Thursday Life (TL): You spoke at the recently concluded Foodie Seminar about a coffee barista. What is a coffee barista?

Marshalee Valentine (MV): If you should Google the word barista, the first thing that would pop up is “A person that serves in a coffee bar”. The true definition of a barista, however, is a professional who has mastered the science of brewing coffee, preparing espressos, and espresso-based beverages, while offering the highest level of service to her customers. I would also add that a true barista knows and can communicate the process of coffee production from seed to cup. Being able to share this knowledge ensures that customers don’t just leave the café or coffee bar with a cup of coffee, but with a good experience.

TL: How does one become a coffee barista?

MV: Anyone can hire a qualified individual with a diploma or certificate in food and nutrition or years of experience in bartending to work in a café. This employee can work in your coffee shop for years without understanding how to correctly operate a simple French press or the café’s espresso machine to deliver the perfect cup of coffee. For one to become a barista, you must have a personal appreciation for the product you are working with. You have to learn how coffee is produced and understand what good quality coffee tastes like. One must also understand the reason for coffee being the world’s most consumed beverage. Barista certification from a recognised international body is not currently available in Jamaica but there are several programmes that provide great barista training to persons wishing to become certified. I would recommend the training offered by Boot Coffee Consultants in California, and ANACAFE’s Escuela de Café in Guatemala. There is also the well-known American Barista & Coffee School. The average café cannot afford to send its employees overseas and it is still expensive to bring a trainer here. This is one niche where local coffee professionals such as myself, who have a passion for the art of brewing coffee, can share our knowledge. Whilst we might not be able to offer an internationally certified course, we have the knowledge and experience to share with those who are interested in becoming baristas. Since receiving my initial training from ANACAFE I have continuously pursued my love for coffee. I am constantly reading (thank God for Google) and watching YouTube videos. Every chance I get to use an espresso machine or any new brewing equipment, I make sure I put what I have learnt to the test. Above all, being a great barista takes practice! Even after all the training, after all the YouTube videos, after countless nights on coffeegeek.com… Practice! Practice! Practice! Most of the great baristas I know internationally are self-taught. All the tricks they have learnt came from their commitment and love for coffee. As I said before, you have to appreciate the product to be good at this.

TL: Tell us about your first cup of coffee and the exact moment you knew that it would not be your last.

MV: Wow, my first cup. Let’s see… it wasn’t my first cup that got me hooked on coffee; as a matter of fact, I never drank coffee before I started working in the coffee industry and I still don’t drink a lot. It was that first morning I walked into the lobby to attend my interview. The aroma hit me as I entered, and it was remarkable. It was so amazing, I said to myself, “I could come to this every morning for the rest of my life.” Then I started to learn more about this unique commodity. The more I learnt was the more I wanted to know. For me it’s not about how I take my cup of coffee, it’s about how I ensure that whatever we produce is of the highest standard and quality, from the farm all the way to that coffee mug.

TL: CEO of Wallenford Coffee Mark McIntosh spoke at the Foodie Seminar of positioning coffee as a luxury product, and the imperatives of determining the real from the counterfeit. What role can we play in brand protection?

MV: It is very important to ensure that we protect our Wallenford brand both locally and internationally. I would suggest the following to ensure that we all play our part in brand protection:

1. Visit the Coffee Industry Board website to see the list of licensed producers and trademark users of Jamaican coffee

2. When buying coffee overseas or even locally, ensure you check the packages for trademark seals and expiry dates.

3. If you notice any inconsistencies in taste or appearance, contact our offices immediately and make a report to the Quality Department.

4. Familiarise yourself with what is considered good quality coffee and what is not, in both taste and appearance.

5. Report cases of counterfeiting to the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica.

TL: What makes coffee a luxury product?

MV: Globally, coffee is an extremely valuable commodity trading over US$19 billion during the 2012-13 harvest period. It isn’t simply the value of the product that makes it a luxury item though. The best coffees in the world, led by our own Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, are produced in very specific regions of the world that are influenced by unique factors that cannot be reproduced or duplicated in other areas. Coffee grown in these special regions are highly sought-after by coffee connoisseurs who appreciate the delicate flavours that can be created in every cup by the best coffees. For this reason, coffee like our Wallenford 100 per cent Jamaica Blue Mountain Roasted Beans become world-recognised as luxury brands because of excellent quality and the rarity of the product.

TL: How was your first Food Awards experience?

MV: It was an awesome experience. The patrons enjoyed every last drop of the Blue Mountain Coffee poured by Wallenford.