John Di Ruocco Honored for serving to Construct Fashionable Espresso Neighborhood
We’re thrilled that our personal VP of Espresso, John Di Ruocco, was chosen as a member of the 2024 Sprudge Twenty. The annual initiative by main trade publication Sprudge honors and amplifies extraordinary people within the international specialty espresso neighborhood. This yr a particular focus was on espresso professionals born about 1970 or earlier to rejoice management legacies which have helped construct fashionable espresso tradition as we all know it right this moment within the twenty first century.
John was nominated for the respect by his brother, Luigi Di Ruocco, with the submission in its entirety discovered beneath. Additionally, don’t miss the fascinating Sprudge Twenty interview with John right here. Our warmest due to Sprudge for giving this wealthy recognition to John for his extraordinary contribution to our trade.
In Luigi’s personal phrases, “We, as an organization, typically inform our founding story—our father, Carlo Di Ruocco, pursuing his American dream, carrying the craft of wooden roasting espresso from his native Salerno, Italy, to Northern California, the place he established a spot for distinctive espresso at eating tables within the area’s earliest, iconic farm-to-table institutions, led by luminary cooks, trailblazers of the ‘70s and ‘80s. It’s a wealthy story steeped in historical past, and honored extensively. From my perspective, the espresso story continues via my brother.
John assumed his function as torchbearer at an early age with a grace and imaginative and prescient that has positioned Mr. Espresso as a permanent trade anomaly in the easiest manner—a espresso roaster that has defied espresso “waves.” John was solely 11 years previous when our father began importing espresso machines from Italy, however it was clear that espresso was in his DNA. John faithfully rode with our father on machine restore calls and tinkered with any he may at dwelling. After John graduated from UC Berkeley with a level in Structure, it was not lengthy earlier than he returned to his ardour, the espresso roastery.
Once I joined the household enterprise in 2001, John had already moved from roastmaster to Director of Espresso, the place looking back he was bridging the hole between the second wave of commodity espresso and the third wave of latest, knowledgeable values round espresso, from farm to cup. John was uniquely discovering the place that honored our father’s Italian custom of handcrafted, wood-roasted espresso, whereas embracing newer values that honored these on the coronary heart of what we do, our espresso producers at origin.
John’s creating philosophy knowledgeable the espresso program he constructed based mostly on these values. Recognizing the duality of sustainability extends to pure sources and human sources, John was instrumental in advancing the Licensed Natural espresso program as an early adopter in 1992, and the Truthful Commerce USA designation in 1999, one of many first U.S. espresso roasters to take action.
Most lately, John, our sister Laura, and I opened Mr. Espresso’s first retail outlet, The Caffè by Mr. Espresso. With The Caffè, we pay homage to our household’s espresso legacy within the Italian espresso, wooden roasting custom. The house has been acknowledged for its simplistic, up to date magnificence, with distinguished wooden options, a 17-foot-wide oak slab bar and hanging artwork set up, subtly remind us of the wooden roast. The award-winning ceramic cupware was designed for an optimum temperature whereas consuming. Past the up to date aesthetic, are delicate nods to the Italian espresso bar expertise, together with no queue for ordering. Simply discover a spot on the bar. John tapped into his interior architect to advise on lots of the key components. And, he’s behind the espresso, in fact.
After working side-by-side for greater than 20 years, John continues to encourage me together with his timeless ardour for his craft, his boundless dedication to the worldwide espresso neighborhood, and his fearlessness to do all of it his manner. I’m sharing his story with the hope that others in our trade might be impressed to do espresso their manner.”
Learn Luigi’s nomination and the Sprudge Twenty interview with John right here.
