Duration: 9 hours total — 2 days × 4 hours (2h theory + 2.5h practical per day)

Location: Lavazza Training Centre, San Ġwann, Malta

Pre-requisite: Lavazza Intermediate Certificate or equivalent verified

Certification: Lavazza Professional Certificate (on passing both theory and practical at 75%+)

The most advanced barista programme in the Lavazza training pathway — designed for senior staff who run bars, train teams and represent the coffee on the floor. The focus moves beyond technique into sensory mastery, leadership and recipe design.

Day 1 — Origin, Roasting Science & Sensory Analysis

Theory (2h): terroir and Arabica varieties (Typica, Bourbon, Geisha, Catimor); roasting chemistry — Maillard, caramelisation, first/second crack and degassing; sensory analysis — the five tastes by source compound, the three aroma families, orthonasal vs retronasal, working the SCA Flavour Wheel to ring 3; the SCA-aligned cupping protocol and the 10-attribute score sheet.

Practical (2.5h): full SCA-aligned cupping session on three samples (washed Arabica, natural Arabica, Robusta-containing espresso blend) — dry fragrance evaluation, controlled 93°C pour, four-minute infusion, crust break, scoring across all ten attributes and group calibration discussion; followed by grinder calibration under pressure — every shot logged (dose, yield, time, TDS, taste note), sour→balanced inflection point identified, three consecutive shots delivered to professional brew-ratio and timing standards with every variable logged.

Day 2 — Espresso Mastery, Water Chemistry & Bar Leadership

Theory (2h): professional espresso parameters and root-cause defect diagnosis; channelling and pressure profiling; water chemistry deep dive — Mg²⁺ vs Ca²⁺, KH, pH and treatment systems; advanced milk — protein network physics, alternative milks (oat, soy, almond, coconut) and advanced latte art techniques (dry foam, drop and drag etc ); the six-element recipe design framework; bar leadership — the Demonstrate→Describe→Observe→Correct→Repeat training methodology, shot logs, QC trackers and equipment maintenance scheduling.

Practical (2.5h): milk mastery and consistency (temperature accuracy across five consecutive jugs, latte art advanced techniques, alternative milk technique with written comparison); signature drink creation under brief using the six-element framework, with on-the-spot recipe card and 30-second verbal sell; peer training roleplay applying the D→D→O→C→R methodology, with written feedback notes submitted to the trainer.

Assessment: 60% written theory test + 40% practical observation rubric across the five exercises. Both components must be passed individually at 75% or above.

Pathway forward: Successful certification opens access to competition coaching (Lavazza Barista Challenge preparation, or any other local competition), and graduates receive the Lavazza Professional Toolkit — a set of practical Excel tools designed for daily use on the bar and in café operations.

Best suited for head baristas, café managers, hotel coffee leads, shift supervisors and anyone responsible for training others or owning coffee quality across a venue.