Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to extract and serve espresso coffee beverages using commercial espresso machines and grinders. It requires the ability to advise customers on coffee beverages, select and grind coffee beans, prepare and assess espresso coffee beverages and to use, maintain and clean espresso machines and grinders. Complex repairs of equipment would be referred to specialist service technicians.

Preparation of coffee beverages using other methods is covered in SITHFAB004 Prepare and serve non-alcoholic beverages.

This unit applies to any hospitality organisation that serves espresso coffee beverages, including cafes, restaurants, bars, clubs, function and event venues.

It applies to espresso machine operators who operate with some level of independence and under limited supervision.

Unit mapping information

SITHFAB204 Prepare and serve espresso coffee

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements

No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication

Foundation skills

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Unit sector or competency field

Hospitality—Food and Beverage

Prerequisite, co-requisite or interdependent assessment of units

SITXFSA001 Use hygienic practices for food safety

Assessment conditions

Skills must be demonstrated in an operational food and beverage outlet. This can be:

• an industry workplace

• a simulated industry environment

Assessment must ensure access to:

• fixtures and large equipment:

  • workstation with industry-current commercial grade espresso machine and coffee grinders

  • bins or knock boxes for used coffee grounds

  • storage bins

• small equipment:

  • blind or blank filter basket

  • cleaning brushes

  • colour coded cleaning cloths

  • flat edge implement for levelling off dosed filter basket

  • measuring equipment:

    • stopwatch or timer

    • thermometer

  • milk foaming jugs

  • napkins

  • powder shakers

  • service trays

  • spoons and stirrers

  • straws

  • service-ware for different types of coffee beverages:

    • cups: espresso and standard

    • saucers

    • mugs

    • glasses

    • take-away coffee cups and lids

    • take-away cardboard trays

  • tamp mats

  • tampers

• stock:

  • commercial range of coffee beans, ground coffee and other ingredients and accompaniments

• organisational specifications:

  • equipment manufacturer instructions

  • cleaning and maintenance procedures for espresso coffee machines and grinders

  • commercial beverage menus

  • organisational procedures and industry standards for presenting espresso coffee beverages

  • price lists

  • standard recipes for coffee beverages currently used by the hospitality industry

  • SDS for cleaning chemicals or plain English workplace documents or diagrams that interpret the content of SDS

• industry-realistic ratio of staff to customers; these can be:

  • customers in an industry workplace during the assessment process; or

  • individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors; and:

• have worked in industry for at least three years where they have applied the skills and knowledge of this unit of competency