Boss Barista

Ildi Revi is the teacher you wish you had. She's the Director of Learning for Ally Coffee, and in this episode talks about how adults process information, what leaders need to do to recognize the skills of their teams, and highlights the specialness of baristas. Ildi has been in the coffee industry for over 20 years, and she generously shares her ups and downs with our audience. 

Along with 30 past and present employees of Ristretto Roasters, Camila Coddou signed a letter highlighting the problematic #meneither YouTube channel. The channel, co-hosted by Nancy Rommelman, wife of RR's owner, touted itself as a channel addressing 'toxic femininity' and poised itself to question the legitimacy of victims of sexual violence and harassment. In the letter, the co-signers described the channel as a signal that their concerns were not going to be taken seriously and their safety was in danger. 

The ensuing fallout was nothing short of incredible—wholesale accounts pulled out, articles were published, and folks sympathetic to Ristretto immediately set their eyes on Camila. In this episode, we talk about why attention fell on her. Camila discusses how systems of oppression are designed to protect those with power, and how marginalized people reclaiming their narratives makes folks in power uncomfortable and defensive. Oh, and we also talk about the fragility folks in power feel when their ideals are challenged. Also, we talk about folks getting real petty and taking to Twitter. 

We recommend reading some of the news stories and op-eds regarding Ristretto Roasters before you jump into this episode. #littleax

When the 2015 United States Brewers Cup champion Sarah Andersen was announced as the winner, Tom Jones' "She's A Lady," started playing. It was a strange and confusing moment in the competition - because no weirdly gendered anthem played for any of the other competitors. 

Sabine Parrish decided to study this phenomenon - why are women treated differently at coffee competitions. In her essay, cheekingly called, "She's A Lady," she explores how women are marginalized in the coffee industry. She did this by collecting hundreds of stories. Women across the nation submitted their personal experiences with sexism behind the bar, and Sabine used that to publish one of the most important pieces of research the coffee industry has ever seen. We talk to Sabine about her findings and what she hopes to see in the future. 

"I realized I hadn't lived as myself for the last five years." Christina Snyder is a roaster for Deeper Roots Coffee in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in this interview, they talk about creating space for others, the constant code switching of customer service, and honoring one's boundaries and mental capacity. In this deeply personal episode, Christina answers some difficult questions about the self, taking care of your team, and the power of a simple check in. 

If you're reading this, I encourage you to call, write, or text someone you love and ask them how they are. Proactively take care of your friends and loved ones if you're able. 

Also check out these amazing new podcast covers from @erinannsalt. And thanks always to @goodbeerhunting for making this podcast possible. 

Last year, eight women came forward with allegations against the San Francisco-based roaster Four Barrel and its owner, Jeremy Tooker. They filed suit against Tooker and the business, citing multiple instances of sexual abuse and harassment. SF Chronicle Reporter Justin Phillips diligently reported this story and the subsequent fall out, backlash, and unfortunate return to the status quo on the part of Four Barrel. 

In this episode, I talk to Justin about what it was like to follow this story, and what responsibility journalists have to listen to victims and follow stories. We also swap our favorite Netflix shows, talk about how to decompress, and honor the work of the women who stepped forward and started a movement towards transparency and accountability in the coffee industry. 

If you don't know what happened at Four Barrel, I encourage you to read Justin's reporting and listen to Episodes 34 and 35 of Boss Barista. Also, if you know anyone who still serves Four Barrel in their cafe or patrons their shop, please send them this episode. 

It can sometimes seem like our coffee heroes have always been successful—but nothing could be further from the truth. Alicia Adams is the Director of Coffee for Red Bay Coffee in Oakland, Calif., and she talks about her journey to this position. Alicia shares how she learned from others around her, how she stays focused, and shares her approach to tasting and evaluating coffee. 

Alicia is also the kindest, most thoughtful person and one of the best sensory analysts I've ever met. If you want a carefully considered approach to coffee, this is the conversation to listen to.