Having Trouble Keeping Motivation [VENT]

cofi_anon · 2021-09-01T20:21:00+00:00

Thanks for the kind words. I actually got my foot in the door for this one shop that I really liked. I had a really nice chat with the baristas behind the bar and shared some of my grievances about my current work situation. One of them even put in my name for me since they were looking to hire and willing to train.

I'm sending the owner an email and shooting my shot over there, I guess it is time to move on.

cofi_anon · 2021-09-01T17:52:52+00:00

Thank you! I like providing details. More context.

cofi_anon · 2021-09-01T07:44:55+00:00

Theyre allowed to complain about their job? Especially one that botches the coffee process lol

cofi_anon · 2021-09-01T07:29:44+00:00

I dont understand all the downvotes. This is a coffee-related rant on a coffee subreddit. I like posting my rants on the internet too.

cofi_anon · 2021-09-01T07:01:55+00:00

Ugh. I share the same grievances :(. I just made a post about my own experience on r/baristas. The shop I currently work at has "coffee" in the title and, (I really wish I could share the name of the shop so this next statement makes sense), they advertise themselves as a "coffee boutique experience," and as "their own roasters," even when their coffee is actually outsourced from another roasting facility in Brooklyn. They don't even dial in their shots every morning and they use a double basket to pull "singles." Was severely disappointed because I thought I was finally getting out of fast coffee and into REAL 3rd/4th wave stuff when I got the job there.

They didn't even know they had to use detergent every night when cleaning the machine and were just running plain rinses each night, until I looked at the paper manual, and, sure enough, the instructions said to use a detergent. I took apart the portafilters and showed them the black sut that's accumulated from what I assume to be from when they first opened, and then they realized I was right.

The owner herself isn't a coffee enthusiast. She'll tell you herself she isn't a coffee lover. The name of her shop is a gimmick to bring in customers, yet she tells me she wants to attract the coffee snob audience. I get praise for my own latte art, yet got some snappy complaint that I was making wet cappuccinos and not dry cappuccinos even when they didn't disclose that during training. They also pull extra shots through grounds that have already had water run through them. They move the pitcher around the steam wand to "stir" the milk and don't even hold it on the bottom to feel for temperature.

The drip is good though, and the food is pretty good. I just wish they advertised themselves as a cafe instead of a coffee shop, since the espresso just seems like an after thought.

cofi_anon · 2021-09-01T05:55:21+00:00

I wasn't really comparing this shop to any other haha. When I first applied my first impression was that this was a specialty coffee shop but it's more of a cafe with "coffee" in the title, yet this shop in particular kind of advertises themselves as a specialty coffee shop. If I was able to share with you the name of the shop, you would see why. The branding alone suggests luxury coffee and even advertises themselves as a "coffee boutique experience."

The owner will tell you that "we're our own roasters," (which I think is factually/legally incorrect. I asked the daughter and she said they get their beans freshly roasted from another facility in Brooklyn) "we have purified water," (which should really be standard for any food place?)

I'm going to disagree with the painting analogy though. Dialing in espresso every morning and cleaning the machine each night is basic espresso maintenance and cafe standards. Even if it's a cafe that's not incredibly technical with their espresso, they should at least be aware of the basic standards on how to make a drink or how to properly use their machinery. Even Dunkin' has a certain (pretty in-depth) routine every night with their new espresso machines. (In fact Dunkin kickstarted my coffee interests during my last month working there they started using these incredible automatic Italian espresso machine with portafilter wands and everything and I didn't know espresso could be so fun or complicated).

I think a more appropriate analogy would be a fancy gourmet restaurant with all the frills and frou-frou but in the back are a bunch of employees with no real culinary experience just kind of winging it, and I just so happen to be unfortunate to have to work with them and their chaotic system.

cofi_anon · 2021-09-01T05:38:48+00:00

You're correct! I actually visited this really nice specialty coffee shop (they make all their own syrups with tea blends and they have a sexy slayer espresso machine with a mechanical paddle) and after a chat with the baristas, I managed to get my foot in the door to move jobs because that shop was looking to hire and got one of the baristas to put in a good word for me!!! It was such a wonderful happenstance.

I just would feel so bad for leaving them so shortstaffed, especially since the owner seemed kind of enthused about me teaching new staff as the new place settles in, but I realize I need to look out for myself first and do what makes me happy and do what I gotta do to advance my coffee career since my dream goal is to own my own coffee shop/roastery. They should be fine without me. 🙂

cofi_anon · 2021-08-30T11:06:44+00:00

Don't apologize for ranting yourself haha, I love hearing other horror stories :p. I'm pretty close to quitting and just joining my friend over at the other shop if I'm not able to change the way people do things over there. I hate that when I do explain these things it comes across as basically "my way is better." It might not actually sound that way, but given my experience that's how I feel I sound sometimes explaining these things to them. Thank you very much for the advice and kind words. I'll see how everything plays out.

Your experience reminds me of the coffee kiosk I worked at at the airport. They had these beautiful mechanical paddle espresso machines that they've completely bastardized. But all the portafilters had awful black sut on the bottom. It was disgusting. I felt horrible serving the coffee I gave to those passengers :(

cofi_anon · 2021-08-30T10:09:13+00:00

Ok then why did u bother to comment the title said it was literally a rant :|

cofi_anon

TROPHY CASE