We get to know Dylan Siemens, whose ardour for espresso is clear in his present position as head of schooling at Cafe Imports.
BY EMILY JOY MENESES
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Photographs courtesy of Dylan Siemens
With over a decade in specialty espresso beneath his belt, Dylan Siemens has managed to construct a multifaceted profession, having expertise as a barista, competitor, café supervisor, and educator. Now serving as the pinnacle of schooling at Cafe Imports, Dylan just lately launched the ED+U program: an interactive, six-part class sequence aimed towards espresso newcomers and seasoned professionals alike.
As we speak, we’re sitting down with Dylan to hint his journey by espresso and listen to his ideas on espresso schooling, competitors, and extra.
Barista Journal On-line: Are you able to share with us how you bought your begin in espresso, and what led as much as the place you at the moment are?
Dylan Siemens: Whereas in my first yr of faculty, I believed I knew what I needed to do as a profession, however ended up not having fun with college as a lot as I used to be having fun with my new job as a barista. In 2012, I used to be employed on the newly opened Onyx Espresso Lab, down the road from my highschool. I actually fell in love with espresso, particularly naturals, and the depth of coffee-making. Being a barista hit this candy spot of effectivity, intentionality, science, and artwork, all within the title of service and human connection.
After a few years as a barista and doing café deliveries, I accepted a coach place at Onyx and left college. I used to be at school to be a music instructor, impressed by academics who impacted me all through grade college. I wasn’t superb with the construction of faculty again then, although, so turning into a barista coach felt like the proper match. I’d grow to be obsessive about coffee-making and was excited to assist others attain a degree of excellence rapidly.
Over the following 10 years, I developed the coaching program at Onyx Espresso Lab for the workers and wholesale shoppers. I taught lessons on daily basis and beloved it. It took me six months to grasp the mechanics of pouring a coronary heart. Serving to individuals obtain that latte artwork inside just a few days was extraordinarily gratifying.
After turning into the coach, I attended just a few Barista Camps and my first Expos from 2012-2014, which continued to gas my ardour for espresso schooling. There are such a lot of individuals at these occasions who had been formative in serving to me grow to be a greater coach.
From 2015-2020, I used to be deep into competitors. Together with instructing, I really like competing. I participated in U.S. Latte Artwork, Espresso Masters, U.S. Brewers Cup, and U.S. Barista Championships. I received the U.S. Brewers Cup in 2017, and that complete portion of my profession holds a few of my favourite espresso reminiscences. Competitors helped me hone my craft, and I met so many unbelievable individuals within the business.
In 2022, I felt able to grow to be a scholar once more. There was a lot extra about espresso I needed to be taught. I used to be lucky to use and be supplied the espresso educator place at Cafe Imports, the place the purpose of making a revamped curriculum about your complete provide chain was set earlier than me. It was a full-circle second as a result of I used Cafe Imports’ web site to be taught extra about espresso once I first began. I acquired my SCA Teacher certification on the Cafe Imports HQ again in 2016. I’m now working right here on a dream mission. I spend my days researching and speaking with business professionals about facets of espresso during which I’ve much less expertise. The precept is similar, although: Take complicated ideas and make them sensible, and digestible, however nonetheless detailed, for as many individuals as attainable.
How has your expertise been transitioning from being a barista and competitor to being a espresso educator?
Trying again, I’ve been so lucky in my profession. I’ve been surrounded by good individuals who believed in me, supported my development, and gave me alternatives. Espresso form of fell in my lap. Going into school, I believed being a barista on the facet can be enjoyable, however it rapidly grew to become greater than that. I even met my spouse as a co-worker at Onyx, so espresso has actually given me all I’ve. Since turning into a coach, my profession has been as a lot about instructing because it’s been about espresso.
Transitioning from barista coaching to a broader educator place for an importer, I’ve realized that nobody is known as a grasp of every thing in espresso. By the tip of my barista coaching tenure, I used to be very comfy instructing extraction, milk steaming, and many others. Now, I’m again within the place of a scholar. It’s re-taught me to not consider the imposter syndrome narrative that may take over my ideas, to lean on these round me who’re extraordinarily educated, to be a great listener, and to be OK with saying, “I don’t know, however I wish to discover out.” On daily basis is a chance to be taught, develop, and provides extra.
Keep tuned for half two of this interview, the place we’ll ask Dylan concerning the ED+U program and what he sees sooner or later for the espresso world.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Pleasure Meneses (she/they) is a author and musician primarily based in Los Angeles. Her hobbies embody foraging, cortados, classic synths, and connecting together with her Filipino roots by music, artwork, meals, and beverage.
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