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The Dose: Podcast #1
I hope you enjoy it. We had a lot of fun making it.
It can be found on iTunes. -> Click
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:31 — 26.1MB)
2010 SCRBC Results
3rd Place: Tyler Wells of Frank, Austin
2nd Place: Aaron Blanco of the Brown Coffee Company, San Antonio
1st Place: Lorenzo Perkins!!! of Caffe Medici, Austin
Congratulations to all of the finalists, the podium finishers, and to the 2010 South Central Regional Barista Champion, Lorenzo Perkins!
SCRBC List of Competitors
Just in case you were curious, here is the list of competitors for this year’s South Central Regional Barista Competition.
Day 1
Eason Tseng – OUT OF REGION Taiwan
Clancy Rose – Cuvee Coffee – Austin, TX
Kirk Knipmeyer – Coffee Roasters of New Orleans – Kenner, LA
Jenna White – Caffe Medici – Austin, TX
Mark Sobhani – Wildfire Coffee Roasters - San Antonio, TX
Andrew McCaslin – Day Break Coffee – Lubbock, TX
Isaiah Sheese – Double Shot Coffee Co – Tulsa, OK
Drew Cambre – Society of New Orleans Baristas – Metairie, LA
Rey Ortiz – Wildfire Coffee Roasters – San Antonio, TX
Lorenzo Perkins Caffee Medici Austin, TX
Nathanael Long – Sugar Brown’s Coffee – Lubbock, TX
Derek Dyson – Topeca Coffee – Tulsa, OK
Greg Hill – Mojo Coffee House – New Orleans, LA
Day 2
Eason Tseng – OUT OF REGION – Taiwan
Sara Hauschildt – Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf – Austin, TX
Anderson Stockdale – Dee’s Coffee, S.N.O.B. – New Orleans, LA
Jonathan Meadows – White Rock Coffee – Dallas, TX
Aaron Blanco – The Brown Coffee Co – San Antonio, TX
John Cunningham – Topeca Coffee – Tulsa, OK
Mike McKim – Cuvee Coffee – Austin, TX
Tyler Wells – FRANK – Austin, TX
Sean Marshall – Fusion Beans – Houston, TX
Steven Wimberley – Caffe Medici – Austin, TX
Garth Bjorklund – Double Shot Coffee – Tulsa, OK
David Buehrer – Tuscany Coffee – Houston, TX
Matthew Long – Sugar Brown’s Coffee – Lubbock, TX
Now Hiring: Thunderbird Coffee – Austin
(via: Craigslist)
Do you dream of a job with a flexible schedule, fun co-workers, a healthy environment, and a product you can be proud of? Then Thunderbird Coffee may be the perfect place for you!
Want to know more? Here’s what some of the employees at Thunderbird Coffee have to say:
“Our regulars are awesome. Getting to know our customers is one of the best parts of the job.” –Becca
“I love having direct communication with the people I work for. It makes me feel like I actually matter.” –Mark
“I’ve never had a problem getting a day off when I needed it.” –Ryan
“The coffee is so good. I really feel proud of what I serve.” –Bob
“Not only is the coffee great, but we have really awesome beer.” –Ryan
If this sounds like what you’re looking for, come in to Thunderbird Coffee at 1401 Koenig on Sunday, August 30 at 12:00 noon for an audition with our hiring managers. Please also bring your resume and any references.
Due to the high volume of applicants we got last time, we are making it our priority to see as many people as possible and call the best and the brightest back for further discussion.
DO have a great attitude!
DO bring your resume and references.
DO be ready to tell us why YOU are the best person for the job!
DO NOT come in any time before Sunday, August 30, at 12:00 noon.
DO NOT call or e-mail about this position.
DO NOT worry. If we can’t see everyone who shows up on Sunday, we will schedule another audition date.
Positions are limited, and applicants will be seen on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please show up on time!
- Location: Thunderbird Coffee
- Compensation: 6.55/hr+tips, 7.50/hr +tips
Product vs. Atmosphere
For many people, the idea is pretty straightforward in regards to restaurants and food.
1. If the food is fantastic, but the place is a dump (i.e. – renouned barbecue joints), people will come back in droves.
2. If the food is forgetable and the service was good, it tells you something about the place.
3. If the food is wonderful, the service is great, but the ambience is lacking, you will notice, but you will still return.
4. If the ambience is fantastic, the service is great, but the food is mediocre, the odds are good that you will not return because while it scored highly on the peripherals, it missed it where it counts.
Why is this different than in part 2, where the business will still survive? Expectations.
In scenario 4, it seems that the ambience and service were building up to a glorious climax of fantastic cuisine. The food did not deliver, and thus, the entire experience is anti-climatic. They will not have bad things to say, necessarily, but the odds of their returning are very slim.
This is very easily understood by most people. You don’t get innovative high end cuisine from Applebee’s , but you also don’t expect it when going in, even if your neighborhood location has great service.
Translated to specialty coffee retailing, one can use the same logic. If a fortune is spent on the ambience, and the service is knock-your-socks-off-great, one should expect the coffee to be on level as well. More often than not, the coffee fails to deliver the satisfaction of a culinary climax to the experience, yet many of these places ride the wave of niche market branding. The niche of Specialty Coffee.
Many have gotten away with it for a long time in part, I believe, because the mediocrity found at well-known ubiquitous chains became the standard for the average consumer. Serve the same with a better cultural feel, and it’s low-hanging fruit: gauranteed success.
So why are we seeing some of these places going out of business these days?
The economy is partially to blame. This is a factual truth. The big chains are feeling the effects as is evidenced by their menu changes and shifts in marketing strategy. People are still willing to spend money, but now they are paying more attention to the value of what their money is getting them. In short, they are more concerned with the quality of the products they are buying. (key word: products)
While the service may have stepped up a notch, and while prices may have been reduced, some retailers may find their sales still dropping. Take the new French “fooding” approach. Give them more for their money. Great coffee can be easily approachable for the average joe (no pun intended).
This doesn’t have to mean spending more money(although it could). I am often amazed at how many retailers don’t actually take the time to learn about coffee before opening a company that specializes in making and serving it. Many have been convinced that selling culture is the way to run a coffee house, but what good is that for people who drop in on their way to work in the morning? All those people want is a great cup of coffee done well, and done in a timely manner. This means that what is important for a profitable coffee retailer is, above all, the quality of their products.
Yes, atmosphere is important, but in a hierarchy of factors, I would argue that it takes a back seat to product quality. After all, you’re not selling atmosphere. Atmosphere is intended to draw people in to buy products. It is secondary.
In a time when it is important to really focus, why not take a look at your shop’s coffee and training program. Is it enough? Have you shopped your competition? What can you learn from each other? It may be time to reevaluate things, and to start focusing on the heart and soul of your business. Your products.
For Hire: Jerry S. Caunca, Philippines
I received an email from a gentleman in the Philippines named Jerry Caunca who is looking for work as a Barista.
Jerry writes,
(paraphrase)…I‘m from the Philippines. I want to go to Canada or the United States. I have been a coffee barista for 5 years here in the Philippines.
His resume is quite interesting. He has been a barista (coffee professional is probably more accurate. He has some background in roasting as well.) for a few years, and has been in the service industry for his entire career. He seems to enjoy serving and interacting with people.
Any roaster and/or retailer looking to take on some fresh talent should probably take a look at his resume and contact him. His phone number is in his resume.
Jerry S. Caunca’s Resume (PDF)
Do you YouTube? Let Us Know!
We have included a feature of YouTube videos from coffee people in Texas in the left hand sidebar. In addition to our own channel (youtube.com/texascoffeepeople), you will see Caffe Medici’s channel videos as well. If your shop or roasterie has a YouTube channel, and you would like to be featured in the TX-Coffee.com YouTube sidebar, just let us know!
Also, if you are a consumer and you post videos of coffee industry news or establishments, you are welcome to be added as well.
The hope is that this new feature can help connect Texas Coffee People who use YouTube together in an effort to further develop the specialty coffee community in Texas. (as usual)
We would also love to post a promotional video for your event, shop, roasterie, or other related subject matter to our channel, if you would like. Just let us know via our Contact page. We’d be glad to hear from you.
SCAA Volunteers Wanted: Atlanta, GA
Volunteer Information & Sign-up Forms
Volunteer Positions
Registration Info
Volunteer positions are on a first come basis so if you are interested in participating in this program, I encourage you to submit your sign-up forms as soon as possible.
SCAA Website Development & Maintenance
Conference Volunteer Management
Tel: 949-481-1325
Fax: 949-481-0854
volunteers@scaa.org
Latte Art Smackdown and Barista Jam: Austin
As taken straight from the Barista Exchange event page:
Time: March 28, 2009 from 3pm to 9pm
Location: Caffe Medici Guadalupe, Austin, TX
Street: 2202 Guadalupe Street
City/Town: Austin
Website or Map: http://maps.google.com/maps…
Contact Info: 512-474-5730
Event Type: latte, art, throwdown, barista, jam
Organized By: Lorenzo Perkins, Patrick Pierce
The first of many bad ass barista jams and Latte Art Smackdowns to be held in the ATX. Informative, Fun, Community Driving and did I mention . . . AWESOME!
The jam will start off with a cupping from different roasters from around Texas, followed by an in depth coffee discussion, and of course, a winner take all pour-off.
For more information go to http://saturdaynightsmackdown.blogspot.com/
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