The women of Café Ernani: Alma

Hi Alma! First of all, thank you for taking the time to interview me.

You joined the team in December 2023. Perhaps one of the most complicated times of the whole year, but right from the start you showed yourself ready for the work ahead!

Now I’ll ask you straight away: what are your first impressions?

Hello to you too Marti, yes exactly I arrived on December 1, 2023 and yes it was not easy.

Although I feel like I clicked right away with the job and the whole team, certainly having to manage that disproportionate workflow and in the process learning about all of our products and services was not easy.

Fortunately, I love challenge and am not afraid of too much work!

In fact, my first impressions were positive: I liked the team, like the clientele and liked the company right away.

Of course colleagues are not all perfect, because perfection does not exist. Unlike many other places here, though, I felt welcomed. Never even once did I feel judgmental or mean looks directed at me, and no one ever made me feel sidelined, on the contrary!

They seem happy to have me on the team, as if to say, “Another useful hand that can help us work well together!”

Finally, I admit that I didn’t know the company and the Ernani brand before coming here to Torrefazione in Milan, but I love it!

In the last 5 interviews you have all said the same things: the team is great, you are professional, but also warm and friendly, you don’t leave anyone behind, in fact you help each other and I am so happy about that!

Also, I can confirm that you were really good, we may have done a one-day induction with you, because right from the start I could see that you were experienced and ready to run your own station on your own.

Whereas, what were the jobs or experiences that brought you here?

I started by studying tourism, which I left after my third year, however, to start working.

Initially, my dream was to be a Flight Attendant and travel the world. Actually then, I don’t even remember why or how, I started bartending and this job overwhelmed me.

I liked it from the beginning and as I grew I liked it more and more. I am stimulated by the dynamism, the contact with the public and especially when you establish almost a friendly relationship with the customer, when you know what they are getting before they even ask you, when they come to the bar and ask you how you are, because they really want to know and not just for social practice, when you chat and care about each other.

I also admit that my inexhaustible patience helps me a lot in what I’ve been doing for 15 years now.

So you have always bartended in the daytime world, correct?

Yes, that’s right, mainly in the daytime, because that’s my favorite part.

Occasionally I’ve tried waitressing in restaurants, but I like and am much more involved in the bar.

For a certain period of my life I also ran a bar, but that in agreement with my husband we decided to close after a few years for personal reasons.

After this really strong and positive experience I went to work in a restaurant, perhaps the first one I really liked. This was to date my longest experience, of about ⅚ years. I still have very good memories of it to this day.

I would also like to point out that all these experiences I almost always had in Milan

because I madly love this city, for me it is the most beautiful city in the world and even if I don’t live there, at least for work I want to come here every day!

I believe it, Milan when you live it from the inside is overwhelming, you feel that Italian warmth in a metropolis that is constantly changing and evolving.

So you chose Ernani just because he was in Milan?

Yes exactly, about the rest I didn’t care…just kidding of course!

I actually came to you by acquaintances, I was looking for a job and you were looking for an employee, by word of mouth we both learned about each other and so I showed up for the interview and here I am!

(I also arrived a day early to the interview, but better early than late!)

Yes definitely more than late you seemed eager to get started and that actually pleased us.

Having arrived here, I then ask you if you have a goal for the future, although you have already hinted at it in part.

My biggest dream is actually not about work, but I would like to go and do a Christmas in New York, with that magical atmosphere that only you can breathe there at that time.

Then actually at the moment I am satisfied with my life as it is: I have a beautiful and loving family that I care about more than anything else in the world, and at the work level I feel fulfilled and in the right place.

If I really have to say a work goal, it would be to open my own small coffee shop or rather a small Roastery, where I can continue to explain coffee to people and show myself as a dark bean professional!

But we will see what the future looks like.

Wow, we got you so involved in coffee that you would like to have a small roastery now too? I’d say great, we did our job well as owners if we were able to pass the passion on to you!

If you don’t mind now, while we’re on the personal side, I would ask you if you have any hobbies or passions outside of the coffee shop.

Mainly I devote my free time to my little girls: beautiful 3-year-old twins, as well as my husband and my little dog!

Then I admit that I am not a sporty person, I much prefer to go out with my colleagues for drinks after work… every time with them I always have so much fun.

Or even more in general I like to go out with friends, be with friends and have lots of laughs.

Then again, why play sports if you can have a spritz!

Now I’d say let’s wrap it up with the last couple of customary questions, so I’ll finally let you get back to your work:

• What do you like most about Ernani?
• What would you change instead?

You won’t believe it, but I came prepared!

The thing I like most, as I said before, is the fact that it is not a bar, but a Roastery.