Barista: There’s more to the job than just pouring a good cup of coffee

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Tammy Von Payens is an artist, but you won’t find her work hanging in a museum or for sale in some swanky gallery. Her artistic creations are available for the price of an espresso or latte.

To top off each hot beverage she prepares, Von Payens uses a coffee cup as her canvas and a can of whipped cream instead of paints to create the intricate designs of flowers, seascapes or whatever other subject might be lurking in her artist’s eye.

It’s what she calls “latte art” – part of the “product presentation” patrons have come to expect from the baristas at Astoria’s Coffee Girl.

“It’s like a ‘seal of excellence’ stamped on top of the product,” she explained.

Coffee Girl is located in the Pier 39 building at the east end of town. Payens is the manager for this comfortable coffee house owned by Astoria resident Zetty McKay.

Von Payens, who has more than five years experience working in coffee shops in both Oregon and Colorado, said the job of a barista can be as varied as the quality of coffee beans.

“The job differs from shop to shop,” she said. “Here, our entire focus is on customer service and giving customers a unique experience. It’s what we call the ‘Coffee Girl culture’.”

Von Payens said it starts with knowing your product – a special blend of beans the shop uses to produce just the right texture and quality of coffee. Baristas also learn the recipes by heart for the dozens of coffee drinks on the menu.

Then there’s the topper. Elsewhere, customers might get just a dollop of whipped cream to top off their drink, but at Coffee Girl, baristas whip up a personal art design for each cup they serve.

“It’s all about the presentation – from the way the coffee looks in the cup to the way we interact with each customer,” she said.

While producing a quality product is important, Von Payens said a commitment to strong customer service is the key to having a successful business. It’s a philosophy that is emphasized by McKay.

“We’re very selective in our employees,” Von Payens said. “We look for people who have a lot of good energy.”

When she’s interviewing prospective employees, Von Payens said she evaluates the individual’s professionalism.

“Do they look you in the eye? Are they confident and personable? Do they have an interest in coffee?”

The shop’s small staff works hard to create a family-like bond with their customers – whether it’s having special dress-up days where each staff member is decked out in a costume – or sharing the latest photos and “news” with customers through social media sites.

“We have people from far away who have found us on My Space or You Tube and make sure to make this their destination when they visit the coast,” Von Payens said.

Von Payens began working in coffee shops in Denver, Colo., while earning her psychology degree at Metropolitan State College. Her first job was in a shop that roasted its own beans. The owner sent her to special training where she learned the intricacies of the beverage “and an undying love and appreciation” for coffee.

After earning her degree and working for a short time in social services in the Denver area, Von Payens said it was time to pursue “a different quality of life.” After deciding to move to Oregon, she became intrigued by information about Astoria she found on the Internet.

After moving here in 2006, she worked for a year as a barista before that shop’s closure. She also briefly worked as a pre-school teacher and as a dispatcher for the Oregon State Forestry Department. That’s when Von Payens learned of an opening at Coffee Girl.

Since taking the job, she said she’s never been happier.

“I go home happy and sleep well,” she said. “There’s a lot of hard work involved in the job, but it’s an exceptional fit for me. And it gives me a nice connection to the community.”