A session with the 2014 World Barista Champion, Hidenori Izaki, no less. And what would his golden rule be? It’s the attention to details in details.Especially in the food and beverage industry, in this case a café, it can only get more competitive as the trend continues to thrive in the region.
Visiting Kuala Lumpur during his tour of Asian countries’ the “Experience Hidenori Izaki”session was held on April 18 2016; where he shared about his coffee journey and experiences at the World Barista Championship. Brought to Malaysia specially by Dankoff Coffee Specialist, dc Academy, Victoria Arduino, Nuova Simonelli and BERJAYA University College of Hospitality, we spent some time with Hidenori to get his thoughts on the industry during the short break.
“Focus on your customer. Too many times, the industry focuses on the drink but to run a business, it’s the customers that matter”. Part of being a barista is also to be able to engage with your customer and offer them a splendid experience. Elevating your quality makes the difference from one café to another; he adds.
“Equipment help maximize your potential but it is important that you are prepared at all times”. He advises the same when going into a competition – it is important that the barista makes the effort to do his/her research, practice and practice and to know who are your customers or as he explains in the competition – be in the know of the trend. “Serving something different from the rest or unique is not always an advantage when you are not really prepared but perfecting something from the norm will definitely give you a standout performance” which is part of his strategy when he coaches participants.
And like Mise En Place, where we believe preparation is crucial, Hidenori is unwavering on the principle that a good cup of coffee is all about preparation. Not just physically but mentally as well – “remember that you are in the Hospitality service industry – its everything around you that can offer the customer the right experience and being prepared is a good way to do that!“
Our thanks to BERJAYA University College of Hospitality for the invite and we look for ward to more good cuppas from the Asian scene with more baristas adopting the right preparation like Hidenori Izaki!
