Süeda Emir is the youngest guest I have had on The Coffee Story so far, but that doesn’t in any way take away from her credibility. She is based in Turkey at the moment and she has achieved in a few years, what others might take a decade to accomplish.

Coffee is only a part of her journey and she is well on her way to obtain her degree in gastronomy and culinary arts. Is this a Michelin Star Chef in the making? Well, I hope so. It’s amazing that at this age, she already knows what she wants to do and achieve. Let’s dive in and see what her journey has been like.

Tell me a bit about yourself, Süeda.

I’m Süeda Emir from Antalya, Turkey. I’m 23 years old and I'm currently pursuing Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. I have also been working as a barista in a boutique specialty coffee shop for almost three years. I have successfully completed three SCA courses. This is only the beginning and there’s a lot to learn when it comes to specialty coffee. This is my last year and my primary focus is wine.

Why did you choose to work in the coffee industry?

The reason why I chose this industry is because I want to learn about the history and culture surrounding these societies, this was key for me to unravel the mysteries of various cuisines and expand my horizon about the world in general.

I knew education in gastronomy would fulfill my aspirations. I knew my desire to study should not go to vain, and I wanted to pursue my career further in my field of expertise. I was now eager to meet professionals in the food and beverage industry, and while studying the history of food, the historical and cultural effects of coffee changed my perception about this most consumed beverage in the world.

In addition to my education, I started researching training courses for coffee. It was important for me to complete the relevant course first and then apply for a job. I completed my first SCA certification in Izmir, and this is where I drank my first cup of specialty coffee. I have to say, it was a delightful shot of espresso.

Where do I start? From the vibe, to the gathering of likeminded people, paired with the beautiful aroma of coffee, and lastly, the theoretical and practical comprehension of the course, had a positive influence on me. I knew that the specialty coffee industry would build upon my foundation for gastronomy I was looking for.

What courses of the SCA have you completed and what are you planning to do in the near future since you are keen about specialty coffee?

I have three SCA certificates, these are barista foundation, barista intermediate and brewing foundation. My work experience amounts to three years in this industry. Although, it is not a short time, I still have a lot to learn and expand my knowledge in the specialty coffee industry.

I believe the position of a barista is a good starting point and has laid a solid foundation for me. There are other aspects I want to work on, such as roasting. I want to work with roasters and roast my own coffee. I have a very curious mind and I am fascinated with the science behind it.

I want to roast, brew and taste every varietal there is in Arabica coffee. I want to understand everything about tasting. Ultimately, I know my place is in the kitchen as a chef, but coffee has become an integral part of my life now. This is not the end and I will continue to learn.

You are studying to be a sommelier. How different is it from a Q Grader?

A sommelier is in direct communication with the customer, just like a barista in a cafe. The sommelier should know the food and wine menu in their place of employment, and recommend based on what the customer wants.

The position entails them to carefully listen to the customer’s needs and make suggestions accordingly. It is also very important for the sommelier to also have knowledge of different cuisines and culinary arts.

Apart from these, they have a lot in common. In both professions, they must taste constantly and occasionally travel back to the origin. They both need to understand geography, terroir, climatic condition, soil harvest periods, and not just the farmers who grow grapes and coffee cherries. And lastly, good sensory skills.

I see you are studying simultaneously about two different industries. I’m sure you are aware of Lucia Solis, she used to work in the wine industry, and then changed her career to offer her fermentation expertise for coffee farmers. Do you see yourself headed down the same path? Or do you plan to do something different entirely?

I follow her on social media fondly. I watched her online discussion with Scott Rao on YouTube and I was inspired. My gastronomy education is intertwined with many departments. Some of them being hot kitchen chefs, cocoa and chocolate artists, wine connoisseurs, pastry and bakery chefs, coffee professionals, mixologists, and food engineers.

This gave me the opportunity to work with many food engineers and learn from them about food science, cheese, coffee, other beverages, and fermentation. I want to be aware of different areas of expertise and expand my knowledge in them further. I want to take this direction because the more information I get in the gastronomy world, the more I know that I have a lot to learn, and the more I will push myself.

The wine and coffee industry are two different industries, yet people find them quite similar. You must be aware that certain processing techniques are now being utilized for coffee that are also used in the wine industry. Where do you see the future of specialty coffee headed?

I am excited to see how specialty coffee is shaping the food and beverage industry. Specialty coffee is used for both scientific and social purposes. Carbonic maceration used in wine, is also used in coffee as a fermentation technique. I have had the opportunity to brew a carbonic macerated coffee and it stood out from the rest.

Coffee and wine are produced according to the climatic conditions, terroir, the varietal used, their maintenance and harvest periods. The stages of fermentation is then planned accordingly to produce a desired taste.

Coffee has undergone a lot of innovation lately and is a source of inspiration for other fields. If I have to give an example, pastry and coffee are two areas that pair well, especially in coffee shops. There are many cafes in Europe that give importance to pastries and craft baking. I really admire Collective Bakery, part of Coffee Collective. I am fascinated by coffee-food pairing.

Finally, I should mention that there are people who bring coffee into their profession such as video creators, social media experts, graphic design experts, photographers and Youtubers. This is an exciting time for coffee.

And it’s an exciting time for Süeda, she is very close to obtaining her degree, but her journey is only beginning. I wish her nothing but the best, and thank her not only for reaching out, but sharing her story with us.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.