It was eight years ago, on a working holiday visa, that Aichi, Japan’s Midori Otani, moved to New Zealand and secured a job as a kitchen hand.
Having never dealt with espresso machines before and knowing how Kiwis adore their daily coffees, Otani didn’t think she would ever become a barista.
However, as time passed, Otani became fascinated with the idea and started her journey as a barista by taking a course in the field. Since then, she has been constantly developing her skills and improving her knowledge of coffee making.
This hard work has led her to be the front-of-house manager and the head barista, as she looks after the team at Christchurch’s Addington Coffee.
“A cafe is a place where people meet, and coffee plays a massive role in facilitating this. Serving perfectly made coffee always makes me proud,” said Otani.
Addington Coffee roasts its own Common Good Coffee onsite, always keeping things interesting for Otani. It also supports Joyya, an organisation that helps poverty-stricken neighbourhoods in India’s Kolkata.
“Our cafe contributes part of our profits to support Joyya in sparking good by providing good employment opportunities and social services.”
Otani feels privileged to work in an establishment where she can do something better for society while providing great coffee that makes customers happy.
To her, a great coffee is one that has perfectly extracted espresso shots with silky milk, and her go-to order is long black. When she’s not working, Otani explores new cafes and restaurants.
