Comments on: James Hoffmann Preaches New Gospel at Ace Hotel Coffee Shop

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 10:41:25 +0000

In reply to Greg Costello. Thank you for your kind words, Greg. The powerful language, however, is James Hoffmann's, not mine. Likewise, your questions regarding machinery and industry relationships are perhaps best addressed to Hoffmann, regardless of any agenda that may have prompted you to ask them in this forum.

By: Greg Costello

Greg Costello — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 00:12:40 +0000

Daniel nice piece, powerful language fervent support and religiosity. I hope one day we can harness such extremes in positive support. The use of the strada does not seem to me to be a logical choice for square mile when the business has such strong contracts with other espresso suppliers. Is this because this venture is a partnership and the partner wanted an LM? Struggling to figure why they wouldn’t put a synesso on site when they have control on distribution of that excellent machine. Or a Nouvo Simmonelli wbc machine..? Can you shed any light on the drivers behind the choices of equipment? Or was this not subject in this interview?

By: Peter Foster

Peter Foster — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 18:20:38 +0000

““Coffee”, [Hoffmann] says, “has replaced wine as the pretentious idiot drink. We’ve become the butt of jokes.”

Perceptive. Hoffmann is correct.

“Bulldog Edition baristas must neither critique nor educate customers, unless prompted.”

Hoffmann is again correct in eliminating baristas’ gratuitous critique and educating, but all baristas are not necessarily competent either to critique or to educate all of their customers.

By: JRC

JRC — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 10:04:50 +0000

I work in Clerkenwell, just around the corner from a great coffee shop that roasts its own beans, makes great coffee etc, but has the most po-faced barista I’ve ever come across.
You’d think he was coming up for a cure for cancer when he’s making your coffee.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/d240b5ebec/coffee-snobs

Says it all.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 19:57:10 +0000

In reply to greg. Greg - Hoffmann was not suggesting his baristas forgo all interaction and engagement with their customers. If this post somehow left you and others with that impression then I may be at fault.

By: greg

greg — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 18:22:18 +0000

Some people are attracted to the extremes and it’s the middle of moderation the freaks the hell out of them. This is why I’ve had roommates who were both Born Again Christians and, later, radical feminists. This is why the likes of a Csanád Szegedi in Hungary can go from driving the anti-Semitic Jobbik Party to later become an orthodox Jew once discovering his grandmother’s Auschwitz roots.

Those of us comfortable with the soft, “boring” middle know that moderation isn’t a concession or a dilution of opinion. Forgoing any sort of customer engagement as a way of correcting the mistakes of the past is an overreaction, and it is just as misguided as being the coffee snob who sneers with disapproval at a customer’s drink order.