quality coffee with the right taste.
2. Good Communication
In addition to knowledge about coffee, a barista must also have good communication skills. Baristas must be able to receive and convey information properly. For example, he must be able to accept customer orders as well as provide information about drinks, food, recommend menus, as well as discounts and various other information related to coffee shops.
The barista approach does not only apply to customers, but also to fellow co-workers. This is important to do in order to avoid miscommunication and create a more conducive working atmosphere.
3. Teamwork (Teamwork)
When it comes to rush hour for a coffee shop, there is a lot of work to be done. For example, with the number of incoming orders, tables that must be cleaned, payments that must then be processed, and so on. In order for conditions like this to remain conducive, good teamwork skills are also needed so that customer satisfaction can then be fulfilled.
Teamwork itself can be done by dividing tasks, such as someone in charge of preparing orders in the kitchen, someone in charge of receiving orders and processing payments at the cashier, also in charge of keeping the coffee shop clean.
4. Multitasking
Multitasking is a skill that allows a barista to be able to handle several tasks at once. This is often required in coffee shops, especially during rush hours. In terms of multitasking , a barista then needs to complete all tasks quickly and precisely.
During peak hours, a barista is required to take orders, receive payments, operate the cash register, deliver orders, all at the same time. Therefore, multitasking skills and also focus are then needed in a barista.
5. Must be detailed and thorough
This detail and thoroughness is necessary for a barista so that a barista can reduce the possibility of making mistakes and increase customer satisfaction. For example, by remembering customer orders, making orders correctly, also cleaning the espresso machine thoroughly. Apart from that, a barista must also understand customer special orders, present orders according to the order in which orders were received, and so on.
6. Customer Service Skills
Customer service skills are a customer service skill. According to Kotler and Keller (2007), the quality of this service then affects customer satisfaction which will increase interest in buying or reusing the product. So, the better the quality of service provided by the barista to customers, it will increase the likelihood of customers coming back to the coffee shop.
Barista Responsibilities
The duties of a barista do not only make coffee, here are 5 responsibilities of a barista:
1. Preparing and Serving Coffee
The barista’s first task is to make and serve good coffee to customers. Not only coffee, but all types of drinks on the menu list. This is because there are also coffee shops that provide non-coffee menus such as chocolate, green tea, pulled tea, thai tea, and so on.
So, not infrequently, a barista is then in charge of preparing snacks or various snacks. Each coffee shop may have a different way of making coffee. Some use machines, some are still manual, or use both of these methods simultaneously.
2. Maintaining and Cleaning Espresso Machines
Apart from having to be able to operate an espresso machine, a barista is also responsible for maintaining and maintaining the cleanliness of the machine. Cleaning the espresso machine itself has its own way so that the machine can stay clean, then it can operate properly and is not damaged.
How to clean the porta filter can be done by soaking it in hot water for approximately 30 minutes after use. Or cleaning the steam wand (to make milk froth) is also different. This machine must also always be clean, so every time you finish using it, you must wipe the steam wand using a damp cloth. This cloth itself is specifically used to clean the steam wand so that the cleanliness of the machine is maintained.
3. Keeping the Coffee Shop Clean
Coffee shop cleanliness can also be part of a barista’s duties. A clean and tidy coffee shop will make customers feel comfortable and want to come again. The cleanliness of the coffee shop that needs to be maintained includes the dining area such as the dining table, cashier area, kitchen, and so on.
4. Receiving And Serving Customer Orders
If you go to a coffee shop, you can also see the number of employees, which are usually only 2-3 people. Therefore, the barista is also in charge of receiving and serving customer orders. Not only that, a barista is also in charge of receiving and processing customer payments. So, a barista must have a friendly attitude and be able to operate a cash register.
5. Explaining and Suggesting Menus for Consumers
Customers who come to coffee shops certainly vary. Some are used to drinking coffee and know what to order. However, there are also customers who are still very new to coffee and are still confused about what to order. A barista is then tasked with explaining and recommending the menu to his customers.
For example, the barista could ask “How do you like coffee?” After hearing an explanation from the customer, the barista then explains and recommends a menu according to what the customer wants. Or when a customer asks “what’s the most recommended drink here, sis?” You can explain the details of the menu well so that customers have an idea of the coffee they want to order.
Barista Salary
Barista is one of the jobs that young people or millennials then dream of. The barista looks cool while making coffee for the visitors who come. So, how much is a barista salary?
Take a peek at the barista salaries at the newest Starbucks in 2022. Barista salaries are divided into two, namely the salary of a barista who works full time and the salary of a part-time barista. According to various sources, the salary of a full time barista according to the local UMK (City Minimum Wage), is around IDR 4,000,000-IDR 4,500,000.
This nominal itself does not include intensive. Meanwhile, part-time baristas will be given a salary of IDR 1,500,000-IDR 2,000,000, depending on working hours. Because the part time barista is then calculated per 4 hours of work or 8 hours of work.
Criteria Required Barista
If you are interested in becoming a barista, there are several specific criteria that you need to meet, including:
- Can operate an espresso machine. This is the main thing that is needed for a barista because the main responsibility of a barista is none other than making coffee.
- Assessing the quality of the ingredients, whether the coffee used is good and suitable for use, whether the available materials are still suitable for serving coffee, and so on.
- Can use a grinding machine. A machine used to grind coffee beans.
- The barista is in charge of dispensing drinks according to a predetermined measure.
- A barista must be patient, thorough, and diligent. These three characteristics need to be owned by a barista. Accuracy, patience, and persistence are closely related in producing a delicious coffee concoction.
From all the discussion above, it can be said that a barista is someone who works as a concoction or drink maker. In Indonesia, the term barista is better known as someone who mixes coffee.
Thus the discussion about the barista along with the skills that must be possessed. Hopefully all the discussion above can add to your insight. So, are you interested in becoming a barista?
Are you interested in deepening your knowledge about coffee? If you want to find books about coffee, then you can get them at sinaumedia.com . To support Sinaumed’s in adding insight, sinaumedia always provides quality and original books so that Sinaumed’s has #MoreWithReading information.
Author: Sofyan
Source: From various sources
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