Before moving to London in 2012, I was studying for a degree in Portuguese and French at Universidade Estadual de Maringa in Brazil. I joined Imperial in 2015 as a Catering Assistant, and later trained as a barista. I am now a Catering Supervisor and am responsible for managing the Electrical Engineering Cafe and the Junior Common Room.
I have a variety of responsibilities: I ensure our food outlets are well-maintained, provide good customer service to staff and students, check that all Catering Assistants are wearing the correct uniforms and monitor our staffing levels. I like working closely with my team so on some days, I assist with food preparation and display.
Imperial is where I found my passion for coffee. In 2017, I entered Imperial’s internal barista competition, which I won! I then got the opportunity to participate at The University Caterers Organisation’s (TUCO) Barista Skills competition in 2018, and finished third in the contest. Last year, I also trained our baristas to take part in the internal Imperial barista competition, which was a great challenge and experience for me. I trained them on how to steam a beverage milk drink and create a beverage signature drink for example.
I always put my all into everything. If I start something, I work hard and make sure I achieve it. I’m a perfectionist, which both helps and hinders me! This year, my biggest achievement was winning Gold in The University Catering Caterers Organisation’s Barista Skills competition.