Lead Barista

Boo, NYC
Boo are the first phase of a new hospitality project created by a veteran New York team
with decades of experience opening, operating, and evolving some of New York City's
most respected concepts.

We're looking for an experienced Coffee Program Manager to help build, not simply
run our coffee program from the ground up. This is a hands-on leadership role for
someone who wants to take ownership of the guest experience, coffee quality, team
development, and the evolution of the café.

You'll be the steward of our coffee program, from the first dial-in each morning to the
next seasonal menu.

Our Philosophy
Our approach is rooted in classic technique with a quietly unexpected point of view.

We value exceptional coffee, thoughtfully sourced teas, beautiful pastries, seasonal
food, and beverages that are balanced, purposeful, and visually compelling. Creativity
comes through restraint, craftsmanship, seasonality, and an understanding of flavor not
novelty for novelty's sake.

We aim to create a café that is sophisticated without pretension, welcoming without
compromise, and memorable because every detail has been thoughtfully considered.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of leadership experience as a Coffee Program Manager, Lead Barista, Coffee Lead, Café Manager, or similar role in an upscale specialty coffee environment.
• Extensive knowledge of espresso preparation, dialing in, extraction, grinders, milk steaming, brewing methods, workflow, and equipment maintenance.
• Proven ability to train, mentor, and inspire a team while maintaining exceptional standards.
• Strong organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail, cleanliness, and consistency.
• Experience with ordering, inventory management, scheduling, pars, and daily café operations.
• Current Food Handler Certification (or the ability to obtain one immediately).
• A collaborative leadership style and a genuine passion for hospitality.

Responsibilities

• Lead the daily operation of the coffee program.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and schedule the barista team.
• Maintain exceptional coffee quality and consistency every day.
• Develop seasonal beverages, daily specials, and signature drinks in collaboration with leadership.
• Explore thoughtful opportunities to incorporate botanicals, teas, superfoods, adaptogens, mushrooms, and other functional ingredients where they enhance flavor and the guest experience.
• Manage coffee, tea, alternative milk, and café inventory while maintaining beverage costs.
• Build systems, recipes, training materials, and service standards that support consistency.
• Collaborate closely with the Bar Manager and leadership to create a seamless guest experience between Café Boo and Bar Boo.
• Continue refining and evolving the coffee program as the project grows.

Bonus Points

• Opening café experience.
• Strong tea knowledge.
• Knowledge of vegan and plant-based food and beverage.
• You personally follow a plant-based or vegan lifestyle.
• Experience with low- and no-caffeine beverages, house-made syrups, fermentation, or botanical ingredients.
• A passion for art, architecture, music, design, travel, and culture.

This is an opportunity to help define the identity of a new café from day one. We're
looking for someone who leads with humility, takes ownership, loves teaching others,
and believes the smallest details create the most memorable guest experiences.
If you're passionate about specialty coffee, thoughtful hospitality, and building
something with purpose, we'd love to hear from you.

Salary : $55,000 - $70,000