BELFORTE DEL CHIENTI, Italy – There are more than twenty and they come from different European countries (Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Russia, Poland, Greece, the Netherlands, Switzerland), but also from the Americas (USA, Guatemala) and Dubai.
These are the participants (among them three Italians) in a high level course for coffee professionals, taking place this week in Belforte del Chienti, at the Nuova Simonelli training centre.
At the end of the course, those passing the exam will get a professional accreditation, “Q Grader”. This is one of the highest “diplomas” in the sector and for this reason “Q Grader” courses are also called a “University of Coffee.”
To participate you must be able to already boast considerable professional experience, both as a barista and in roasting or coffee farming.
The courses, in their various editions, cover the numerous product varieties in the different areas of cultivation and the entire coffee chain, all the way to the consumer’s cup.
The Nuova Simonelli training centre – uniquely in Italy – is certified by the SCAA, the highest authority in the field. The rooms for the courses are properly equipped for practical classes, including the roasting stage.
The lecturer in this “Q Grader” 2015 is Roukiat Delrue, who has lengthy experience in the coffee industry. From Belgium and now living in Guatemala, she is Q instructor and certified WCE judge and Head Judge.
With her, to manage the various stages of the course, are two assistants, Philip Bartelak from Poland and Candice Madison from the USA.
In September Nuova Simonelli will publish the next Q Grader course.
In the picture, students during a break between classes.
