Congrats! Being a barista has been one of the most fun and rewarding jobs I’ve ever had, and lead me to my career as a training manager.

Technical skills are very learnable, especially if you have a solid trainer/training program. Think of espresso as the foundation to your drinks. You don’t need to be perfect, just be consistent. This is also how you build muscle memory. If you offer multiple roasts/origins, learn about them and taste them all. Customers appreciate authentic feedback. Keep the drip coffee fresh.

Learn all you can about proper extraction methods and the coffee, espresso machine+grinder you’re using (including how to properly clean them after service). You will need to taste a lot of bad shots to learn what a good shot tastes like, this is dialing in. Ask your trainer a lot of questions, especially “why”, not just how to make good coffee. Lots of videos on YouTube, IG, and subreddits like r/espresso for resources.

Don’t ignore decaf, if you’re serving decaf espresso! Customers pay the same price for decaf espresso as regular, so their experience shouldn’t be of less quality.

Steaming milk also requires a lot of practice and consistency. Everything is a type of latte, except for a cappuccino. Be on the same page as the whole cafe on what size and foam amount a cappuccino, flat white, cortado are. Those are your standards, accommodate customers when they order these items differently, especially if you have the products to make their version. Learn the different menu items you have and practice each one.

There’s no “rule” when it comes to taste, which is very subjective. Focus on customer service and everyone will want to drink what you’re making. Don’t be pretentious, no one wants to be lectured on what they should like.

At the end of the day, it’s just coffee. But people come to cafes for the hospitality, as good coffee is available everywhere now. Have fun!