Barista Profiles (Part 1): Moh and Matt on Specialty Coffee Journeys

Mohsin: So my first experience with specialty coffee was Blue Bottle. I walked in the Blue Bottle, right? I wasn’t expecting anything much. I’m like, “Yo, I want a regular coffee,” that’s what I asked them for.

Bill: Mm-hmm.

Mohsin: They’re like, “We don’t do regular coffee.” I’m like, “What? You don’t do regular coffee?” They’re like, “Nah.” I’m like, “Alright, what you got?” They’re like, “Oh, we got this, this, and that.” I’m like, “What’s a latte? I’ll get a latte.” So they gave me this small, like 8-ounce latte, and they did a heart on it. I’m like, “Wow, that’s amazing. That shit’s crazy.”

Bill: Were you on the clock? Did you have your uniform on?

Mohsin: Yeah, I was out for five minutes, right? I was yelling at my drink and going crazy. I took the first sip, and it was like a CH—you know, like very medium-dark, very chocolatey. With that milk, it was delicious. It was the greatest thing I’d ever tasted in my life. Now I know I won’t even touch a latte like that. That was before Nestlé bought it. That was when Blue Bottle was phenomenal, before all the specialty coffee shops came in.

Bill: So what year was that, Blue Bottle?

Mohsin: 2013. Yeah, so around that time, Blue Bottle only had like four or five stores.

Bill: Right.

Mohsin: Obviously now you can buy Blue Bottle at Target and stuff. But back then, it was very small-scale. Nestlé and the growth of the whole industry changed the game. Suddenly you had Stumptown rising, new shops opening across the country and internationally.

Bill: Fair.

Mohsin: You know, everything changed—like when McDonald’s started and then expanded, everything evolves.

Bill: I love All American… Anyway, back to coffee.

Mohsin: So shortly after that, I quit my job as a security guard. I had classes the next day, and the night shifts were from 12:00 to 8:00. Then I had to commute to class, half asleep. That semester, I basically slept through everything but got a C+.

Bill: C’s get degrees, bro.

Mohsin: Yeah, C’s get degrees, bro. Anyway, shortly after that, a friend got me into a local coffee shop near my house. That friend later joined the Marines, and now he’s working in Hawaii at a small coffee company.

Bill: So that was your first job in coffee?

Mohsin: Yeah. Funny thing—it was a vegan-vegetarian restaurant, which is the antithesis of me. There was a lot of trial and error. One time, I had to go to Dunkin’ Donuts just to get beans because we ran out. That shop eventually declined, and one Saturday, I show up and it’s closed—no call, nothing.

Bill: That’s the most New York story ever.

Mohsin: Yeah. Then I worked at Panera for about six months, and later at Tom’s Shoe Store, which had a coffee program. I opened that location, learning third-wave coffee mostly from the internet and Google. Early shops didn’t have a support system; we were just pulling espresso and drip.

Bill: And then Cafe Grumpy?

Mohsin: That’s when I really learned everything—pour-overs, tastings, cuppings. Their training program was phenomenal. I had about a year or two of experience by then, but Grumpy elevated my skills.

Bill: Any memorable customers?

Mohsin: Toby Maguire, Heidi Klum, and Todd Barry. Toby ordered a black coffee, chill dude. Heidi Klum came in, I didn’t even recognize her at first. Todd Barry was a regular—always observing, probably crafting material.

Bill: Miami next?

Mohsin: Yeah, Miami was when I focused on precision and creativity. Every time we dialed in, the boss checked our work. That’s when Matt and I started latte art competitions.

Bill: And then Pipeline Coffee?

Mohsin: At Pipeline, I moved into roasting. I went from head barista to creating roast profiles. First one was Ignata Pony from Colombia—people loved it. Roasting became a true passion.

Bill: What’s the learning curve like?

Mohsin: It’s high stakes. You can’t just trial and error—you could burn the shop. But you get trained, use preset profiles, and monitor every detail. Any alteration can throw off 11 pounds of coffee.

Bill: Compared to hospitality, competitions, and roasting, which stands out the most?

Mohsin: Each aspect is vital, but roasting is my favorite. I enjoy the solitude, the precision, and knowing the work honors the farmers. It’s the start of the coffee chain.

Bill: Matt, how about you?

Matt: I started just wanting to be a barista. Promotions were stepping stones. I always thought there were greater things in the world, even within coffee. Progression, not perfection.

Bill: And the community?

Matt: Throwdowns and the coffee community opened doors. Tasting different coffees taught me to keep an open mind—you can’t pigeonhole yourself into one shop or one style. There’s amazing coffee all over the world.