What is your position in the coffee industry?

barista, barista trainer, coffee roaster, coffee enthusiast

Where are you located? ( City and Country )

Excelsior, USA

How many years have you been in the industry?

eight

If you are a barista or shop, are you interested in a barista exchange with another coffee shop/barista?

yes

Tell us more about your coffee shop or barista skills.

I am a practicing self taught latte artist, though I am a long way from where I want to be! I hope to either master it before I get to Portland, or find a cafe to work at that will give me proper training. I have worked mostly for independent coffee shops, currently work at Dunn Bros. Coffe and Wine Bar. There was a cafe I worked at in Oakland, CA where I got a brief climpse at latte art and discovered a whole new world of coffee. Recently, on a night out, a man asked me, with a bit of a snicker, if I was a barista by trade. Absolutely. I love everything about being a barista, and it is (if we work in a nice cafe) serious stuff we do. I love the social aspects of it, access to delicious espresso and teas, and how I feel like a chemist/artist/bar tender/therapist, all in one. America, for the most part is not a big coffee culture, at least not in the sense of quality of espresso and steamed milk- caffeine and sugar culture, maybe, but not coffee. I do love a bit of good froth, and taking my time to sip my drink, through a leisurely morning at a good cafe, with a good book/journal, and/or some nice music to listen to. It makes my world go round, and I want to get better and better at what I do.

What cities or countries are you interested in traveling to?

Portland, OR. I would particularly love to work for an independent coffee shop that uses milk from grass fed cows on a sustainable, local, organic farm, and of course, fair trade coffee. That would be a dream!

About Me:

I am a 24 year old aspiring organic farmer relocating to Portland, OR. I have a degree in creative writing from Mills College in Oakland, CA- still write all the time, but realized I have no desire to make it my work and take the fun out of it. I moved back to MN last June to visit relatives, save lots of money, and work with a few public schools in the area to see if I could dig teaching... lots of fun, but I'm still testing the waters. Before moving back to MN, I lived in Los Angeles for a year, and before that, Oakland for 5. I am anxious to get back to the lovely northwest coast.

About My Company:

Dunn Bros. of Exclesior, MN is a franchise owned by Chris and Michele Arnoldy. We have live music on the weekends in the evening, and serve wine and beer as well. We roast our own beans, have excellent espresso, and have wonderful, very loyal regulars. It is a franchise, yes, but anyone who's been to the midwest and experienced a Dunn Bros, will know that it is a world of difference between Dunn Bros. and Starbucks or any other chain coffee shop.

What is your favorite thing about the coffee industry?

the science of making a delicious espresso drink, the creative outlet of latte art, and THE PEOPLE

Website:

http://www.dunnbros.com/locate_results.asp?location_id=24