Simone Bianchi brings an experienced palate, a competitive edge, and a bold sense of creativity to the bar at DAK Showroom in Amsterdam. Originally from Rome and with a background in mixology, he brings a wide range of influences into every cup he brews. At 29, Simone’s journey through coffee has already earned him national recognition, and it feels like he is just getting started!
At DAK, Simone curates seasonal coffee menus and leads the team as the Head Barista, but his passion goes far beyond the counter. He’s the mind behind the DAK Coffee Tasting Experience, a three-course exploration of flavour inspired by the world of fine dining. It is not just about serving coffee. It is about creating moments that challenge and inspire.
Simone, what is your first memory with coffee?
My very first memory of coffee, as a true Italian, is a big tray full of small espressos for my family after a big meal… unfortunately with lots of sugar next to them!
What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?
Before working in coffee, I was an enthusiastic mixologist, very creative in building cocktail recipes and studying spirits. Once I moved to Amsterdam, I met Dani, now my best friend, who introduced me to specialty coffee, and it felt natural to start working as a specialty coffee barista, especially once I discovered the existence of coffee competition. I think competitions have been the key in my career so far.
Tell us a bit about your current work. What is your role there?
Since the end of 2024, I have worked as the Head Barista at the DAK Showroom, a place built to showcase the amazing coffee roasted by Dak Coffee Roasters. It is a place where not only can I explore an infinite amount of amazing coffees, but also experiment with extraction techniques and release my creativity with the Dak Testing Menu. It’s always very satisfying to see how inspiring I can be for other people, and this job position gives me exactly this possibility.
What kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they visit you at the café?
The goal for me is to blow minds, I want my guests to go out from the cafe and think “this coffee I had here was something I never had before”, also to show them that coffee can be creative and different… There are many ways that a specific coffee can taste according to the brew method, and often this is forgotten.
You´re also a mixologist and wine sommelier. How do you combine all these passions, and how do these additional fields help you grow your coffee skills?
Mixology, spirits and liquors have been my first love and gave me the possibility of understanding flavours. Wine gave me the chance to understand even more agriculture, geographical aspects, conditions and varieties. Right now, I feel so lucky because, again, thanks to these two other disciplines, I upgraded my coffee game.
What is your favourite part of the day at work, and why? Which responsibilities do you enjoy the most?
As the Head Barista, I am also responsible for the monthly menu of the showroom, and I genuinely enjoy thinking about what kind of coffees to put on, which coffees would be more understood, which coffees would surprise the most, which coffees would work better for milk beverages and so on. It is something that gives a lot of energy to the whole team!
What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?
At the showroom, we are also known as the ones who make it differently, so trends are not on our radar. However, I would love to see cafes focus more on actual coffee than other stuff (see drinks like matcha, chai, teas) in order to make people more conscious of what a coffee drink is.
We´ve heard about the DAK Coffee Tasting Experience. Can you tell us more about it?
It is something that I created, inspired by Chef Grant Achatz. I have always been amazed by his work, and I always wanted to follow in his footsteps, but with coffee. So I designed this 3-course menu that showcases the seasonal coffees of Dak:
1st course is a testing of three different exceptional coffee varieties (like Gesha, Java, Papayo) brewed as a filter with the Next Level Pulsar;
2nd course is an espresso and the milk version of the same coffee of the espresso (the seasonal coffee that works better as milk and as espresso);
3rd course: final with a signature drink (most likely using a co-fermented coffee to close with a punchy drink). I’m really proud of the final result, and I can’t wait to go into action!
You have some amazing achievements in championships. Can you tell us more about them?
So far, I arrived 3rd in the Dutch Cup Tasters Championship and 4th in the same discipline the previous year. I’m planning to compete this year for the barista competition and again Cup Tasters. This year I have a different motivation and extended knowledge, so I want to test how far I will go this time!
What is in your opinion the most important thing to have in mind when you start to compete in coffee championships?
I think the most important thing is the MINDSET. You will never be a champion without the right mindset, coffee doesn’t make the barista.
What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?
Being Italian, I always have the comment “oh you are Italian, so you must be good at making coffee”, stereotypes of the Italian coffee will always follow me in my nightmares. But once again, I want to blow the minds of these people, so it doesn’t matter where I am from or where I work, you are going to remember the cup of coffee I serve to you.
If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?
I wish everyone could understand the hard work behind a cup of coffee, starting from the farmer to the barista. Understanding that the coffee you are drinking had a very long trip before coming to you, and if people were conscious of that, they would enjoy much, much more.
What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?
I have many projects on my list, one of which is to become World Barista Champion… difficult but definitely not impossible! Once I’m done with that, I would love to open my fine dining restaurant.
Quick Fire Questions for Simone Bianchi:
Filter coffee or espresso-based?
Espresso-based
Milk coffee or black coffee?
Black coffee.
The most underrated coffee drink?
Shakerato.
The most underrated coffee brewer?
Kalita.
What brewing method do you use at home?
Origami.
Favourite barista tool?
The espresso machine.
Hobby besides coffee?
I love chess. You would always find me playing chess during my lunch break!
The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?
Of course, DAK Showroom in Amsterdam!
Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour and why?
Rome, it is really changing and growing with specialty coffee!
The post Barista Stories: Simone Bianchi of DAK, Amsterdam appeared first on European Coffee Trip.
