Meet the barista: Luigi

Life at the barista is never dull. We spend our days travelling to events across the UK and Europe, meeting new people, working on memorable stands and keeping guests happy with our delicious, expertly-made hot drinks. But what’s the secret to our success? The answer’s simple: it’s our team.

Friendly and professional, our baristas are known for bringing first-class service with a smile to every exhibition, conference or product launch they attend. They’re a great bunch, which is why we thought we’d take the opportunity to introduce you to them in a little more detail with our new ‘Meet the barista’ series.

For our first instalment, we caught up with Luigi to chat all about his life at The Barista, from his most memorable event to his top tips for being a great event barista.

Hi Luigi. Can you start by telling us how you first got into the industry?

My barista career started when I first moved to the UK and began working at one of the big coffee franchises. Once I left to pursue other ambitions, I realised I still wanted to learn more about coffee. I started trying all the different local coffee shops and brewing methods. After that, I never looked back!

What’s your favourite thing about working for The Barista?

Definitely the people – from all the people I get to meet and talk to at events to all my work colleagues that have turned into forever friendships.

Can you tell us about the most memorable event you’ve done? What’s the most exciting place you’ve visited with The Barista?

For the most memorable event I would have to say Radical UK Weekend at Donington Race Track because it’s something I love – just the sound of the cars and the quality racing.

The most exciting place I’ve visited has got to be Barcelona. It was such an amazing city to do my first ever international event in.

Where would be your dream destination or event?

Either Wimbledon or the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

What do you think the secret is to being a great event barista?

Patience and kindness. Sometimes things don’t go according to plan or take longer than usual. I’ve learned you should always be patient and kind with everyone, as everyone works extremely hard to make an event happen and everything will always get up and running in the end, even if it takes a little longer.

What’s your best tip for budding baristas?

Have fun and show interest. Yes, sometimes coffee bars can be hectic and busy, but it’s always worth taking the time to learn more about the person you are serving or your fellow barista working with you.

What’s your favourite thing to do when you’re not working? Any fun or interesting hobbies you can tell us about?

Playing tennis and golf are my favourite hobbies. I also love making videos about tech gadgets which is another passion of mine.

Finally, what’s your personal favourite coffee drink?

A flat white.

We hope you enjoyed learning a little more about life at The Barista. If you’re interested in working for The Barista, we have freelance barista opportunities available. Please click here for more details. 

If you’re looking for a team of friendly, professional baristas to work your next event, get in touch to find out how we can help you make a lasting impression.