This is the first interview of the coffee people in the industry. Hopefully there will be more to come from more cafe owners, baristas and coffee lovers.
Thank you for granting an interview with the self-proclaimed Malaysian coffee rockstar.
Q: Most of the coffee geeks like me probably know who you are but for those who don’t, could you please briefly introduce yourself?
A: My name is Michael D’Alessandro, an Italian citizen who grew up in Australia. I currently run the Espressamente-Illy coffee bars in Malaysia. I learned my skills as a Barista in some of the busiest & most well-known cafes & restaurants in Australia and moved into the coffee distribution industry in London for Segafredo Zanetti. I have spent the past 3 years coffee consulting & training for businesses across Asia.
Q: Tell us, how long have you been involved with the coffee industry?
A: All in all, I have been in the F&B industry for 12 years but focused mainly on espresso coffee for the past 9 years.
Q: Why you choose Espressamente-Illy as your coffee partner?
A: As far as coffee brands go, I have always had huge respect for illycaffe. Throughout the change & demand of the global coffee industry, they have always tried to stay true to their word to focus on quality & use only the best Arabica beans. Ernesto Illy was a Chemist and his research lead the way into the ‘science of espresso’ which has contributed greatly to espresso quality & appreciation as we know it today. I love the concept of the EspressamenteIlly coffee bars which focuses on not just the importance of serving excellent espresso based drinks but also brings to the world the Italian coffee culture through its modern design & ambiance. For me, the bars depict the true Italian caffe culture, something which is close to my heart.
Q: And why Malaysia? Also, what other coffee commitments you have here in Malaysia. I understand that you are also attached with a worldwide barista training academy (It’s Not Just Coffee).
A: I think Malaysia is a great place to both reside and have a successful business. I love the life I have here, it’s challenging but rewarding and I love my staff. For business, Malaysia is still very young as far as the Specialty Coffee Industry is concerned and many opportunities exist here for those who want to show their knowledge of what good food, beverage & great service is about. Of course you need to love people in this industry to be a true success. I think there is still a huge gap in good service here which we aim to close. As far as It’s Not Just Coffee is concerned, this is my own creation which I began in 2007 and still exists today. However, due to my commitments with Espressamente-Illy, all training classes have been temporarily put on hold. The concept is about coffee education. We carry out different courses of coffee training from basics to advanced but also provide complete set-up of coffee bars through our consulting services. In the past I traveled across Asia & Australia training many businesses. I am affiliated with my previous colleagues in London & Nepal. It’s Not Just Coffee will begin training again very soon…..watch this space…..
Q: Ok, what is your best coffee experience locally & around the world?
A: Hmm, I must say locally it’s a tough one as I am very biased about good espresso. For me, its tough to find a place with great Baristi and a great setting. I can honestly say locally, my best coffee experiences is when I walk to Espressamente-Illy in the early mornings when the sun is just coming out and there are very few people around. The anticipation of the 1st espresso of the day, the people in the café chatting away, laughing & the espresso grinder churning away. Then the espresso (Illy of course), served at the bar while I chat with my staff….definately my best local coffee experiences. Internationally, I found a great little bar in Naples, Italy which was serving their local brand of Kimbo. The old man behind the bar (without any teeth) pulled a perfect shot each day I was there. Maybe it was the setting & ambiance more so than the coffee itself, but in the end……that’s a huge part of the coffee drinking experience.
Q: What do you think of the Old Town & White Coffee kopitiam copycats? Is it for better or are slowly destroying the coffee culture here?
A: No, I don’t think it will destroy the coffee culture in Malaysia. Malaysia’s Kopitiam stores should live on as it is a part of your history. There will always be room for both….however more and more people will eventually move onto espresso-based drinks as the country matures and we see more and more ‘Espressamente-Illy’ style coffee bars. Establishments such as ourselves have change the way many Malaysians drink coffee. However we cannot change a nation’s coffee culture. In the end, coffee is versatile and comes in many forms and preferences which is why we love it so much and why it plays such an important part in the lives of many around the world …..of course I am very biased towards Italian espresso and would love to see everyone drinking an espresso at the bar as soon as possible 
Q:Since you are running a coffee business, which is the most important aspect that will determine the eventual success of the business?
A: There are many factors like location, quality of product etc but for me, first & foremost – a strong passionate leader with passionate staff. I truly believe that the people of the business makes the business itself. Finding the people who work not just for their pay slip at the end of the month but because they love people & love making coffee is difficult, but for me, is worth the search. I will continue to search for them as long as we are operating. People will come because the coffee is good but they will stay longer, enjoy themselves more, spend more money & revisit only if they are made to feel like they are at home. A coffee bar should be a home away from home where you can get away from all the stress of work & personal troubles and unwind with friends or relax with a good book. Staff play a huge role in this.
Q: How do you feel about coffee/barista training an important indicator of the effort that is put in by cafe owners? Is the time and effort match the result and expectations?
A: Although there have been many exceptions in my time as a trainer, I dont think that enough café owners place enough effort in training their staff. Training in staff should be an on-going process and the investment in staff training will see greater returns long term. Many café owners will hire a trainer for 1 or 2 sessions and expect their staff to be Baristi when the role of becoming a professional Barista takes time to master. Successful coffee bar owners understand this and develop training programs and systems long term. I have been lucky enough to work with some of these people.
Q: Singapore and Thailand is quite ahead of Malaysia. Do you think we will still playing catch-up by a few year’s time?
A: It’s true that other Asian countries are ahead of Malaysia. Perhaps we still won’t quite be as mature as these countries in the next few years but I guess it depends on a few contributing factors. Malaysia is quite a small country and if we have a few great coffee trainers, there is more chance that these businesses searching for training will have better quality training. Another factor is if people like yourself continue to create awareness of the specialty coffee industry and continue to educate others that the barista is an ‘artist’. Perhaps there are more coffee bars per capita in Singapore & Thailand meaning more chances of good Baristi, but if we continue to educate Malaysians through our own experiences, then why can’t Malaysia be as good as many Western countries? Less coffee houses but better quality?
Q: How you think we can improve and push this relative young coffee industry (not white coffee/kopi O). I mean espresso, siphon coffee, etc.
A: I think the previous answer also answers this one. Education, Education & Education. Also holding barista jams, competitions & the like will further boost awareness.
Q: So, is barista competition a good thing for the industry as this will enthuse more coffee geeks (like me who competed recently in the FHM-organized barista competition) to compete and more Malaysia barista champions will be born and raise the bar up a notch each year and eventually compete with the best in WBC?
A: It’s definitely a good thing for the industry. It will create further awareness for the country’s specialty coffee industry. I’m sure we will soon see Malaysia’s very own WBC-accredited competition. I remember the UK about 8 years ago when the quality of the contestants and the competition itself was mediocre. Over the 8 years, the competition grew in both numbers & quality as the country’s coffee culture matured and sure enough, today they have their very own World Barista Champion – James Hoffman.
Q: Lastly, any final thoughts that you might want to let us know?
A: Well I hope that I didn’t babble on too much as I often do. I just want to say it was a pleasure to talk to Malaysia’s self-proclaimed coffee rockstar. I think people like you and KF Chan etc. are ambassadors to the Specialty Coffee Industry in Malaysia and you are playing a huge role in developing this new appreciation of coffee. Keep up the good work and you are always welcome at Espressamente-Illy for an espresso or two on me.
Q: Thank you for your time. Very much appreciated.
A: You’re very welcome.
