FREQUENTLY ASKED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (FAIQ)

SIMULATION
INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE (IPI)
Barista

1. Please mention a barista’s job description!

 Welcomes customers by determining their coffee interests and needs.

 Educates customers by presenting and explaining the coffee drink
menu; answering questions.
 Sells coffees and coffee grinding and brewing equipment by explaining
differences in coffee beans and coffee preparation machines; demonstrating
how brewing equipment operates.
 Prepares and sells coffee drinks by following prescribed recipes and
preparation techniques for coffee drinks, such as, expresso, expresso
lungo, caffe latte, and cappuccino.
 Generates revenues by attracting new customers; defining new and
expanded services and products.
 Maintains inventories by replenishing coffee bean supply; stocking coffee
brewing equipment; maintaining supplies, pastries, and cookies for coffee bar.
 Keeps equipment operating by following operating instructions;
troubleshooting breakdowns; maintaining supplies; performing preventive
maintenance; calling for repairs.
 Maintains safe and healthy work environment by following organization
standards and sanitation regulations.
 Improves quality results by studying, evaluating, and re-designing
processes; implementing changes; maintaining and improving the appearance
of the store and coffee bar.
 Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading
coffee, retail trade, and food service publications; maintaining personal
networks.
 Enhances coffee shop reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing
new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job
accomplishments.

2. Please mention a barista’s responsibilities!

“Promotes coffee consumption by educating customers; selling coffee and coffee

grinding and brewing equipment, accessories, and supplies; preparing and
serving a variety of coffee drinks, along with pastries and cookies.”

3. What is the Special Coffee Menu in your (Hotel / restaurant / Cruise Ship)
before?

 Filter - Classic fresh filter coffee served with fresh cream

 Americano - The Americano classic - straight black coffee
 Cappuccino - Shot of fresh expresso with steamed and foamed milk and
topped with chocolate powder

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  Latte - Shot of fresh expresso, topped with hot steamed milk
 Milky Coffee - For those who prefer a milky coffee
 Espresso - Shot of strong fresh coffee served in a small cup
 Espresso con Panna - Espresso topped with fresh cream
 Mocha - Indulgent treat for lovers of coffee and chocolate alike
 Moccaccino - Hot Chocolate & Cappuchino topped with whipped cream
 Toffeccino - Cafe Latte & toffee syrup topped with whipped cream
 Floater Coffees - Choices from Irish Whiskey, Baileys, Cointreau, Dark
Rum, Amaretto. Basically, consisting of coffee, whiskey and sugar, topped
off with floating whipping cream.

4. Do you know any types/kinds of coffee and what is the difference?

- Arabica coffee
“This number one coffee controls around 70% of the world market. Arabica
coffee comes from Brazil and Ethiopia. There are many varieties,
depending on where the coffee is planted. In Indonesia alone, Toraja and
Mandailing coffee is a type of arabica coffee. Its main characteristics are
living in a cool, acidic area, and relatively thicker than robusta.”
- Robusta coffee
“Robusta coffee holds 30% of the world market. This type of coffee bean
can be planted in a lower area, so that it can be planted with wider
distribution, making it cheaper than arabica coffee. It feels more bitter, with
a coarser texture.”
- Kopi Liberika, Racemosa, Excelsa
“This type of coffee comes from Africa. All three are now known by many,
but are still in various stages of development. This type of coffee has
relatively large seeds. Let's just wait for a few moments for what the
variations will be.”
- Civet Coffee
“Kopi luwak, or civet coffee, is coffee that includes partially digested coffee
cherries, eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet.”
- Caffè Americano
“You can make this type of coffee quite simply by adding hot water to a
shot of espresso coffee. It has been said that American soldiers during the
Second World War would make this type of coffee to make their beverages
last longer. It was then (apparently) adopted by American baristas after the
war.”
- Café Latte (or Café au lait)
“A fairly popular option for coffee drinkers, a latte consists steamed (or
scolded) milk and a single shot of coffee. It is usually quite frothy, and you’ll
occasionally encounter cafes that don’t understand the difference between
this and a flat white.”
- Cappuccino
“Possibly the most popular type of coffee in the world, a cappuccino
consists of three layers (kind of like a cake). The first is a shot of espresso,
then a shot of steamed milk, and finally the barista adds a layer of frothed,
foamy milk. This final layer can also be topped with chocolate shavings or
powder. Traditionally, Italians would consume this type of coffee at
breakfast.”

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 - Espresso
“To make an espresso, shoot boiling water under high pressure through
finely ground up coffee beans and then pour into a tiny mug. Sounds simple
right? Well, it’s surprisingly difficult to master. Espressos are the purest
coffee experience you can get, and while they’re not for everyone, it can be
a truly singular drinking experience when you find a good brew.”
- Flat White
“The two most Kiwi coffees available are the long black and the flat white –
as both originated in New Zealand and Australia. For a flat white, the
steamed milk from the bottom of the jug (which is usually not so frothy, but
rather creamy) is poured over a shot of espresso. It is now popular among
mums and dads at school fetes who are desperately trying to stay awake.”
- Long Black
“Hot water is poured into a cup, and then two shots of espresso are poured
into the water. If you do the inverse of this, it will result in an Americano.
Long blacks can be quite strong, and have more crema (a creamy foam
that tops espresso shots) than an Americano.”
- Macchiato (also known as a Piccolo Latte)
“A macchiato is a shot of espresso which is then topped off with foamed
milk dashed directly into the cup. Although it may sound similar to a
cappuccino, it’s usually stronger as there’s no steamed milk added and it’s
also smaller, usually served in an expresso sized cup.”
- Mochaccino
“A ‘mocha’ is just a latte with added chocolate powder or syrup, as well as
sometimes being topped with whipped cream. If anything, this is a good
entry level coffee – living in the worlds between the childlike hot chocolate
and the adult café latte.”
- Irish Coffee
Too many of these and you might have to ‘just crash here, bro’, because
this type of coffee is brewed with whiskey, sugar, and a thick layer of cream
on the top – and isn’t readily available in New Zealand Café’s due to its
alcohol content, they’re more often found in restaurants. Be warned that
trying to make this with scotch and instant coffee doesn’t work… trust us.
- Vienna
“A Vienna is made by adding two shots of particularly strong espresso
together before whipped cream is added as a substitute for milk and sugar.
The Vienna is a melding of the strong flavors of straight espresso, with the
smoothness of sugary cream.”
- Affogato
“Affogatos aren’t a coffee at all really, as they’re a shot of espresso poured
over a desert (usually ice cream). That doesn’t make them any less
delicious though.”

5. Do you know what kind and the name of machine coffee and please explain how
to operate it?

Types of coffee makers:

- Espresso machine
- Manual espresso maker

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 - Manual coffee maker
- Automated espresso maker
- Automatic coffee maker
- Auto drip brewer (regular drip coffee pot)
- Moka Pot
- AeroPress
- French press
- Single-serve coffee maker
- Manual drip brew (Chemex style)
- Vietnamese coffee maker
- Smart coffee maker
- Cold Brew coffee make
- Stovetop coffee makers

a. Moka
Fill the base chamber with water to just below the valve, fill the filter with
ground coffee and do not pack it down. Screw on the upper part of the pot,
making sure the rubber seal is in place. Then, place on a stove on low heat.
When the coffee gurgles, take it off the heat. Stir and serve.
b. French press
- Boil your kettle. Pour boiling water into the plunger and leave it for a couple
of minutes, then empty. This will heat the glass and help you to deliver hot,
rather than warm, coffee.
- Put the coffee into the empty plunger. A general rule is one scoop of coffee
per cup. We put in one scoop less than the number of cups required,
especially for larger plungers, or the coffee can be too strong for some
people.
- By now the water in the kettle will be just off boiling, which is integral to
properly brewed coffee (even in a commercial espresso machine). Pour the
rest of the water into the plunger, seven-eighths filling it.
- Let the coffee stand for about four minutes before plunging downwards,
being careful not to plunge at an angle.
c. Filter coffee
The golden rule: one scoop of coffee per cup should always be used as a
starter. You can go from there according to what your taste demands. Don’t
use distilled water. For most locations, tap water is fine as it has minerals that
will add to the taste. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for brewing. After
the coffee has brewed it will be okay to drink for up to 20 minutes. It gets bitter
after this time.
d. Chemex
- Heat up the Chemex by filling with hot water, then empty.
- Place the Chemex filter in the top and pour hot water through it to rinse the
filter.
- Empty the hot water.
- Add one scoop of coffee per cup (a scoop is about seven grams).
- Slowly add some water and stir. This will moisten the coffee. It is called
“blooming”.
- Continue adding water until completed.
- Remove the filter and pour into cups to serve.
e. AeroPress

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 - Place the micro-filter in the cap.
- Twist it onto the chamber.
- Place over a cup or mug.
- Add one scoop of coffee per cup (a scoop is about seven grams) - two
scoops if you like it strong.
- Fill with water just off the boil - 95°C to 97°C.
- Stir and wait for 10 to 30 seconds.
- Slowly push the plunger down for 20 to 30 seconds.
f. Atomic coffee machine
- Fill with water until the water is visible if you want a full jug (or just pour in
enough water as required).
- Fill the basket with fine coffee until full.
- Tamp only lightly.
- Lock in the filter holder tightly.
- Place on the stove with high heat.
- When ready, the coffee will start to come through the filter basket.
- To froth milk, place a jug of milk under the steamer and turn on after the
coffee has been extracted.

6. Do you know how to serve coffee the proper way?

Yes, I do, and the instruction is the following:
- Make sure coffee is fresh. Brewed within the last 30 minutes.
- Fill coffee cup with hot in order to warm.
- After 30 seconds empty the water out of cup.
- Place coffee cup on tray.
- Place saucer on tray.
- Place demitasse spoon on saucer.
- Fill creamer cup (if necessary)
- Place all on tray.

7. Please explain what the ingredients for many kinds of coffee and how to make it!
- Espresso: 1 Shot of espresso in an espresso cup.
- Double Espresso: A double espresso (aka “Doppio”) is two espresso shots in
one cup.
- Short Macchiato: It consists of a dollop of steamed milk and foam placed on
top of the espresso.
- Long Macchiato: 2 shots of espresso in a tumbler glass or cup• and a dollop
of steamed milk and foam placed on top of the espresso. The key to making
the perfect three layers is to place the dollop of steamed milk and foam on
top of the espresso and then gently turning the cup clockwise a few times to
mix the milk and espresso.
- Ristretto: Extract a standard espresso shot with half the amount of water.
Alternatively, turn off a normal espresso extraction before the espresso
starts to blonde.
- Long Black: Fill a cup with 2/3rds full of hot water then extract 1 shot of
espresso over the hot water. Barista Tip: Make sure you back-wash your
portafilter before making a long black, otherwise you might find grinds from
your coffee grinder floating in your coffee.

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 - Café Latte: Extract 1 shot of espresso into a tumbler glass, add steamed
milk and add 1cm of micro-foam on top of the steamed milk. In the USA, it is
common to use a cup instead of a tumbler glass for a latte.
- Cappuccino: Extract 1 shot of espresso into a cup, add steamed milk, add 2-
3cm of micro-foam on top of the steamed milk and sprinkle chocolate on top
of the coffee.
- Flat White: Add 1 shot of espresso into a cup then add steamed milk into the
cup but no micro-foam.
- Piccolo Latte: There are two ways of making a piccolo latte, with either 1
espresso shot or 1 ristretto shot. Add 1 shot of espresso or 1 ristretto shot of
espresso in an espresso cup then add steamed milk and small amount of
micro-foam.
- Mocha: Extract 1 shot of espresso into a cup. Add one spoon of chocolate
powder into the espresso shot and mix. Add steamed milk. Add 2-3cm of
micro-foam and sprinkle chocolate powder on top.
- Affogato: Add one scoop of vanilla ice-cream into a tumbler glass milk then
pour a single or double shot of espresso over the vanilla ice-cream
- Short black: Espresso-based drink

8. How to clear up the machine of the coffee?

 Polish your perk.

 Fill your percolator with water.
 Add three tablespoons of baking soda.
 Turn it on, and let it run through a cycle.
 Allow the water to cool, then scrub inside the coffee maker with a brush.
 Discard the water and rinse well.
 Next, fill your percolator with half water and half white vinegar.

9. How to refill coffee to the machine?

o Add a coffee filter in the filter basket.

o Measure out the coffee.
o Measure out enough water to brew your coffee.
o Plug in the coffee maker and turn it on.
o Wait until the coffee is completely brewed before pouring.
o If you used a paper filter, immediately toss it away.

10. What chemical for clean the machine of the coffee?

You will only need a few items to adequately perform your cleaning:
- Espresso machine cleaner / backflush detergent Espresso machine cleaner
(backflush detergent such as Cafiza, PuroCaf, or JoeGlo),
- Blank, blind, or backflush portafilter basket (different names for the same item),
- A clean kitchen towel and a dishrag,
- Green scrubby (aka Scotch-Brite® pad) cut into 1 inch squares,
- Metal or glass bowl or container deep enough for the portafilter to soak in.

Optional components include:

- Group brush (my favorite is the smartly-designed Pällo Coffee Tool),

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 - Steam wand brush,
- Dairy cleanser (such as Urnex Rinza).

11. Do you know about MPPE and please explain about it! (Extra Question for
Cruise Ship Question)

“Mandatory – Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992

Personal protective equipment is provided for your health and safety and must
be used. Defective equipment should be immediately reported… sign.
Protective clothing & respiratory protection signage used to clearly mark
dangerous areas that require PPE in and around your building. Available in
aluminum and rigid plastic. All of our mandatory safety signs are fully compliant
with ISO 7010.”

12. Do you know about PPE and please explain about it! (Extra Question for Cruise
Ship Question)

“PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at
work. It can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-
visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes
respiratory protective equipment (RPE).”

13. Do you know POS system and please explain about it? (Extra Question for
Cruise Ship Question)

“POS stands for point of sale. A point-of-sale (POS) transaction is what takes
place between a merchant and a customer when a product or service is
purchased, commonly using a point of sale system to complete the transaction.”

14. Do you know USPH and please explain about it! (Extra Question for Cruise Ship
Question)

“The United States Public Health Service (USPHS) is a division of

the Department of Health and Human Services concerned with public health.
These are rules and regulations defining safe and acceptable sanitation and
hygiene practices and procedures for the purposes of safeguarding the health of
the public.”

15. Do you know three bucket system and please explain about it! (Extra Question
for Cruise Ship Question)

This is a procedure for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing where a different

bucket and sponge or mop is used for each task.

In washing:
For example, one bucket with water and soap/ detergent, is used
only for this purpose and will not be used for rinsing or sanitizing.

For Rinsing:
Another bucket with water only, will be used solely for this purpose.

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 A third bucket:
Containing water and a sanitizing solution shall be used for sanitizing
only.

There are color-coded for the purpose of easy recognition and

minimizing mistakes.

16. Do you know what is emergency and please explain about it! (Extra Question for
Cruise Ship Question)

“An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life,

property, or environment. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to
prevent a worsening of the situation, although in some situations, mitigation
may not be possible and agencies may only be able to offer palliative care for
the aftermath.”

17. Do you know what is emergency call? please explain about it ? (Extra Question
for Cruise Ship Question)

“A telephone call or call to the emergency services made during an

emergency.”

18. Do you know about garbage separation? (Extra Question for Cruise Ship
Question)

“One of the actions for The Garbage Management Plan is for complete guideline
which comprises of a written procedure for collecting, storing, processing, and
disposing of garbage generated onboard ship as per regulations provided.”