Ashley Rodriguez talks to folks about gender, race, sex, and other important issues in coffee. We invite people from all realms of the coffee world to share stories and engage in discussion - we want to hear from you! Contact us at bossbaristapodcast@gmail.com
The Boss Barista podcast is a phenomenal resource for anyone interested in the coffee industry. Hosted by Ashley Rodriguez and Jasper Wilde, this podcast covers a wide range of topics including managing tips, competition, unionization efforts, roasting and sourcing conversations, and more. The interviews are thoughtful and thorough, bringing out the reflections and experiences of various guests, including Black women-owned coffee business owners and first-time entrepreneurs.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is the diversity of voices that are highlighted. The hosts do an incredible job of addressing the human issues in the coffee industry by amplifying marginalized voices and discussing topics like the pricing crisis. The podcast offers valuable insights into how we can make the coffee industry better for everyone. It's a great way to stay connected to industry-wide conversations and work.
Another great aspect is the passion and down-to-earth interview style of Ashley and Jasper. They bring their own experience as baristas to the table and create a welcoming atmosphere for their guests to share their stories. The discussions are always entertaining and relevant to the future of specialty coffee. Whether you're in the coffee industry or just interested in it, this podcast is a must-listen.
As for potential drawbacks, one could argue that some episodes may be too niche for those with only a casual interest in coffee. However, even these episodes often cover issues that extend beyond coffee and have relevance in other areas as well.
In conclusion, The Boss Barista podcast is an outstanding voice in the coffee industry. With its focus on highlighting marginalized voices, addressing important issues, and providing valuable insights for anyone involved or interested in coffee, it truly sets itself apart from other podcasts in its genre. I highly recommend giving it a listen if you care about coffee and want to engage with meaningful discussions about its future.
Overall rating: 5 stars
In May 2024, workers across six Blue Bottle locations in Boston voted to unionize. Abbey and Alex are here to talk about how workers deserve to have a voice in decision-making in their workplaces. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
Breaking down the microbes that help break down coffee with fermentation expert Lucia Solis. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
The author of "How to Taste Coffee" talks expectations, effervescence, and finding joy and delight in drinking coffee. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
The Charlotte-based coffee consultant threw herself into the industry at a young age—and now has a wealth of thoughts to share about loyalty, robot baristas, and the best coffee cities in the world. A full transcript is available at bossbarista.substack.com
Workers at Madison Sourdough are striving to ratify their first contract—a process that's proven to be more hampered by management than they anticipated. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
The author of the new book "How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life," talks building up your sensory skills and unlocking more enriching experiences. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
Coffee is in crisis, and one of the big problems is that some farmers aren't paid enough to cover their production costs. A new template from the team at Junior's Roasted Coffee looks to change that. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
The Louisville-based coffee chain won its union vote in January 2023—and is still waiting on leadership to ratify a contract. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
A long-form conversation on writing with the newsletter's editor. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
The photographer and author of the book "We Belong" centers the stories of women coffee workers in Colombia. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
The author of Expedite, a newsletter about restaurant technology, sees both the potential—and flaws—of tech in the food world. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
Asking coffee trader Stephanie Alcala what does it mean to source responsible coffee and think holistically about sustainability. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
The owner of Cafe Cà Phê, Kansas City's first Vietnamese-owned coffee shop, talks about starting a business in a new city during a pandemic—and the importance of having a specific mission. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
Specialty coffee distinguishes itself by its higher price tag—and stops there. To make meaningful change, Brendan Adams of Semilla argues that cost alone cannot be the finish line. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
The average wage for baristas is $14 per hour—but many are only scheduled to work 26 hours a week. Go Fund Bean representatives discuss barista wages and more. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
On neoliberalism and translating value in coffee with anthropologist and author of the book 'Making Better Coffee,' Ted Fischer. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
The 20+ year industry pro and founder of Color of Coffee Collective talks about the start-stop pace of progress—and following through on attempts to do better. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
The co-founder of Ārāmse on Indian coffee tools, colonial history, and the problem with flavor wheels. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
The third-generation farmer comes back to talk climate change and quality as a moving target in coffee. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com.
A managing partner at Mighty Peace Coffee, Jim Ngokwey is creating pathways for Congolese coffee growers and posing difficult questions about the future of the industry. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
The coffee pro-turned-coach talks about the gentleness of service work. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com. Listen to past episodes of Camila on the Boss Barista Podcast in 2019 and 2020.
In this episode from July 2020, we chat about legacy and reclaiming coffee's Black identity and origins. Check out the trailer to their documentary, Cxffeeblack to Africa, here, watch the documentary by joining Patreon, and keep an eye on their Instagram account for tour dates to watch. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
Wine and coffee are a lot alike—up to a point. Marie Cleslik of Slik Wines explains more. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com.
In this episode from November 2019, we ask, "What if the minimum wage actually reflected the minimum you need to live?" A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
An associate professor of history, Dr. Lori Flores digs into the realities of agricultural working conditions—and the invisible labor behind the foods and goods we enjoy. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
This bonus episode features Ravani Grace, an Intelligentsia barista who's helping to organize one of specialty coffee's most pivotal unions. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
The creator of the Not Caffeinated Enough platform connects community, curiosity, and coffee. It's all a circle. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
Scholar and incoming graduate student at Purdue University David Tortolini talks about the importance of digital connection, and all the ways that communities are built through the internet. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
The founder of Couplet Coffee eschews traditional ideas to make delicious coffee available to all. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
Julien Langevin is a production worker for Coffee by Design and the 2022 United States Cup Tasters Champion, going on to represent the United States at the World Cup Tasters Competition in June. A full transcript of this episode can be found at bossbarista.substack.com
When COVID-19 laid off a substantial number of coffee workers, Valorie Clark helped start a nonprofit called GoFundBean to provide essential services and financial support. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com
The 2022 United States Barista Champion and TikTok star subverts expectations through humor and silliness. You can find a full transcript at bossbarista.substack.com
The co-founders of Cute Coffee urge you to keep it cute or put it on mute—or you're gonna get slimed. You can find a full transcript of this episode at bossbarista.substack.com
Go Get Em Tiger's very first employee wants you to praise your friends, your coworkers—everyone! A full transcript of this episode is available here.
Revisiting our February 2020 episode with the members of the Tartine Union in the Bay Area. For a full transcript, go to bossbarista.substack.com
The owner of Café con Jiribilla talks about Mexico's unique coffee scene and why you should discover its roasters. You can find a full transcript of this episode here.
My guest is Sonam Parikh, one of the co-founders of Mina's World, a coffee shop in West Philadelphia. Sonam and their partner, Kate, opened Mina's World 18 days before COVID-19 forced the majority of hospitality businesses to close or completely revamp how they serve food and drinks to customers. You can find a full transcript of this episode here.
How Eric Grimm of Glitter Cat Barista and Ghost Town Oats has approached building more accessible spaces through the lens of human resources. A full transcript of this episode can be found here.
The lead roaster at Modern Times helps navigate the San Diego roastery's next phase while advocating for herself. A full transcript of this episode can be found here.
The co-founder of Three Keys Coffee in Houston talks jazz riffs, trumpet keys, and I ask him some weird questions. A full transcript of this episode can be found here.
What it means to want to do things differently—and actually do them. With David Lalonde, co-founder of Rabbit Hole Roasters in Montreal, Quebec. A full transcript of this episode can be found here.
In the last episode of our December Rewind series, Rachel Northrop digs into the coffee commodities market, and asks who this antiquated system serves. Spoiler alert: You probably know the answer. A full transcript of this episode can be found here.
The commodities market, or c-market, is how most coffee is bought and sold. It's a complicated, antiquated system that's persisted for years. Rachel Northrop explains how this system came to be. A full transcript of this episode can be found here.
Today, we're re-releasing our episode with Maggy Nyamumbo. Maggy is the founder of Kahawa 1893, a social enterprise aimed at connecting farmers directly to consumers in an attempt to get more money back to farmers. There is so much money in coffee — with farmers making less money than it costs to produce coffee, Maggy tells us where all that money goes. This episode was originally released in November 2019. Find a full transcript of this episode here.
In 2018, the internet lit up with debates about plastic straw bans. Disabled activist Alice Wong talks about how these kinds of conversations silence the voices of disabled people. This episode was originally released in August 2018.
At 13 years old, Frankie Volkema became the world's youngest Q grader. While she received her certification, she also learned that the average coffee farmer is in their mid-50s, and if we don't make farming viable for young people to pursue, the future of coffee is in jeopardy. So she decided to take action. Learn more about Joven Coffee here. This episode is brought to you by Urnex.
Today, I'm chatting with Jose Uechi, co-founder of Compadre, a coffee brand based in Peru. Jose—or Pepe, as he goes by—is an industrial designer by trade, and got into coffee because of his friend, Juan Pablo. Juan Pablo invented a solar roaster, a machine that could roast coffee without electricity. Initially, Compadre's founders worked to get these roasters into the hands of farmers. A few years later, and Compadre is still working on raising wages for farmers—albeit in a slightly different way. In this episode, we talk about the shifts and pivots that Pepe and his team have made as they got deeper into the economics of coffee-buying and -selling. The broad goal of Compadre is still the same—to shift value down to farmers—but it does so now by removing barriers that farmers face (like unpredictable weather conditions) and building a brand that connects farmers to consumers. This episode is brought to you by Urnex.
Neichelle Guidry is a storyteller. Neichelle is a college administrator and the founder of Black Girl Black Coffee. The brand began as an Instagram account, as a way for Neichelle to document her journey through coffee, and her passion for the subject, during the upheaval of the pandemic. Since then, it's evolved into a coffee brand that reclaims the Black history of coffee. We about staying inspired, filling your cup, and giving yourself permission to seek joy in the things you love—that will hopefully leave you feeling uplifted and inspired after listening. This episode is brought to you by Urnex.
If you've ever asked yourself, “Is this real? Or am I imagining it? Did I take something the wrong way on purpose? Did my boss really do that thing that I now feel so angry about?” then this is the episode for you. Sierra Yeo of The Kore Directive and Alpro UK get real vulnerable. This episode is brought to you by Urnex.
Rachel Faller is one of the co-founders of tonlé, a zero-waste clothing company that believes in promoting equal value across the supply chain. Like coffee, most of the clothing we wear goes through hundreds of hands and relies on a system of manufacture and exchange that is a relic of colonialism. In this episode, Rachel explains some of the parallels between how coffee is bought and sold and how clothes are made. We talk about who gains and who loses in a world that relies on fast fashion: the production of cheap clothing with quick turnaround times for garment factories. This episode is brought to you by Urnex.
Before coffee, Nigel Price of Drip Coffee Makers had a career in finance, working for a firm in Downtown Manhattan. But eventually, he decided he'd had enough—and he turned to cafes as a way to break away from the life he'd built and the trajectory he no longer wanted to be on. Over a decade later, Nigel credits coffee as the beginning of his second life, giving him a chance to create connections and bond with people in a way that his prior life in finance hadn't. This episode is brought to you by Urnex.
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