Occupation Code: 513201
A Barista is a person who prepares and serves espresso-based coffee drinks. Barista jobs are popular all around the world. As the coffee grows internationally, there are many work opportunities for good baristas. South Africa is no exception!
Baristas work in restaurants, coffee shops, bars and food markets. Their main job is to operate espresso machines. Besides making espresso, baristas also foam, froth and steam milk to make a wide range of espresso-based drinks, including cappuccino, caffè latte, caffè mocha, flat white and Americano. They are also sometimes required to make, and serve, snacks to go with coffee.
Baristas need to be able to work independently or as part of a team. Their job is to serve excellent coffee and create happy customers who come back for more! The right attitude, aptitude and excellent communication skills are important for this job!
While this job may sound simple, baristas do much more than make customers’ coffee.
What does a bartender do?
• Greets customers, takes orders, and uses excellent time management and organizational skills to prepare and serve coffee, blended coffee, cold drinks, teas, espresso, snacks etc
• Explains and/or educates customers on coffee, and other drink and snack options
• Makes sure all areas, including bathrooms, are kept clean and germ-free.
• Deals with, and resolving, customer issues efficiently and politely.
• Takes stock of ingredients and utensils such as coffee cups, straws, serviettes etc.
• Supervises stock levels, refills stock and communicates with management to ensure there is enough stock.
Are you:
friendly and positive?
organised?
a multi-tasker?
observant?
confident?
How do I become a Barista?
Training is usually offered onsite, but Barista training schools are becoming popular places to learn the trade
Many baristas take great pride in their skills and spend years perfecting techniques for crafting perfect drinks. This has led to international Barista competitions. Click here for more information
Did you know: The word barista originated in Italy, where it means a "bartender" who serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including coffee and espresso drinks.
