When an Interest Becomes a Calling
We interviewed one of our students who has been taking a series of accredited classes with The Art of Coffee. Here is Ahmed’s testimony of how coffee birthed a passion to seek success within the industry.
Ahmed has always had a unique passion for coffee, complimented by respect for experienced baristas. This led him to study the craft, seeking out trainers to birth and fine tune his skills. That was when he found “The Art of Coffee,” located in the very center of London.
When Ahmed booked his first accredited class, Introduction to Coffee, he described his anticipation with excitement and enthusiasm. He hoped to gain a general but firm foundation of how coffee “works”, and after completing the class and acing his exam, he was compelled to book the accredited Barista Skills Foundation class straight away. Thus, his learning had only just begun.
As you’re probably aware, coffee is not a simple beverage to just consume. Ahmed spoke about the challenges in the Introduction to Coffee and expressed with excitement just how much information he had obtained in such a short space of time. He also commented that the information was made easy for to digest and remember by his trainer, Phil (Director and Head Trainer for The Art of Coffee). From the Introduction to Coffee to the Barista Skills module, Ahmed has been continually grateful for the skills he’s attained, and taken a real responsiblility in understanding his areas for improvement - so much so that he went and bought an espresso machine for his home in order to practice latte art! Serious dedication, coupled with accountability, Phil has remained in contact with Ahmed, advising and encouraging his gifts in his coffee skills.
A key component to The Art of Coffee, which Ahmed adopted quickly, is the emphasis on transferable skills. Ahmed has started teaching his local community of the intricicies of coffee, and how time, care and passion is what makes your caffeinated beverage so delicious!
Ahmed described the insight he gained into the coffee industry as “mind opening”, and although he wishes he could have attended the accredited classes sooner, we’re incredibly lucky to have him and couldn’t think of a more perfect time to invest in his development as a barista.
To summarise, we asked Ahmed if his passion has grown for the coffee industry, and what he intends to do with this accumulated knowledge. Here is his response:
“Of course it did, I now want to open my own specialty coffee shop and become a [expert] barista. Those classes created a spark in me to do more research on the coffee industry and how I can bring it to my home country. I am very thankful and fortunate enough to have Phillip as my tutor.”
phillip@theartofcoffeeuk.co.uk
07445 644733
Facebook: theartofcoffeeuk
