Coffee Pods now in Michelin restaurants

Loire

Interesting article about the rise & rise of Nespresso (and other) Pods. Seems that even the top restaurants are using them now..

http://www.aeonmagazine.com/being-human/julian-baggini-coffee-artisans/

Loire.

Gran Hermano

Just lazy/unskilled restaurant staff IMHO.

Ddad

I think if you read the article you'll see that one of the principle reasons is consistency of product. The fat duck uses them as do many other Michelin starred establishments. The staff in Michelin starred restaurants are seldom unskilled or lazy.

However, as the author of the article points out small variations in the methods used by coffee makers to make a cup can and do lead to variations in the cup of coffee. Restaurants if they are doing it right strive for consistency in their product delivery and capsule coffee delivers consistency.

I don't have one of these machines but any coffee I've had from them has in general been very good.

Very good article btw, well worth the read.

Gran Hermano

Staff in Michelin restaurants may be skilled in food prep but that is not the same as skilled in coffee prep.
Looks like the focus is on food and not the coffee. Restaurant owners are willing to compromise on the coffee side
and deliver an average product for the average diner. Low cost of investment and training on Nespresso compared
to proper coffee. Sample size in article in unscientific and stupidly small. Article is misleading.

Ddad

I can see what you mean alright.

In my experience most training colleges spend time teaching their students to make tea and coffee and how to serve it well.

They don't give them the experience that is required to master that skill. That's acquired on the job. If it were my restaurant and I was working on training staff, their technical ability at making coffee would be much lower on my list of priorities than say, serving a table.

Most restaurants rely on very tight profit margins. If they have an opportunity to control a cost and the maintain the quality of a product a high level I think it's a very good idea.

Most restaurants are food centred businesses with the hot beverages being a tertiary part of the experience. In this context it makes sense to use the coffee machines.

Advantages. Consistent cost, consistent high quality product, low training input, low probability of failure etc

Disadvantage: a less premium product (this is questionable), deskilling of staff, higher unit cost?

As I said before I think the nespresso type products are of a high standard and going by the quality of coffee served in a lot of catering businesses they'd be an improvement.

The catering industry changes a lot over time, sometimes it's cost driven (self service breakfast) and sometimes it's quality driven ( process automation, e.g. Sous vide). I think to dismiss it out of hand as lazy is shortsighted.

Lastly it is expensive to train someone to do something to a high standard. It requires time and typically it generates waste, which is an additional cost. In catering it is typical to have low staff retention rates because of the low wages, long hours etc. that can make a handmade coffee expensive compared to the machine made product.

llatsni

Every nespresso I've ever had, has been better than every restaurant espresso I've ever had.

However, using nespresso is a lowest common denominator approach; 'what is the least quality I can get away with?'. This is true for both the home consumer and the Michelin star restaurateur. The difference is that it seems at odds with the entire premise of a Michelin restaurant; usually, 'what is the best quality I can find?'. The comparison of nespresso with bad-espresso is in itself flawed: If a top chef was looking for a new streaky bacon he would be very unlikely to limit his sample group to the two market leaders and choose one. It smacks of laziness and/or trendiness to me and would undermine any respect I had for a particular chef or restaurant... just as bad-espresso does.

Ddad

llatsni wrote: »

Every nespresso I've ever had, has been better than every restaurant espresso I've ever had.

However, using nespresso is a lowest common denominator approach; 'what is the least quality I can get away with?'. This is true for both the home consumer and the Michelin star restaurateur. The difference is that it seems at odds with the entire premise of a Michelin restaurant; usually, 'what is the best quality I can find?'. The comparison of nespresso with bad-espresso is in itself flawed: If a top chef was looking for a new streaky bacon he would be very unlikely to limit his sample group to the two market leaders and choose one. It smacks of laziness and/or trendiness to me and would undermine any respect I had for a particular chef or restaurant... just as bad-espresso does.

If every nespresso you've had was better than any restaurant espresso you've ever had then surely it is a high quality product, it either that or you have appalling luck with restaurant coffee.

Just because a product is widly available doesn't mean it's of low quality, Take cashel blue cheeses, widely available but still not out of place on a Michelin starred menu.

The Michelin starred dining experience is as much about the consistency of a very high standard in service, surroundings, food and drink as it is about the provenance of the foods served.

These guys use kerrygold butter, avonmore milk, potatoes anyone can buy in any supermarket. Just because the provenance isn't exotic doesn't render the product unworthy.

llatsni

I have never had an espresso of any merit from a restaurant, I usually take a sip and send it back. I have never had a nespresso that could have convinced me it was a "real" espresso, the only thing going for the nespresso - and it's marginal - is that it is somewhat consistent (but not between machines).

I'm glad you brought up Cashel Blue: a family owned and run business who sought excellence in the market 20 years ago when everyone ridiculed them for not making a quick buck. Absolutely nothing like Nestle or nespresso. I'm glad to see their excellent product widely available, and I'm pleased the quality has not suffered.

Nespresso is not the real thing. There is no love involved. There is no sourcing of unusual varietals or processing techniques, no working with local artisans, no skills involved in preparation, no local businesses benefit... etc. etc.

It is a total cop out considering the amazing coffee that *is* widely available now. So is serving any of the crap "Italian" brand beans.

maxwell smart

I heard somewhere that Nespresso use the top 1% of the top 10% of all the coffee in the world (excluding, of course, some of the premium growth).

It's definitely the consistency of product that is the key to their success. When I drink it I know exactly what I'm going to get taste wise. It's not the usual hit and miss of a coffee shop where the variation in quality and taste is simply staggering.

Slaphead07

maxwell smart wrote: »

When I drink it I know exactly what I'm going to get taste wise.

Yep, stale bitter industrial coffee.
You probably heard those percentages from one of your marketing colleagues. There's no reason whatsoever (apart from being able to make the claim) for them to buy the best of the best to produce that stuff.

llatsni

I feel like we're wasting our keyboard skills Slaphead07.

Slaphead07

llatsni wrote: »

I feel like we're wasting our keyboard skills Slaphead07.

True. But I had a spare minute.

Jezek

maxwell smart wrote: »

It's not the usual hit and miss of a coffee shop where the variation in quality and taste is simply staggering.

you're not going to the right coffee shops!

Radharc na Sleibhte

I think its an idea for consistency in a busy busy kitchen, if thats what they want to do, but for me, coffee finishes a meal so serving it like this, albeit good enough quality is a bit of a cop out. Why put all that effort into the meal and then none into the coffee? They wouldnt use a ready made mcrowaveable sauce im sure.
Nespresso is grand, grand for at home, but serving commercially? Im on the fence.

Disagree with the "crap italian brands" though.
Lavazza Tierra is my personal favourite and one which i seek out.

That said, there are some really lovely localised producers now, who love coffee like these michelin chefs love their food. Source, prepare and blend the beans like chefs do their ingredients. The art of coffee is a skill in its own right and if it were up to me, particularly if i had a michelin starred kitchen, id be wanting my coffee to be given the same care love and attention as the 10 courses before it.

enda1

If I want consistency without an attempt to maximise the gourmet experience I will go to Nandos.
I go to Michelin restaurants to be wowed.
Nespresso does not wow and coffee is an integral part of a meal.
Very disappointing