Despite the same translation from English and Italian - “the person working at the bar” - bartenders and baristas are representatives of completely different, albeit related professions.
At the beginning of the 21st century in Russia, in connection with the development of public catering and the emergence of a number of new types of cafes, restaurants and coffee houses, several new professions appeared. In particular, bartenders and baristas have become two fairly popular professions. Surprisingly, "bartender" in translation from English and "barista" from Italian means approximately the same. But "the man who works at the bar" has long performed different functions in America and Italy.
What does the bartender do
The bartender is engaged in the creation of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The bartender's responsibilities include more than just selling drinks and keeping the bar tidy and tidy - far from it. This profession presupposes the presence of creativity, certain knowledge in chemistry, dexterity and remarkable charm. It is the bartender who is the “soul of the establishment”, especially if the bar is small and there are few or no waiters in it. Bartenders can create their own alcoholic cocktails, experiment with drinks and toppings, participate in competitions and engage in "flaring" - juggling with bottles, shot glasses and glasses.
What does a barista do
Baristas only do coffee. They do not prepare alcoholic beverages (except for coffee recipes that contain alcoholic drinks, for example, Irish Coffee). The profession of a barista implies knowledge of the basics of the theory of coffee production, the ability to distinguish between the type of coffee, the degree of roasting of coffee beans by smell and taste, the ability to prepare different types of coffee drinks in any type of coffee machine, in a cezve, in a French press.
Ideally, if the barista knows how to draw, since latte art (the art of painting on milk foam) is currently considered very popular all over the world. Baristas can also come up with and implement their own recipes, participate in championships (local and world). It is not always necessary for a barista to contact people, but in small coffee shops or cafes, the barista is the “face of the company” - he can offer not only coffee, but also a dessert, a main course, and help with the choice of a recipe.
By and large, any bartender can brew a fairly tasty cappuccino or espresso with a coffee machine, and the knowledge of any barista will be enough to create a simple cocktail from the most common ingredients, but, in fact, these two professions are not interchangeable. Although there are professionals who deal with both areas and are known for their achievements in the field of creating alcoholic cocktails with coffee.
