Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
S3E12: A Cup of Savina Giachgia: Stories from the Coffee World"
730 Plays9 months ago
Hello and a very warm welcome to all our listeners out there! You're tuning into the 'I'M NOT A BARISTA' podcast, and today marks the beginning of our exhilarating 2024 journey together. As we sip our first cups of coffee in this new year, we're thrilled to bring you stories that brew inspiration, stir passion, and pour out the essence of what it truly means to be part of the global coffee community.
Before we dive into today’s episode, I want to extend a heartfelt Happy New Year to each and every one of you. We’ve been away for a bit, focusing all our energy on the MOMENTEM grinder project. Your patience and encouragement have been our steady guide, and now, we're back, more ready than ever to share the incredible voices from the coffee world with you.
In our comeback episode, we're bringing you a conversation that's been brewing since last year. Our guest is none other than Savina Giachgia from Greece, a name that resonates with dedication, skill, and an unwavering love for coffee. From facing unexpected challenges at the World Brewers Cup to embarking on a journey of self-discovery and professional growth, Savina’s story is a testament to the power of community, passion, and hard work in the coffee industry.
Despite our brief hiatus, we believe that some conversations are timeless, and Savina's insights, experiences, and heartfelt advice are as relevant and inspiring as ever. Whether you're a budding barista, a seasoned coffee professional, or simply someone who appreciates a good cup of coffee, this episode is brewed just for you.
So, let's not wait any longer. Please join me in giving a warm, caffeinated welcome to Savina Giachgia. Savina, welcome to 'I'M NOT A BARISTA.
Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/iamnotabarista/
Follow Savina
https://www.instagram.com/savina.giachgia/
Recommended
Transcript
Passion for Coffee and Community
00:00:00
Speaker
The reason I want to share this is because this is the world of coffee we deserve to have. This is the way we have to treat each other. The competition part has to happen on stage and this is okay, but not in our everyday life. We cannot improve the coffee world without helping and sharing our passion to each other.
Podcast Introduction: 'I'm Not a Barista'
00:00:27
Speaker
Welcome to the I'm Not a Barista podcast. We're here to talk about all things coffee from industry careers, brewing tips, community support and more. We hope their stories inspire you because humanity runs on coffee and together we can empower all the people behind every cup.
00:00:48
Speaker
Happy New Year and welcome back to the I'm Not a Barista podcast. It's great to have you with us as we kick off a fresh, brew-tastic year. We hope you've had a wonderful start to 2024.
Momentum Grinder Project Update
00:00:58
Speaker
We want to extend a heartfelt apology for the unexpected hiatus these past few months. The team was deeply immersed in bringing our Momentum Grinder project to life.
00:01:07
Speaker
The good news? We've successfully shipped the first batch, and we couldn't be more thrilled about it. Your patience and support have been incredible, and we're excited to say we're now back on track. As we dive back into the heart of coffee culture, we've got some fantastic stories lined up
Interview with Savina Giachgia, Coffee Expert
00:01:22
Speaker
for you. Kicking things off, we're sharing a conversation recorded last year with the remarkable Savina Giachgia from Greece. It just goes to show it's never too late to share a great conversation with coffee professionals.
00:01:36
Speaker
So grab your favorite cup of coffee and let's get back into the swing of things.
00:01:44
Speaker
Hello, hello QA. First of all, let's say that I'm a coffee lover. This is the first thing I have to say. I work as a coffee expert here in Greece for my team Nestle Professional. I am the national champion of Brewers' Cup for 2023 and also I achieved the second place at the World Brewers' Cup for this year.
00:02:07
Speaker
I had never thought that this would be my job until I was 23 years old and I returned back to my hometown to decide what I would actually do in my life. Until then I studied speech and language therapy and I also tried too many other things in which I was very good but there was always something missing
00:02:37
Speaker
I was working for sales, I was a photographer. So I decided to think more about what I'm going to do finally, what is going to be my job. I had to decide.
Savina's Career Path to Nestle Professional
00:02:53
Speaker
So during this period, I just ended up working in a coffee shop for the first time in my life, just to have an income.
00:03:01
Speaker
This is the first time I understood how it really feels when you do what you love. Since then I decided to go on with more and more seminars about coffee and coffee trips around the world to enhance my taste perception and get the insights from other markets. I spent three or four years working in coffee shops in Larissa and Thessaloniki here in Greece.
00:03:31
Speaker
and continuously empower myself so I can get more and more opportunities in the coffee industry. And after that, my dream job came through. I applied for Nestle Professional when they were looking for a coffee expert. And now I'm probably going through my third year in this company, and it is really like a dream job for every person in the coffee industry.
00:04:00
Speaker
Thank you. So you talk about before it became a barista, you were doing other things that are not coffee related, right? You talk about therapists and something else. Maybe you can talk more about what happened after you graduated from university and then what was life before coffee?
00:04:16
Speaker
Actually, my studies was about speech and language therapy, but it was not something that I really loved to do, and I couldn't live with this thought in my life. So I tried something more artistic, let's say. I went for photography. I was in photography for about four years.
00:04:42
Speaker
I love that very much. It's a thing that, yes, I can express myself through this, but I wanted something more, even more. Sales was a part of my job, but again, it was not the best I had to do.
00:05:03
Speaker
But it helped me in the coffee industry later, so it was valuable. All right. So you were a photographer for four years. Could you remember what it was like to be a photographer? Oh, it's very nice. It's very nice, very creative. I do this in my daily life even now, but it's more, let's say, my hobby now.
Roles and Responsibilities at Nestle
00:05:32
Speaker
You have been working with Nestle for the last three years. Could you tell us what do you do daily there? Like why you call it a coffee expert? What do you do there?
00:05:45
Speaker
Actually, in my responsibilities, I have to do the quality control in the coffee shops or some coffee trials to potential customers, of course trainings and some other internal projects. But let's say that working as a coffee expert
00:06:09
Speaker
It gives me the opportunity to learn more and more about coffee, to get the marketing side, to share my passion about coffee. Actually, this is the reason that I think that this is the job I have to do, because I can express myself and my passion to make people more
00:06:34
Speaker
let's say, to make them be more close to coffee, to understand better how many people have worked for the coffee. They have to appreciate more about the coffee world. So how many cups of coffee do you make every day?
00:06:49
Speaker
But I don't really know. Too many. Too many. Do you remember when you started your coffee career? How did you learn more about coffee? Did you take some courses or you have a good coach or mentor at that time?
00:07:07
Speaker
Yes, actually, I had a trainer and I saw all his passion for what he was saying to me, what courses he went for, and all this passed to me. And yes, it played an important role in my
00:07:29
Speaker
my life now. I think that I had just to work with coffee to understand that this is the thing I have to do. Nothing more, nothing less. Yes, of course, they are influencers at all these things and my trainer, of course. But when you really get in touch with this, this is the time that you will understand if this thing is for you or not.
Inspiration and Success in Competitions
00:07:54
Speaker
So who are the most inspired person in the coffee community for you?
00:07:59
Speaker
Actually, the most inspired person, I think, is my coach, George. He was my coach for the National and the World's Brewers Cup, because I think that he's so focused in what he does in the whole world of coffee.
00:08:22
Speaker
He knows too many things, he knows how to explain these things to you, and I really love him like a guide. So let's talk about your competition experience. How was it to compete on the scariest competition in the whole world? What was it like?
00:08:42
Speaker
Oh my God, okay. As an experience, it was like a dream. I mean, I wanted to participate in Brewer's Cup from the first time someone showed me a video to see how it is like, how it is the competition. I was just waiting for the right time to do it because I knew that I need a great coaching team first.
00:09:06
Speaker
So as soon as I had the Nestle professional team by my side, George and Jana, as I said before, there was nothing to keep me out of it. Of course, I really couldn't imagine that I will take the first place in nationals with my first participation, but our hard work gave us this pleasure.
00:09:30
Speaker
And then I decided to go for the world championship with the same coaching team, of course. So together we traveled around the world to break our extraordinary coffee. We do the whole research together and we went to the world finals.
00:09:51
Speaker
I would say that, most of all, it was a great opportunity for me to grow as a professional, having other professionals by my side. And I think that, yes, it really was a thing.
00:10:08
Speaker
I haven't realized it yet. That's a lot of work and you cannot do that without a team. A lot of traveling. Yeah, of course. And there are many people behind the team and doing all kinds of specific jobs. When you're on a stage competing, pouring coffee and explaining everything, the coffee, everything in English. We know that you're great, right? Yeah. Actually, you study speech and language. Do you think compete in your native language instead of English? Do you think they'll be very different for you?
00:10:37
Speaker
Actually, I'm not sure because we are used to see videos and listen to these competitions in English again and again. So let me say that when I tried to say my speech in Greek, it was weird. That's weird.
00:10:59
Speaker
Yes, it was not easier. No, not at all. So maybe our speech is in English, but you repeat it so many times that even if you don't know the language, you will stand up there and say your speech as you have to. Great. Makes sense. Makes sense.
Savina's Coffee Preferences and Hobbies
00:11:20
Speaker
You practice a lot and they just come easy. So we'll have some questions from the community. Are you a dog person or a cat person?
00:11:30
Speaker
Uh, well, I think that, uh, I'm a dog person, but, uh, I was an owner of a cat. Okay. Are you fairy color?
00:11:43
Speaker
My favorite color is, let's say, dark red, something like Burundi or Bordeaux. Actually, the color that the ripest cherries have, this color is my favorite. Oh, interesting. And this cherries too. All right. And your favorite coffee? That's not the question. Filter coffee, of course. What kind of favorite recipe?
00:12:10
Speaker
Well, my favorite recipe depends. It's not something sadder. I really love to work with it's coffee and find it's perfect recipe because as you may know, everything depends on the coffee you have, the origin, your water, everything. So yes, it depends. What other hobbies do you have in real life except coffee?
00:12:37
Speaker
Okay, actually there is not too much free time but I like traveling a lot or visiting coffee shops in my town. I think that the best way
00:12:54
Speaker
to see how a culture of a town is, is to walk around and you see the whole city, you enjoy coffees, and this is why I love travelling. Actually, it's a coffee trip. Just this. Or even at my town, I like hanging out with friends who own coffee shops and exchange our point of view about what we love the most.
Tips and Advice for Coffee Competitors
00:13:22
Speaker
Of course. Any tips for other coffee competitors who are planning to compete? Any tips and advices for those newcomers?
00:13:33
Speaker
Number one advice is to get well prepared for the compulsory and never underestimate it. As my coach used to say to me, I have to remember that compulsory gives the final result.
00:13:52
Speaker
So people do this. It was, for me, compulsory was a part of my daily training routine and I was training for it as much as I did for my presentation, my open service. It was like the most challenging 35 minutes of the whole competition, even if people think that the most stressful part was the open service.
00:14:20
Speaker
compulsory is very important. That's because you have to be really quick, well organized, to stay focused, pay attention to detail. You have to be really consistent and accurate. Of course, your technical knowledge will help you to be more fast in your decisions. It's something that you need in compulsory and have a more effective time management, let's say. Everybody has to improve
00:14:50
Speaker
their sensory evaluation skills to achieve the desired test profile. These are my tips. This is my advice. Never underestimate the compulsory practice. Stay focused. And of course, love what you do every minute, even if you are stressed.
00:15:15
Speaker
So what if we get all the things you just talked about done, we get all things ready, but then we start getting nervous. What to do?
00:15:23
Speaker
Well, actually, I think that if you are nervous on stage, it is not something that you can control at this time. You have to be so well-prepared in order not to think of anything while you are there. You have just to say something, to say your speech or in compulsory. You have just to do what you are trained to do. So if you are not,
00:15:52
Speaker
well prepared for the compulsory and you are thinking of what's the next step, then yes, you will get nervous. That's why I say that you have to train compulsory part as much as you train the open service. All right, good tips. Will you compete again very soon?
00:16:15
Speaker
I think that not very soon, but I really want to participate again. Yes, I really meant it. It was just like a dream. People go participate. It's perfect. It's perfect. The whole experience. Oh, my God. Have you ever imagined that, OK, next year you'll become the world champion? And would you compete again after that? OK, that's enough. I'm going to do something else.
00:16:39
Speaker
Well, actually, I was thinking of it for all these days because, you know, it was my first time. And as I told you, first at nationals and some place at the world, it was like, wow.
00:16:55
Speaker
Is it easier than I thought or I was so well prepared and told these thoughts, you know, if it is your first time and you are the second in the world, then you start thinking of, okay, so the second time, I may be the first.
00:17:12
Speaker
I think that I achieved my goal, so it's time to get some rest, to focus on other things and research at this time. And maybe next year or in two years, I will come back again with a new idea and we will see what's going to happen. We really hope that one day, next time we will talk to you, you will be the champion already. I will ask some new tips for you, how to be a world champion.
00:17:40
Speaker
But I didn't do the first time. Yeah, avoid those mistakes and be a champion. Anything you want to share with our audience, including home boroughs, professional baristas, anything you want to share?
00:17:54
Speaker
Yes, I would like to share an experience from the first day of the championship.
The Supportive Coffee Community
00:18:01
Speaker
Actually, just before the second round, I had to be on stage really early in the morning, so I slept at four the last night. I had just two and a half hours of sleep because I had to clean and pack everything to do the last check, etc. Yeah, really.
00:18:20
Speaker
So we arrive at the exhibition and as planned I have to do a last capping with my coaches to decide between two or three coffees with minor differences to find the best to go on stage. You know in such a demanding competition even the minor detail is important.
00:18:45
Speaker
So, at the same time, my friends prepare my cards with all the competition staff, caps, servers, etc. to be ready for the States. And this is the time I realized what is missing. Can you guess what is the first thing you need to brew a filter coffee? Just say the first thing. Filter?
00:19:12
Speaker
Really? Yes, I didn't have my filters with me and it was not just a common paper filter, it was simple filters which work perfectly with my coffee. Oh my God. So I ran backstage, I found Nicole.
00:19:31
Speaker
Nicole Batfeld. Because she was there with her trainee, I was very lucky because she had the trainee too early there as me. Otherwise, I don't know. I really don't know. And I was like, oh, Nicole, please tell me that you have somebody's filters with you. I was so stressed. And she was like, oh, you're so beautiful. Yes, I have 10 filters with me. I was like, hurry up, Nicole, hurry up.
00:20:01
Speaker
Okay, I went back, I chose my coffee, the best one and I went on stage. But the reason I want to share this is because this is the world of coffee we deserve to have.
00:20:17
Speaker
This is the way we have to treat each other. The competition part has to happen on stage and this is okay, but not in our everyday life. We cannot improve the coffee world without helping and sharing our passion to each other. So Nicole, thank you.
00:20:36
Speaker
Thanks for tuning in to this I'm Not A Barista episode. Subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Instagram at I Am Not A Barista for more empowering vibes and true coffee stories that connect you with coffee lovers around the world.