Martain Ravn became passionate about coffee while working at his local BP station. He said that making coffee was the most enjoyable aspect of his job, which even saw him enter the BP barista competition. After he honed in on his skills, Ravn eventually became a finalist, which set him up for a career in producing fine coffee.
Ravn moved to Wellington and joined Elements in Lyall Bay, a local community cafe, before being selected to front up Onepū, a coffee and ice cream shop. Ravn admits that making coffee just started as a job, but it has developed into a passion.
"There is a balance of perfecting a lot of small steps and speed, which makes the day rush by. As opposed to many other jobs where you are making something, you also get to see the person you give it to and often have a little chat," said Ravn.
Onepū means 'sandy' in Te Reo, which is fitting due to its location right next to the beach. Real fruit ice cream is their specialty, as one of the few places in Wellington to make it. Although an obvious winner in summer, Ravn said that real fruit ice cream is more of a hit in winter than one would have guessed.
Not really a 'sit in' cafe, Ravn said that Onepū was a great place to stop by on the way to the beach. Onepū also has a range of hot food, with a selection of artisan toasted sandwiches, as well as signature smoothies, house juices, and, of course, coffee.
Ravn considers great coffee to be a mix of caramelisation and acidity.
"As a barista, it's all about striking a balance between sour and bitter and a touch of sweet. The other half of the equation is the customer. Coffee tastes great once the brain knows it's a source of caffeine."
His personal order switches depending on what time of day it is. In the morning, he prefers a long black, sometimes two. Later on in the day, he opts for an oat flat white. He said that oat milk is an excellent additive to coffee as it adds sweetness and is more or less carbon-friendly, depending on the brand. He added coffee tastes great once the brain knows it's a source of caffeine and suggested that is why the first cup of the day usually tastes the best because the half-life of caffeine is such that by the time you wake up, you're just starting to go into withdrawals.
During the rest of the week, Ravn works towards his Master's degree in screenwriting at the Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University.
Onepū Lyall Bay has been a much-loved cafe since it opened, and has become a popular weekend hotspot for locals and tourists alike.
