Preparing coffee may not be the kind of job some people would like. But for Roldan Pangilinan Granada, a young Filipino, in preparing coffee lies his future. “The job is all about my life,” he said. Granada is a top barista. A barista is one who has acquired some level of expertise in the preparation of espresso-based coffee drinks. It is the Italian term for a professional espresso beverage maker where training can take up to four years. The skill of a barista can make all the difference between happy and dissatisfied customers. Baristas are treated with great respect, especially in the West. “It is my profession now; and I am proud to be called a barista,” said Granada, who works as head barista at the Casper & Gambini's Restaurant at the Corniche in Al-Khobar. Although he gained experience as a barista in the Philippines, he said the expertise he has developed after joining Casper & Gambini's in Jeddah about three years ago before being transferred to Al-Khobar provided him with lots of drive and inspiration to improve himself. “It is a job that requires expertise because customers want the best from you, which is why I kept on trying to improve myself,” he said. “I am committed to excellence. This is the reason why I always participate in annual competitions sponsored by my company because it is in these contests where the level of your expertise is gauged and graded,” Granada said. In the national competition of baristas held on June 5, 2006, he won first place in the final championship round. But the greatest achievement in his career so far was his winning the fourth place in the Middle East competition of baristas held last March in Beirut and organized by Casper & Gambini's. Leading baristas from Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries took part in the contest. “It was a tough competition, and I am happy to be placed number four. But the prize on the team spirit category was awarded to Saudi Arabia, which was represented by me and my partner Joseph Guinto from Jeddah,” Granada said, beaming with pride. He said the CEO and founder of Casper & Gambini's, Anthony Maalouf, was so impressed by his performance during the contest that he kept on encouraging him during the final rounds. “After the competition, Mr. Maalouf approached me and told me that he will support me all the way to go up the ladder of being a top barista. In fact, he offered me to select any country where I would like to be posted.” For Granada, who once worked as a sushi cook in one of the finest restaurants in Quezon City in the Philippines, his future lies in being a barista. “I have skills in computer, having completed my tertiary education in computer system design and programming, but for me being a barista is all that matters now,” Granada said. __
