Over the last two days, competitors from all over Ireland came to Dublin to compete for entry into the Irish Barista Championship finals.  An impressive 32 entrants applied but only ten would go through to the finals. It gives me great pride to announce that 4 of the finalists that went through are from our cafe. Rachael Coss, Bella Zudor, Emily Gough and Andrius Valiauga.  Anna Severyn, also of the cafe did a really great job too, but sadly just missed out on the top ten slot. Rachael was actually the highest scorer of the day with an impressive 470 points. (Important to note that competitors did not have to make signature drinks, so the scores weren’t as high as normal)

Over the next month the guys will be practicing, hopefully a lot, in preperation for the finals at the end of February. I’m hoping we can post reports on how they’re getting along and maybe post the occasional video with the baristas on what the comp means to them. For the moment though, we’re just chuffed with all the entrants from the cafe for taking the courage to actually go and enter.

Check Stephen’s blog for some more details.

Ruslan has been with the café since it re-opened back in 2005 but has been working with the Sherland Group for even longer. As the bar manager for Café Bar Deli, located at the back of Bewley’s café, he is responsible for running all the bar staff, ensuring they prepare the coffee, desserts and drinks to his exacting standards.

Born in the Ukraine, Ruslan has been an Irish citizen for a few years now and we’re chuffed to announce his placing 3rd in last year’s Irish Barista Championship. He also participated in the European Team Challenge held in Dublin last October; his blind latte art pushing Ireland up the scoreboard to finish in third.

Ruslan is a very proud barista with a keen eye and a great passion for his coffee. He’s always the first to let you know if something is not 110% right with either machinery or coffee and is continuously trying to push the envelope with his latte art. Being the only barista in the building who can pour 5 rosettes in an 8 ounce cup simply highlights his level of devotion. Ruslan may boast about his pouring skills but seems more proud of his wife and baby girl who rumor has it he’s secretly training in multi-art.

Stay tuned for his questionnaire!

Sorry for the lapse in posting of late folks, but rest assured many a post are coming your way!

It’s sad to say that our two apprentice roasters are leaving our café. After spending more then two years each in Dublin they have decided its time to go home. When the Swedes joined the roasting/ retail counter they had only a gleam in there eye and a passion for the black stuff. They took to the game with great speed, and it was apparent that they both had great palates and soon developed vocabularies to talk about our coffees. They quickly adapted to the roasting process and both pulled very consistent roasts off our little 5 kilo.
Dave is going to try and crack the scene in Coppenhaggen so keep an eye on this young man as he makes his mark within the industry. We wish him all the best and believe his passion for coffee will set the path for his career.

Liv on the other hand, is heading to Austria to work for a ski season. She has told us that she will keep her options open and decide what she wants to do when she gets back to Sweden. Again we wish her the best and are sure that with her organization skills and reliability she will succeed in what ever she puts her mind too.
We will miss you both, make sure you keep in touch and let us know what your both up too.

Good luck!

D

Just back from competing in the Hungarian National Barista Competition, our next barista on the site is Bela Zudor. Like Rachael, Bela has also worked in the cafe since it re opened over a year ago. He was first considered to be a man of very few words, but not due to any difficulty with the English language. However, once the baristas behind the bar got used to the constant fast pace, they relaxed, and Bela’s dark sense of humour emerged. If you listen carefully you’ll hear Bela make small comments out of the corner of his mouth now and again. He doesn’t seem to care if no one hears him, but instead seems quite happy smiling to himself at his own humour.

Regards his capabilities behind the bar, and his work ethic, Bela is simply a machine. He seems to work more shifts than anyone else and never shows any time of weariness. He was the first to really get a name for his latte art in the building and has a style of rosetta that no one else seems quite able to replicate. Latte art’s importance in speciality coffee is often over prioritised, but in cases like Bela, it is an area of the craft where baristas can show their own individual styles for the customers eyes.

And now for the questionnaire.
How long have you worked in the cafe? Ever since they re-opened.

What do you like about working in the cafe? When the right people are behind the bar, we always have a lot of fun. (Bela would not say who the right people were)

What is your favourite drink to make? Cappuccino

What is your favourite drink to drink? Guinness,.. isn’t that a suprise?

What is the most annoying customer question/comment you’ve heard? I hate it when they get a proper drink, and I mean a perfect one,..and then they go and complain its cold!!!!

Rosetta or Heart? It has to be a rosetta. (Doubles on Sundays)

What personal quality or skill do you bring to the bar? I can stay calm when its getting really busy, which I guess is not a bad thing.

Out of 10, how much do you love coffee? I’m only tasting coffee at the moment, but regards makingm, 10.

Filter or espresso? Espresso (Doubles)

What origin country would you most like to visit and why? Australia, because it’d be interesting see them at this early stage in their growing industry.

The first barista we’ve chosen to profile on the site, is one of the most experienced and skilled in the cafe, Rachael Coss. Born here in Dublin, she has worked here since the cafe first re-opened in June 2005 and over time has gained a reputation for being incredibly consistent and reliable. I’ve never seen her pour anything other than perfect latte art, and she’s particularly fast when the bar gets slammed.

Rachael works in the front bar of the building, more commonly known as Bewley’s Cafe. The bar runs a take away service as well as a sit in and boasts two three group machines; one La Marzocco fb70, and a brand new Dalla Corte just installed this week. The bar is open from 7am to around 10 am, and has at least three to four baristas on at all times.

We devised a short quiz for each of the barista’s to put in their profiles;

How long have you worked in the cafe? Since it reopened in June 2005.
What do you like about working in the cafe? I love the people I work with and the laugh we have behind the bar. Its cool when it gets real busy and you have to slam the drinks out as fast you can, but still making sure they’re good.

What is your favourite drink to make? Cappuccino

What is your favourite drink to drink? I’m still a latte girl, but I always use a double shot. I drink macchiato’s now and again too.

Whats the most annoying customer complaint you’ve heard? It bothers me when they say their cappuccino isn’t a cappuccino just because it doesn’t resemble a meringue covered with chocolate.
Rosetta or Heart? Defintely rosetta

What person quality or skill do you bring to the bar? I dunno, I laugh a lot and I guess I can be quite sarcastic. I think I’m quite fast when I need to be,..er,..I dunno

Filter or espresso? Espresso

What origin country would you most like to visit and why? Brazil I think,.. not sure why,… it just looks amazing in any pictures I’ve seen, and I’d love to visit a farm. I’d say its brilliant.

Out of ten, how much do you love coffee? 10 (giggles)

This is a brand new blog to introduce you to the baristas, roasters and coffee enthusiasts that work and play at Bewleys Cafe on Grafton st Dublin, Ireland. In creating this blog we hope to provide a platform to showcase the ever developing culture of coffee in our great cafe and indeed Dublin.

Over time we will introduce you to each personality that helps makes Bewley’s cafe the world class joint that is. So from all of us here we say stay tuned and hope to see you the cafe!