11 May 2007
Following the success of the 9bar academy in Tortona, Italy the 9bar team of Fabio Milani and Andrea Lattuada have now branched out with a new state of the art facility in France. The schools cover a range of courses including a complete coffee course, latte art, and even coffee flair if you fancy impressing the judges at the next UKBC with flying portafilters! With a multitalented team and plenty of experience we’re sure the academy will be a huge success and we look forward to working with them in the future.
Ash, from BTB France, took time out from the never ending cocktails at the launch party to have a chat with Dominique Lomuscio, Director of 9bar France*. It appears that in France, as with many southern European countries, the demand for speciality coffee is gradually increasing, all be it a little slowly…..
So how did the 9bar concept start?
9 bar started in Italy in 2005. Fabio Milano, bartender, and Andrea Lattuada, barista, decided to unite the best of their two worlds, using a high professional standard in order to create a training centre dedicated to art; The idea was to add the best of American bartending to traditional Italian barista knowledge.
The name is no hazard, it is a clear mark of their professional insight, and evokes their concept (9=neuf in French, nueve in Italian: new).
Their idea was to create a business capable of changing the general view on bartending and coffee culture. This interaction between the two has led to increased knowledge and to the creation of a new concept backed up by a well defined work plan: the coffee flair.
As in Italy, our 9bar training courses will train those with a barista / bartending vocation, but will also enable active personnel to learn more professional techniques. 9bar training courses include; Bartending, Flair, Barista, Latte Art and Coffee Flair.
In addition to these courses, 9bar proposes other activities such as catering, expertise, sales of professional equipment and supplies, as well as expertise on design / installation of coffee-bars and bars. In all we do, our goal is to enable our clients to reach theirs with style and professionalism. In Italy 9bar is highly implicated in the barista championship through Andrea Lattuada, a certified WBC judge and SCAE trainer. He will be with Fabio Milani to train baristas in our French training centre.
What is your opinion of the European coffee market?
The tendencies differ by country, but one thing is sure: we need to propose new, innovative and modern products. It is important to transmit coffee culture and publicize innovations in this sector.
France is one of the biggest coffee consumer countries in Europe. The common coffee market is stagnating but we are witnessing an increase in terms of espresso art and flavoured coffee. Tendencies are changing and French consumers are looking for new flavours, innovation. Mentalities are slowly evolving, and we are present to help escort the market’s changes and to unveil the new face of coffee.
For more information about any of 9bars courses visit 9bar.it or contact Ash at Beyond the Bean France on ash@beyondthebean.fr
*Helen on the other hand thought it more important (purely from a research point of view you understand) to stay near the action and closely study the moves of the Italian and French bartenders whilst sampling a full range of drinks in order to report back. She tells us they were great…..hic…
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