Meet Illia Zoria, an ambitious yet humble barista from Ukraine, currently residing in Łódź, Poland. Illia is the Head Barista of The Brick Coffee Factory which is one of the first specialty cafés in the city. His big passion is latte art and so far Illia participated in the finals of the Polish Latte Art Championship as well as several other smaller throwdowns. He also tests his skills in other competitions such as the Polish Espresso To Nic Championship and AeroPress Championship.
Illia’s customer-forward attitude definitely shines and attracts new guests and compels them to become regulars. Especially since he tends to sing during his shifts! This definitely brings extra value and entertainment for the guests and creates memorable experiences!
Illia, what is your first memory with coffee?
The first time I tried coffee as a child. When my mom made one for herself, I said it was disgusting and I’d never drink it in my life. Well, life is a joke!
What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?
In the beginning, it was a side hustle while studying so I could cover some of my needs. I just finished my Bachelor in Law and when I started my Master’s degree in Poland I realized that being a barista is a good and flexible job so I gave it a try. My first job was not even a café or specialty coffee shop, I was making coffee in some kind of a trampoline park for kids. That was a cheap espresso machine, 80% robusta blend and 1€ milk jug but I found something funny about it and started to dig deeper.
Tell us a bit about the place you work at. What is your role there?
I work in The Brick Coffee Factory which is not just a specialty coffee shop for locals. We’ve got that community vibe. Every time you come on shift you should be ready to give yourself at least 2 min to greet everyone. I would say 60% of places are taken by regulars but we still love newcomers. We have no target group, so you can see an 80-year-old lawyer, a 30-year-old artsy woman, and a 17-year-old punk guy who are coming at different times but then they’re sitting and chatting with each other. Lovely space.
I am a Head Barista, so basically speaking I’m the one who is responsible for how our coffee tastes. As well as personal and group training for Baristas, new coffee recipes, quality control, picking new roasteries to feature, etc.
What kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they visit you at the cafe?
I just want my guests to feel comfortable with their cups but also to trust me enough to try to discover something new. I love it when people are giving a try to V60 even though they’ve been drinking cinnamon latte for their whole life. Or I’d be more than happy to make a cappuccino for those who prefer filter or americano.
What is your favourite part of the day in your cafe, and why?
Definitely the summer morning shift paradise! Around 8:00-8:30 sitting outside, alone or with some guests and a cup of coffee and just catching the sunlight and that beautiful silence.
How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?
The coffee environment does it for me. It’s changing and evolving every week and I love it. So many interesting things are going on, new technology and social trends, coffee processing, championships etc. So, if you want to be good you have to chase it.
What do you think is the most important quality for a barista to have, and why?
I can’t choose one, so:
- to understand that coffee is not a product but a culture.
- to love coffee and at least try to love people.
- to see value in what you’re doing and to bring value by doing your best.
What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?
Barista is not a “real”/“mature”/“serious” job but just a seasonal option for students. As it’s written before I was there as well, but changed my mind quickly. Unfortunately, people do know about Michelin restaurants but they don’t think the same level applies to coffee. But it’s still a HUGE part of hospitality.
We will change it someday, trust me.
What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?
Plant-based drinks went viral and we know why, but oats are slowly coming to the volume of cows milk. So, we have to keep the standard and have great oat drink. Moreover, latte art is crucial if you want to be top 1 on the market, as we usually hear something like “I’ve never seen something like this made with oat drink!”
Illia, you also take part in various latte art (and other) competitions. How do you prepare for them, both mentally and technically?
Technically is a lot of milk (or the oat-based drinks as last year’s championship) coffee and practice. Usually, I was preparing during the nights when the coffee shop was closed. Hours of storytelling and training of the patterns.
Mentally it’s more complicated. I have shaking hands on a daily basis so when it’s a stressful situation you can imagine what is going on. I have some personal mantras which I’m trying to say every day before championships but usually I’m just trying to have fun on stage.
My main theory is: “While you’re having fun you’re safe, so it’s easier not to make mistakes and do a good job”.
What advice would you give to aspiring baristas who want to compete in championships or create content online?
Judges and people around are feeling when you’re stressed, so you better have fun if you want to impress them.
What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?
I’m a musical person. I do beatbox and love to sing. I sing almost every shift. Sometimes louder, sometimes not, depending on the guest’s mood.
What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?
Well, I’m a big fan of latte art so… I will still be still try to become the Polish Latte Art Champion. Maybe some collaborations and becoming an ambassador of some latte art equipment or plant-based coffee/milk brand in future.
Hopefully, I will become a latte art trainer sometime in the future as I truly love to share my knowledge and help baristas to level up their skills.
Quick Fire Questions for Illia Zoria:
Would you serve filter coffee with milk if asked for it?
Will not recommend it, but yes.
Do you ever take sugar with your coffee?
Sad-rainy cinnamon cappuccino.
Espresso or Filter coffee?
First espresso then filter.
Milky or Black?
Both.
Do you aim for Sweetness, Acidity, or Body?
Acidity.
What’s your favourite latte art pattern?
All kinds of rosetta.
Sit in or take away?
Sit in.
Favourite piece of barista equipment?
Obviously, a milk jug.
The post Barista Stories: Illia Zoria of The Brick Coffee Factory, Łódź appeared first on European Coffee Trip.
A digital magazine focused on the speciality coffee culture in Europe since 2014.