A barista is a person who prepares coffee, particularly espresso-based drinks, in a cafe or bar setting. The word comes from Italian, where it literally means “bar person” or “bartender.” In Italy it can refer to either a coffee server or a bartender; in English it almost always specifically means a coffee preparer.
The role’s expansion
Through the second wave (Starbucks era), the barista role was largely service-oriented: take orders, push buttons on commercial espresso machines, steam milk, hand off drinks. Skill mattered, but the workflow was standardized for speed and consistency.
The third wave dramatically expanded what being a barista meant. Modern specialty baristas are expected to understand extraction theory, dial in espresso for changing beans and conditions, brew multiple manual methods, identify origin characteristics in cup, and articulate all of this to customers. The role moved closer to a sommelier comparison than a service worker.
Training and certification
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and other organizations offer formal barista certifications across multiple skill levels. The SCA has Foundation, Intermediate, and Professional levels covering brewing, latte art, milk technique, and shop operations.
Many specialty cafes also have internal training programs that take new hires through weeks or months of formal instruction before they pull customer shots.
Competitions
The World Barista Championship has been running since 2000 and is the premier competition for the role. Baristas prepare a series of espresso, milk drink, and signature drink courses for judges, scored on technique, taste, and presentation.
Top competitors often go on to influential industry roles, opening their own cafes or running training programs for major roasters.
The wage gap
Despite the skill expansion, barista wages have lagged the role’s complexity in many markets. The third wave produced more demanding work without proportionally raising base pay, a structural tension that has fueled unionization efforts at some specialty cafes in recent years.
The best specialty cafes pay meaningfully better than commercial chains. The gap between what a great barista produces and what they earn remains one of the industry’s open issues.