Howard Barwick is a freelance Barista Trainer and Coffee Consultant. He is also a competition-standard barista and coffee is his passion. Four years ago he was a PE teacher 
who dreamed of having his own coffee shop; now he teaches in a different environment, working with big companies and individuals helping them achieve their own coffee shop dreams.
Howard does not believe in offering anything less than the best, both in terms of service and actual coffee quality. He advocates not just any old coffee being served but specialty coffee, the top five percent of all coffee grown worldwide. The coffee is often bought directly from the farmer by the roaster and then delivered straight to the shop, straight after roasting. This is direct trade, which makes it possible for the roaster to buy the very best of the beans that are currently available on the market. The farmers are paid generously (well above market and fair trade prices) for the cream of their crop and it is often possible to put a pin on the map to indicate which hectare of coffee plants provided a specific batch of beans!
The roaster then sells the freshly roasted coffee for you to grind behind the bar one cup at a time for maximum drink quality.
The raw ingredients however are just one aspect that needs to be to the highest standard: Howard has a special training program to ensure that everyone he works with can produce a fantastic cup of coffee every single time. He feels that, since every customer is unique, staff should be able to meet each person’s individual requirements for their preferred drink. Sometimes, customer are just happy to receive their coffee neatly and promptly and have it taste good – but now many other customers really look for something more. If you want to know where a particular coffee came from and why it tastes like it does, Howard will give you the understanding and interest to find those answers. There is even a ‘Latte Art’ course so baristas can create interesting designs with foamed milk giving a real ‘wow’ factor for customers!
Howard firmly believes that it is his job to introduce people to the wonderful world of specialty coffee, much as an artist might feel that more people should be given an 
opportunity to appreciate fine art. The bar area is like a sculptor’s workshop: raw materials at one end, finished product at the other and all created on sight to the highest specifications. To Howard, coffee is not something to educate or lecture people about, but rather something to interest them in. Like art, it is different for everyone trying it and should therefore be treated as a personal experience rather than just a service. His personal mission is to provide his customers with the best possible coffee by working harder to higher standards. His vision is for every coffee shop who genuinely care about their product, whether a large chain or a small social enterprise to be able to have the skills to demonstrate that care and passion both for their coffee and their customer service.
“Coffee is a fascinating industry to be in – because making coffee well is a genuinely skilled profession. The difference you can make by teaching even a few key skills and showing your own enthusiasm for what you do, motivates people to strive to achieve those skills for themselves and learning to enjoy what they do every day. This has a positive effect on the drinks; the customers; and ultimately the business. It really does come down to what is in the cup and how well it has been prepared.”
For further information please contact Howard on 0775 3838085 or email hpb1859@hotmail.co.uk
