Interview: Laila Ghambari (Caffe Ladro Director of Education)

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Coffee Seattle

Photo courtesy of Laila Ghambari

INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

What’s your favorite aspect of working in the coffee world?

There is always something to learn and the opportunity to learn it. People in this industry exchange knowledge and ideas pretty freely. That’s the nature of a culture that is changing and progressing so rapidly. Through events, lectures, publications and social media I get the chance to communicate with so many people in every step of the coffee chain. I’m always learning.

What’s the biggest challenge?

Making high quality coffee approachable to consumers. I think we are finally moving away from the snobby barista elitism. I wish more people/cafes were just making quality coffee, to whatever standards they think that is, and stopped bickering about personal options or preferences. Just do what you believe in and people will get behind it, or they wont, but there is only harm in trying to shove it down their throats.

What do you think makes the Seattle coffee scene unique?

I think the Seattle coffee scene is especially frustrating. It’s an old industry here in Seattle. People find a sense of identity in having a complicated drink order or they have been going to the same place for 20 years and see no reason in changing. Customers are not super open to change. However, I also find the pride, loyalty and the heritage remarkably admirable.

Who else in the specialty coffee community do you look to for inspiration, guidance or advice?

Currently my very close friend, and co-worker, Jared Linzmeier. He is someone who has moved up in this industry very quickly. Jared has gone from barista to green buyer in less than five years. All while also being a husband and father. That takes a special type or person. He has always had my back and believed in me. I really appreciate his friendship and professional guidance. If you don’t know him, get to know him, because he is doing great things.

What’s a typical coffee consumption day for you, drink by drink, from when you wake up to when you go to sleep?

I drink a cup of coffee every morning with breakfast. When I’m not training I’m visiting our cafes. I usually order an espresso or brewed coffee. I try my best to keep my consumption to a minimum so I often only take a sip of a drink just to check for quality. If I’m training its a different story. I end up drinking cup after cup, shot after shot, during a training. I’m a wreck afterwards.

If you brew coffee at home, what’s your preferred brewing method, and why?

I got a Bonavita home coffee maker recently and it’s the jam! I make coffee all day, so the fact that this machine will make an amazing cup of coffee for me, brings some normalcy to my life. Sometimes I just want to be a consumer.

If you could only have one more shot of espresso, who would make it for you?

My boyfriend, Ryan Willbur, because I have never met someone who puts as much thought and care into making espresso as he does. Plus he’s ridiculously handsome.

Brenna Ciummo is a writer for Seattle Coffee Gear and enjoys sharing her knowledge of all things coffee.

Address: 501 2nd Avenue W, Seattle, WA 98119
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Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

Blog Comments

[…] Interview: Laila Ghambari, Caffe Ladro Director of Education (via Food GPS) Our coffee friends at local Seattle roastery Caffe Ladro focus on quality. We talked with Laila about how ‘coffee culture is changing and progressing so rapidly’ and how that effects everyone in the chain from growers to customers. She aims to make high quality coffee that is approachable to consumers — without  coffee elitism. […]

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