Man Met Bril Koffie simply opened a “espresso lodge” in Rotterdam, outfitted with a roastery, schooling area, and customized espresso machine.

BY TANYA NANETTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT

Photographs courtesy of Man Met Bril Koffie

After months of laborious work and excessive expectations, Man Met Bril Koffie (MMBK)’s espresso lodge—the primary of its variety—has lastly opened its doorways in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in a shocking location alongside the enduring Rotte River.

This distinctive, revolutionary area blends specialty espresso, hospitality, and tradition into one intriguing combine: Right here, a espresso store sits alongside a roastery, an schooling area, a podcast studio, and naturally, a completely outfitted lodge with 20 fashionable rooms.

However the MMBK Resort is particular for different causes as properly: First, there’s the distinctive espresso machine featured within the espresso bar. Frank (that’s what the machine is known as) is one-of-a-kind: a five-group surprise crafted by Kees van der Westen, combining three infusion and extraction strategies in a single machine. It appears unbelievable, however Frank is alive and properly—and might already be discovered serving visitors, pouring one scrumptious espresso after one other.

Second is the Residency Program, created with the intent of inviting a number of the world’s greatest baristas and roasters to dwell and work on the lodge collectively, exchanging information, concepts, and their ardour for espresso.

Paul Sharo, proprietor of MMBK and mastermind behind the espresso lodge challenge, can’t include his pleasure when talking of the current opening. “The primary few weeks have been unbelievable! We had been overwhelmed by the constructive response and enthusiasm of residents and guests. It was superb to see individuals’s enthusiasm for this challenge,” he says.

He then goes on to introduce the espresso lodge’s residency program, which he describes as a “work journey,” designed for espresso professionals who need to improve their expertise and be part of a global espresso group.

Paul shares that over the course of a number of months, residents is not going to solely work in numerous areas of the lodge, but in addition participate in a hands-on program masking all the espresso journey, from sourcing to roasting to promoting.

“In essence,” Paul says, “we need to develop the worldwide espresso group by bringing high baristas, roasters, and different lovers from all over the world to the lodge, the place they’ll be capable to dwell and work quickly—this features a paid place, lodging within the lodge, and low galore.”

”The purpose is easy: to share information, study from one another, and collaborate with inventive minds from all over the world,” he continues. “With this system, we (hope to convey) collectively individuals from all walks of life—with completely different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences—behind one espresso machine. We need to create a gathering place between the native and international espresso group.”

We additionally had the prospect to talk to Silke Fass and Martina Ceretková, among the many first residents to be invited to the lodge. Silke got here to the lodge for a three-month residency from the southwestern a part of Germany, the place she works as supervisor of a café/deli in Saarbruecken.

“I utilized to grow to be one of many residents (on the MMBK Resort) as a result of I like working within the espresso business and being a barista—and I used to be searching for a brand new problem,” Silke says. “That’s why I’m right here. The residency program affords the chance to mix my prior information with new enter from like-minded individuals working within the espresso business in different international locations.”

Silke additionally shares what she hopes to realize from her keep on the lodge. “I count on to have the ability to collect lots of information each throughout working hours and in between, as espresso information is just about in every single place: (on the) roastery, bar, and (amongst the entire) coffee-savvy workers members beneath one roof. I want to deepen my barista expertise and achieve information about roasting,” she says.

Martina is a former supervisor and low employee who additionally got here to the MMBK Resort for a three-month residency. “For so long as I can bear in mind, I used to be fascinated by espresso itself and low tradition,” Martina says, explaining why she utilized for the residency. 

“I’ve lots of expertise within the service business. … I wished to mix that with espresso. That’s why I utilized: to study as a lot as I may about espresso, from the roasting course of, to brewing and serving, to grow to be a full-fledged espresso skilled,” she continues.

After the primary few weeks of residency, Silke and Martina can’t be happier with how issues are going.

“The primary few days went easily. (We had been) visited principally by neighbors and low lovers, (who had been) curious concerning the place and really encouraging of their phrases about the entire challenge,” Martina says. “And when the primary weekend got here, we had been full, however we had workflow and every thing went very properly.”

“Through the day, we handle the cafeteria, masking numerous shifts divided between service shifts, barista shifts, and roasting shifts,” Martina continues. “It’s positively a pleasant alternative to work collectively, get to know one another a bit higher, and, once more, to study from one another as properly. On our days off, we prefer to (tour) Rotterdam and different lovely cities close by—or we proceed our conversations within the residency wing whereas cooking dinner and having enjoyable.” 

Silke shares comparable sentiments. “For the reason that lodge bar opened, it has been very thrilling to be part of it and see the progress, since we’re the primary group of residents,” she says. “Every single day, we come into contact with lots of creativity—coffee-related and never coffee-related—and have the chance to satisfy and study from individuals from all around the world. … It’s positively thrilling to be part of.”

Be taught Extra

To search out out extra concerning the MMBK espresso lodge, go to their web site—and to guide a room, click on right here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tanya Nanetti (she/her) is a specialty-coffee barista, a traveler, and a dreamer. When she’s not behind the espresso machine (or visiting some hidden nook of the world), she’s busy writing for Espresso Rebel, a web site about specialty espresso that she’s creating alongside along with her boyfriend.

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