The professional figure of the barista in Italy has known more or less happy moments. In recent decades it has certainly lost value. First of all, a large number of bars have been opened (and often then closed) by those hoping for an easy and undemanding business. We have therefore seen tens of thousands of coffee shops without a clear vision of the business, with the sole aim of providing an income to the owner, but which have caused a lowering of the quality on the market.
Under these conditions, the world of the bar in Italy has become less and less professional and the barista's job less and less interesting due to demanding shifts, low salaries and scarce opportunities for professional growth. In this complex context, there is certainly no shortage of valid professionals, who have however personally invested in their training through various private courses.
Public hotel schools are well present and should play a crucial role in an economy like the Italian one, but too often they have very limited resources and outdated equipment when it comes to teaching barista skills. Some good teachers continue to spend themselves with passion, trying to overcome the limits of schools, often with the collaboration of local coffee roasters and companies in the sector.
Photo by Unsplash / Nathan Dumlao
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