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The terra-cotta Intelligentsia coffee sign pops out from a drab stretch of industrial buildings along San Fernando Road in Glassell Park. Sorry, you can’t buy a cup of Esmeralda Especial here. This is the company’s West Coast roasting plant and training center, where baristas-to-be get their training before they are allowed to go solo behind the Clover machine in the Silver Lake store and future locations. Kyle Glanville, manager of Espresso Research Development, describes the training in a story posted on Food GPS:
“Employees start their time at Intelligentsia as a barback, running dishes etc. until they learn Clover prep. They graduate to apprentice once they begin regular training with me. They will remain an apprentice for several months until they have passed a sensory exam, a written coffee knowledge exam, and a drink preparation exam. All apprentices must demonstrate a level of readiness beyond the test-taking before they are allowed to take the test. This is based on my impression of their skills in all facets of coffee knowledge and customer service.”
Does that test include keeping a straight face when they tell you your cup of coffee costs $3.75?
Photo by brainylagirl of the Silver Lake store
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