From February 22 to March 1, 2026, our VET learners, together with chef Roman Artamonovs, had a unique opportunity to visit the European Bartender School in Barcelona, Spain. Here are the impressions of our learners — Alisa, Dmytro, and Maksims — who took part in an intensive 5-day barista course:

“At first, we thought we were going to a bartending school, not a barista course. But when we found out that it was a barista programme, we were very happy because we enjoy coffee and wanted to learn more about it.

During these five days we had the opportunity to explore the world of coffee in much more depth – from how the coffee bean grows to creating beautiful latte art. The course included both theoretical and practical lessons. In the theory classes we studied coffee in detail: beans, roasting levels, flavours, and aromas. During the practical sessions we worked directly with coffee — learning how to adjust the grind, prepare a balanced espresso, and work with milk. It wasn’t perfect from the first attempt, but with practice we learned how to make consistent espresso and create classic latte art designs.

We are very grateful to European Bartender School and HOTEL SCHOOL for giving us the opportunity to travel, learn new things, and expand our knowledge not only in cooking but also in other areas of the restaurant industry. Experiences like this help us grow professionally and better understand the hospitality industry.” The project No. 2024-1-LV01-KA121-VET-000206510 is co-financed by the European Union.

Funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Union or the State Education Development Agency. Neither the European Union nor the State Education Development Agency can be held responsible for them.