Today I started training for my latest employee to work the espresso bar, which is an awesome time to reflect on what I’ve learned about espresso and coffee thus far in my life.

I have realized over time that it is the first day of training that is so crucial to the whole endeavor. This is when we talk about the concepts and philosophy that will ultimately affect the rest of the process. I am self-admittedly not a very systematic person, and find articles like James Hoffman’s a great and challenging read; however, focusing too much on the skill and knowledge components leave something out of the process, something resembling the “soul” of what is happening.

The first thing a potential barista and I discuss is leaving the ego at home. Too often espresso is thought of in a Hemmingway-esque style of Man vs Nature, with the barista single-handedly creating the shot, but this is just not accurate. The relationship between barista and creation is much more nuance, because the espresso has a life of its own. As a barista we set the conditions for each shot to develop, and then we observe. This may seem like semantics, but it’s a crucial difference. Too often I’ve had espresso that is overpowered by a barista that is actively manipulating the shot to pull out some flavor. The result is interesting, but ultimately unbalanced and rarely delicious.

Espresso is at once simple and complex. I abide by three simple word: sweet, clean, balanced. It is within this framework that all the nuance and complexity emerge. But it only when the barista cedes control of the complexity (and focuses instead on the simple) that the espresso is allowed to truly express itself.

The approach of leaving the ego behind is important, because it means that the barista is truly capable of making the best out of whatever they are given, and open to possibilities that emerge. Only with this understanding does it make sense to move on to the more mundane aspect of skill building.