Barista - Once a Title Comparable to Chef, Now Comparable to a McDonald's Employee

In Italy a Barista is a respected job title. It is a title that shares the likes of "Chef" and "Sommelier". The average age of an Italian barista is around 48 years old and they have been a barista for most of their life. In America, however, it is a drastically different story. The average barista is in his/her early twenties, and is hardly respected in the culinary world.

"Barista" is no longer a title earned, or held with pride. For the most part, it is simply what you call a pimple faced kid that throws together your 4 pump, soy, vanilla, no foam latte.

Milk texturing. What's that? Shot times. Huh? Latte art. Is that where you draw the little picture?

Unfortunately, Starbucks and most coffee shop business models have transformed the public perception of a barista from that of a respected "coffee Chef" or "coffee Sommelier" into that of a McDonald's fast food employee. All focus is on efficiency.

Even though a good (real) barista requires the same level of training and commitment to their trade as a good Chef or Sommelier, they are lucky to earn little more than minimum wage.

Meanwhile, the coffee companies they work for are shouting catchy buzzwords like responsibility, sustainability, and seed to cup - with all focus on the "seed" side of things. What about the "cup" side - AKA baristas? $22k a year (and that is generous) is HARDLY sustainable in this day and age.

The truly talented baristas out there are forced to make a big life decision. Follow their passion - and struggle financially for the rest of their life. Or, move on to a more fruitful career - and live more comfortably.

It's no wonder specialty coffee is still in the dark ages!

• Think about how much better the industry could be if it could attract higher level baristas in virtually every coffee shop.
• Think about the awareness to the CRAFT of coffee true baristas will generate.
• Think about how much easier it will be to raise the perception of what a cup of coffee should cost.
• Think about how roasters and farmers will also benefit from coffee being sold at higher costs.

"From cup to seed." It's a complete reversal of current thinking, but one that could make the biggest impact.

If coffee shop owners would get off this "selfless sustainability" kick and focus on raising the perception of coffee to that of wine; all of a sudden they have more money to pay baristas, more for themselves, more for the roasters, more for the transporters, all the way down to the farmers. Everybody wins - sustainably! Is it going to be that easy? Hell no. But if enough key people buy into this way of thinking, the industry could be better as a whole. In the least, I hope this gets some gears turning out there.