In February 2021, eight students attending the elective module English and Hospitality at the Akademisches Gymnasium Salzburg successfully passed their barista training and examination at the Scuola di Barista Segafredo Austria in Hallwang. Not only did our students learn about the origins and history of coffee, but they also learnt how to operate professional espresso machines, preparing perfectly balanced espressos as well as frothy cappuccinos.
Hallwang is one of the few Segafredo coffee roasteries outside of Italy. Thus, our students were surrounded by the smell of freshly roasted coffee, when their trainer, Segafredo Quality Manager Stefan Anzinger, welcomed them and led them to the coffee roastery’s training rooms. Equipped with the latest high-end portafilter espresso coffee machines, the Scuola di Barista, is an excellent place for learning how to make a perfect espresso and to master the steaming and frothing of milk.
Mr Anzinger’s great passion for all things coffee and his extensive expertise made listening and learning for the students both exciting and enjoyable. “Mr Anzinger was so passionate about coffee and teaching. This made listening and learning attractive and fun,” explained Matthias Strobl of class 6a. “At the beginning, it was not that simple to take in the workflow and copy the many complex processes. But practice makes perfect, and Mr Anzinger is a great teacher, so after some time each of us managed to create true masterpieces.”
Two weeks later, which gave our students time for some more hands-on practice and to revise the basic coffee knowledge, they could successfully prove their barista skills at the final examination. “I felt really nervous during the barista exam. I mean, the theoretical part was just like, let’s say, a Biology or History test we would have at school, and not an easy one,” added Melanie Osama of class 6b. “For the practical part, we really had to show we have what it takes to be a barista. We had to prepare a perfectly balanced espresso and do a sensory evaluation of it. Then, they asked us to make a frothy cappuccino, just like they make them in Italy.”
Thanks to their own hard work as well as the professional guidance and supervision of Mr Anzinger and practical skills lecturer Mr Birenti, all eight AkadGym students are now proud holders of a barista diploma by Segafredo. – All set and ready for their next summer job.
Luca Rizzi, 8b
Projektpartner: @Segafredo Zanetti Austria
