Responsibilities of a coffee lady
All responsibilities that are assigned to a representative of this profession can be divided into several groups. Firstly, it is holding coffee breaks and organizing their economic part. This point may include:
- table setting,
- preparing snacks, drinks and serving them to the table,
- maintaining order on the table and changing dishes according to a previously established schedule,
- cleaning and washing dishes,
- control of the cleanliness of the room and its cleaning upon completion of the reception.
The second group of responsibilities includes supplying everything that is needed for coffee breaks:
- calculation of the required amount of dishes and products,
- drawing up an estimate for a specific event or for a specific period,
- purchasing everything you need for coffee breaks,
- timely payment to suppliers for delivered goods,
- control over product consumption.
The next category includes related responsibilities. They may vary depending on the place of work. Among them:
- organizing meetings - you may need to call all the invitees or send them invitations,
- meeting guests who came to the event,
- combining the position of a coffee lady with the responsibilities of an office manager, clerk or secretary.
Salary
The average income of maids in Russia is about 35,000 rubles. The maximum threshold for specialists of the highest category is up to 90,000 rubles.
In some regions, maids' earnings depend on seasonality. Thus, in the south of Russia, during the peak of the arrival of vacationers, hotel employees receive about 40,000 rubles a month, but in winter they are forced to receive the minimum wage or even look for another place of work, including going on shifts to large cities.
In the north of Russia there are practically no maids as such. There are cleaners who serve private clients - they clean up rental houses and apartments according to schedules agreed with the owners. In this case, the salary is about 20,000 rubles.
Required Skills
A girl holding the position of coffee lady should have the following skills:
- ability to prepare coffee drinks in a cezve and modern coffee machines,
- knowledge of the rules of the tea ceremony and tea brewing,
- knowledge of at least one foreign language,
- understanding of etiquette,
- the ability to properly serve food and drinks to the table - experience as a waiter will be useful,
- knowledge of office programs, which is especially important when combining a position with the duties of a clerk or secretary.
Please note that you will have to work with products. Therefore, you need to take care of having a medical book.
About the manufacturer
The Ambassador coffee brand is the brainchild of the large Swiss corporation Sucafina SA. It was the company that for a long time supplied green Colombian Arabica beans to the European market, which were processed by specialists in this matter. Direct deliveries of high-quality coffee and the ability to track their transportation were the impetus for the establishment of a new industry - roasting, blending and packaging of coffee as a finished product.
Soon the world learned a new brand of coffee, represented by different types and varieties. Most blends were based on Colombian Arabica varieties, which are considered one of the best in the entire coffee market.
The year of foundation of the brand is considered to be 1987. But since those times, the quality and main blends of coffee have remained unchanged. The packaging has become more modern, its design has changed, and the range has been expanded with new product lines. At first it was Ambassador coffee beans, then ground and finally instant.
The brand appeared in Russia and other CIS countries not so long ago. It found its admirers thanks to the classic tastes of the drink, rich shades and affordable price.
Personal qualities
A girl holding such a position will benefit from the following character traits:
- Accuracy. You will have to work with food products, and accordingly, neatness is required. In addition, you will have to clean up the entire entrusted territory.
- Organizational skills. Any event needs preparation. Therefore, everything should be calculated and checked in advance. It would be a good idea to develop a backup plan in case something doesn’t go as planned. For example, some of the guests will want a certain type of coffee or tea prepared using a special technology. You need to be prepared for this.
- Communication skills. Work involves communicating with a huge number of people, so without this character trait it will be incredibly difficult to carry out work duties.
- Stress resistance. Force majeure situations cannot be excluded. The girl may have to face the displeasure of her boss and work irregular hours if the negotiations drag on.
- Hard work. Representatives of this profession are entrusted with many responsibilities, which should be treated with the utmost responsibility.
- Positive attitude towards people. A coffee lady should be friendly and smiling, regardless of her mood and well-being. An optimistic attitude helps you endure stress more easily and find positive moments in every day, even the most routine.
- Ability to perform multiple tasks at once. The position involves simultaneous resolution of a number of issues. Therefore, you need to be able to correctly set priorities, find optimal solutions, and quickly respond to the situation.
What are the benefits of coffee grounds?
It was previously believed that coffee grounds as a fertilizer were only suitable for alkaline soils. That is, it has a high level of acidity, so only flowers can be fertilized with it. Scientists have shown that coffee grounds actually have a neutral pH level. Because the acid contained in coffee beans is washed out during preparation. This means that leftover black coffee can be safely used to fertilize any type of plant in the garden.
Coffee beans contain the following beneficial substances:
- magnesium,
- potassium,
- nitrogen,
- calcium,
- phosphorus.
The amount of microelements reaches about 3%, which in principle is a good indicator for feeding plants. And not only garden crops, but also garden, ornamental, and different types of flowers. For example, phosphorus and potassium help the plant to bloom and bear fruit well, nitrogen takes part in photosynthesis and accelerates plant growth. Using coffee grounds, you can feed crops with minerals for free, rather than with purchased “chemical” fertilizers.
Homegrown agronomists, based on their experience, claim that black coffee grounds contribute to the productivity of garden crops:
- tomatoes,
- sweet pepper,
- legumes,
- carrots,
- black radish and radish.
In gardening, fertilizers from dormant coffee have an effective effect on berry and fruit trees. Roses and begonias, lilies and ferns “love” coffee. In addition, the aromatic smell of coffee grounds repels many pests, including fruit flies. But earthworms are attracted to this smell - they begin to actively loosen the soil and build numerous tunnels. This has a beneficial effect on the condition of the soil and the development of plants.
What companies hire coffee ladies?
The services of a coffee lady may be needed by several categories of employers:
- Systemically important companies that operate internationally. They have to host numerous delegations of partners.
- Large enterprises. As a rule, in this case, the position of a coffee lady is combined with the responsibilities of a manager or office employee.
- Representatives of mass culture and show business. The work can be one-time or permanent.
- Outsourcing companies . They are considered the most frequent employers. Other organizations order coffee lady services from them. Therefore, they hire a person to perform these duties on staff.
Career prospects
Having started a career, a merchandiser immediately finds himself in an advantageous position. Unlike ordinary employees, he interacts directly with management. At large enterprises, the merchandise manager has salespeople, merchandisers, and storekeepers subordinate to him. And if he makes an effort to establish himself as a responsible employee, when a vacancy arises for one of the management positions, his candidacy will be considered first. Most often, merchandisers become department heads, sales floor administrators, and may later become store directors.
Disadvantages of work
Among the disadvantages of this profession are the following:
- relatively low salary,
- lack of career prospects,
- great responsibility,
- you have to work in front of management,
- the risk of being laid off if a crisis situation arises at the employer.
The coffee lady profession appeared relatively recently, but has already become in demand. More and more girls are trying to get this position. This is due to the fact that the work, although difficult, is interesting.
Black as night, sweet as sin...
Barista (Italian barista) - literally “a person who works behind the bar”, a specialist in preparing coffee. Following Italian recipes, the barista must be able to prepare espresso, its varieties - ristretto, lungo, as well as espresso-based drinks such as cappuccino, correto, latte. In addition to making drinks quickly, correctly and tasty, you need to serve them beautifully using latte art - the art of creating milky coffee patterns on the surface of coffee. As the English writer and playwright John Galsworthy said: “There are things that are worth being faithful to. For example, coffee." Coffee master of the Starbucks coffee chain and a devoted coffee fan, Svetlana Kostynich, will talk about her understanding of this seemingly simple profession.
Essence:
Knowledge and personal qualities: “The most important thing is the love for coffee and the process of its preparation
Having experience is not so important; almost all of our employees (including myself) come here as beginners and quickly learn from scratch. Equally important components of a barista’s job are friendliness, sociability, and the ability to put guests in a good mood. Training process: “Under the guidance of an experienced mentor, training lasts 2 - 3 weeks
During this time, step by step, the future barista masters the intricacies of preparing a wide variety of coffee-based drinks. At the end of the training, certification is required. This process takes several hours and consists of two stages. First you need to answer questions, and then show your skills and prepare all the drinks that are on the menu. After this, independent work in the coffee shop begins. But barista development does not end after certification: there is the opportunity for continuous improvement. In particular, you can become a coffee master - an expert who can easily distinguish one type of coffee from another, evaluate it and can tell a lot about it. In a coffee shop you can recognize him by his black apron. Certification takes place in several stages, which only real professionals can handle. Every year you need to confirm your skills"
Training process: “Under the guidance of an experienced mentor, training lasts 2 - 3 weeks. During this time, step by step, the future barista masters the intricacies of preparing a wide variety of coffee-based drinks. At the end of the training, certification is required. This process takes several hours and consists of two stages. First you need to answer questions, and then show your skills and prepare all the drinks that are on the menu. After this, independent work in the coffee shop begins. But barista development does not end after certification: there is the opportunity for continuous improvement. In particular, you can become a coffee master - an expert who can easily distinguish one type of coffee from another, evaluate it and can tell a lot about it. In a coffee shop you can recognize him by his black apron. Certification takes place in several stages, which only real professionals can handle. Every year you need to prove your skills.”
Pros: “This job allows you to express your creative and communication skills. You constantly meet and get to know new people and expand your horizons.”
Cons: “I believe that there are no obvious disadvantages to being a barista, but there are definitely some specifics. Many times I have heard people say that the coffee shop is so quiet and nice, but in reality it is not. You need to work quickly, on your feet all the time. I, like many of my colleagues, appreciate this dynamic lifestyle. I love being a coffee expert and loving what I do.”
Barista competition
Every year, under the auspices of SCAE and SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of Europe and Specialty Coffee Association of America), professional coffee championships are held. The main championship for baristas is the World Barista Championship. Each country holds regional and national championships to select the best barista to represent their country at the world championship. The WBC alternates venues between America and Europe. Held every year. Usually, together with the WBC, world championships in Coffee-Alcohol, Cuptesting, Turkish Coffee (Ibrik) and Latte Art are held. Baristas representing their countries can take part in each of these championships (one per country). Representatives of Russia in various years won the Coffee-Alcohol, Cuptesting and the first World Coffee Championships in Turkey. At the barista championships, qualifying for the WBC, the participant must prepare three types of coffee in four variations each for a strict jury in 15 minutes - 12 drinks: 4 espresso, 4 cappuccino and 4 signature drinks must be espresso based (without alcohol and this should not be a dessert ). The assessment is usually given according to two parameters: the participant is judged by technical judges (assessing technical skills, ability to work with an espresso machine, with grain and a coffee grinder, correct tamping and dosage - the first parameter) and taste judges (assessing the taste characteristics of drinks, compliance with the description provided by the participant - second parameter).
Waiter: who is he and what does he do?
The specialist, after completing a short training, begins to work. Several tables for guests are assigned behind it. When the hostess, or one of the waiters standing at the entrance in front of the establishment, invites visitors to choose a seat. The employee assigned to the table already takes a sufficient number of menus and wine lists and goes to greet the guests.
Before this, the restaurant worker puts the tables intended for guests in proper condition: changes the tablecloths if they are dirty, removes crumbs and dishes left by previous visitors, and updates the cutlery.
Having served the menu to the guests, the waiter moves away and occasionally glances at the establishment’s customers to understand when the guests are ready to place an order.
Then his actions become completely mechanical:
- check the order;
- take the menu;
- transmit a list of ordered dishes to the kitchen;
- start serving.
Having served drinks and food, the employee is unlikely to be able to relax, because there are still several tables waiting for him. The amazing “RAM” contains everything: how to arrange dishes, when to bring drinks, in what order to serve tables.
But another concern is added to the profession of a waiter-bartender: while he is performing his direct duties, pouring drinks to visitors at the bar, he has to glance “out of the corner of his eye” at the guests sitting at the tables. Constantly running around the hall, from the counter to the tables, is a real workout, because the actions must be even faster than those of the waiter in order to keep up with everything. A special skill that stands out like the icing on the cake is the ability to serve drinks effectively.
The profession of a waiter is not a monotonous job where absolutely everything is done automatically. A good master knows perfectly the rules of etiquette, the contents of the menu, and he can advise you on choosing a dish.
Partial service by waiters at one table can be explained by the cohesion of the team; one waiter can replace another, remove dirty dishes from the table. Such a team tries for the benefit of the establishment; it is a team.
The best part of the job is the tips. They are divided in two ways:
- in the first - everyone takes exactly as much money as they gave him as a tip;
- the second way is to collect all the money into a common piggy bank and divide it equally between the waiters, administrator, hostess and kitchen workers.
