The women of Caffè Ernani: Monia

Monia, bartender at the Ernani Roasting in Milan.

Certificates:

• Espresso Tasting Course at Caffè Ernani

• Green Coffee Course at Caffè Ernani

• Course From single origin to Caffè Ernani blends

• Brewing course at Caffè Ernani

• Roasting course at Caffè Ernani

• Coffee course at Caffè Ernani

Hi Monia!

Here we are with the last edition of “Le donne di Caffè Ernani”. Finally, I have the pleasure of meeting you too!
I know that you are the latest addition to the Torrefazione team, are you enjoying it?

Hello!
Yes of course, we have created a good team, both at work and outside, we immediately became friends and this makes us very close in all scenarios.

Very well, I’m happy with it!
I’m curious to know you better. Let’s start with a trivial question: how did you decide to be a barista?

I actually started out just to help out a former boyfriend of mine who owned a club. I had just graduated from high school and was looking for a job to start earning some money on my own and I immediately threw myself into this kind of job.

I first worked as a waitress for various times, then I moved on to be a barista.
The bar felt like the promised land, while the table service was starting to getting to much for me.

The bar, on the contrary, immediately gave me a bit of peace and confidence in myself, leading me to be more relaxed.

Wow being a barista even manages to relax you! What exactly do you like about the job as a barista, how come it gives you this calm?

First of all, it allows you to build a completely different relationship with customers: the barista has a relationship with customers, while the waitress has always seemed a more distant figure to me as you can’t stop for a chat and establish a bond.

In addition, the barista creates a product, which is then served. So this job, when done right, can give you a lot of confidence in yourself.
It is so rewarding to create  with your hands what your customer is going to taste and enjoy.

You’re right, it must be a good feeling to receive compliments for what you have created and I can understand your it as I blush when what I cook is appreciated!
You are so much into your job that it looks like you are never going to try something different?

Absolutely not! I like what I do and it is not like that by chance, I chose to continue to be a bartender and I love it!
I could never imagine myself in the office, sitting all day, without constant contact with people. I could really go crazy, I would feel like an animal locked in a cage!

It is true that sometimes this job is stressful, sometimes you have clients who treat you badly or there are situations in which I am required to concentrate and be very fast that are stressful.

But I like this part of the job as well!

Those moments are like small challenges that add a little spice to the classic days. When I manage to overcome these obstacles I feel even better and in the meantime we have a lot of fun with the other friends of the Ernani staff. We stimulate each other and even make fun of each other, to play down and ease the tension.

Ok so this is your job and there is no question about it!
What do you do in your free time?

Actually nothing special, I hang out with my friends.
I told you: I like being in contact with people, socializing and being in a group, so being able to dedicate time to my friends is essential for me.

Right so!
Now the time has come for the usual question: what do you like most about the Torrefazione in Corso Buenos Aires?

First of all, I liked the environment. From the first day I felt welcomed by the administration and colleagues. I came from a bar where it was not like that. So it was essential for me to change my workplace, to improve the situation I was in.

Also I immediately felt that they gave me value, I feel appreciated here.

I, just as all my colleagues, have strengths and weaknesses. The trick to creating a good team is to be able to enhance everyone’s strengths, mine I found to be speed and memory.
Sometimes they even make fun of me, they say I’m hyperactive and they’re not completely wrong!
But this is my strength, I never stop, I always run and I manage to combine speed with concentration, to offer a quality service.

Nice, you are a really nice team and congratulations for your tirelessness!

Last question: is there anything you would change at the Torrefazione?

Allow products to be more recognized for their quality. We sell an excellent coffee that deserves to be presented even better, deserves to be told and tasted in the right way. We are actually already doing this work and all our efforts are oriented in this direction, but we all can improve.

Well then I would say that the interview is over. Thanks Monia for the chat it was very interesting. And good luck for your continuation with Ernani!

See you in Roasting,
Martina Mazzoleni