Experienced Barista – Specialty Coffee Shop in River Forest

Black Fodder Coffee Co.•River Forest, IL

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Black Fodder Coffee is a specialty coffee company in River Forest, IL, that runs a café, caters private events, and teaches espresso and pour-over classes. They are a family-owned, quality-driven company that sources from award-winning roasters and aims to roast in-house soon. They emphasize high standards, including dialing in every morning and pouring latte art on every drink as a standard practice. This role involves making coffee with precision and care, engaging with customers, and maintaining a clean and welcoming environment.

Requirements

At least 1 year of experience behind an espresso machine at a specialty coffee shop.
Strong latte art skills.
Understanding of extraction, dose, and yield.
A real work ethic; ability to see what needs doing and do it without being asked.
Drive to get better; willingness to ask for feedback and study the craft.
Operates with integrity; honesty and doing the right thing are non-negotiable.
Rock-solid reliability; ability to show up on time and communicate early if something comes up.
Fluent in English.

Nice To Haves

Experience with hand brew methods (Kalita Wave, V60, Aeropress).
Food prep experience.
Troubleshooting skills.

Responsibilities

Pull espresso, steam milk, and pour latte art on a Slayer Steam machine.
Brew pourovers using Kalita Wave, V60, and Aeropress with precision and care.
Work café shifts in the River Forest shop and/or catering events across Chicagoland.
Make every person who walks in feel genuinely welcome.
Talk to guests about coffee.
Keep the bar and café spotless.
Handle equipment with care.
Lift 50 lbs (kegs, milk deliveries, event gear).