WORK EXPERIENCE: Sophie Brownson becomes a barista for the day

Immersed in the delicious scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting over from the bar, my eyes glide hungrily over the magnificent cakes displayed in glass cabinets that line the bar.

As a coffee-lover myself (medium cappuccino, strong, no sugar) I leapt at the chance to try my hand at making my very own coffee.

Handing me my red apron and hat – the official uniform worn by the Gemelli team, owner Pasquale Cinotti leads me behind the bar to show me how to make his famous coffee.

“We roast our own beans,” Mr Cinotti explains to me.

Looking at the small green beans it is hard to imagine that in just 20 minutes or so of roasting they are transformed in to a delicious deep brown coffee colour.

Using a small wooden scooper, I am shown how to scoop the beans in to the roasting machine’s glass cylinder, which is then attached to the body of the roasting machine.

The beans’ slowly-roasting wafts the amazing smell of coffee around the restaurant, and transforms the beans to their rich colour.

After this process is carried out I then pour the beans in to a brown woven jute sack which allows the natural gases to escape for a day after roasting.

“This gives them their freshness,” said Mr Cinotti.

Mr Cinotti then shows me how the beans are loaded in to the grinder and how to transform them in to coffee grinds.

I take a small tool called the arm to place under the machine and pull the lever towards me to grind the beans.

I then use a tamper to flatten the beans and place them under the coffee machine.

“We use one or two shots of coffee depending on how strong you like it,” Mr Cinotti explained.

Deciding to start with an espresso – I fit the coffee arm under the barista machine, and select the appropriate cup from a selection.

The espresso, a typically Italian shot of coffee, is served on its own in a small warm cup which I place under the machine and press the button which pours into the cup.

Part of the role of a barista is the presentation, and Mr Cinotti explained to me, how a cappuccino is served in a medium-sized cup, while a latte is served in a tall clear glass.

Even an espresso cup comes with a little lid to be placed on the top and keep in the heat.

Each cup is placed on a saucer with a napkin and the spoon must be on the right hand side just under the handle facing the drinker.

Next I try making a latte.

Repeating the process, I use the grounded beans and put them in the coffee machine before placing the tall clear glass underneath.

I let the coffee fill one quarter of the glass before adding the milk.

Using skimmed or full fat (depending on the drinker’s preference) I pour it in to the stainless steel milk jug and place it under the milk frother.

The small thin nozzle warms and froths the milk which I then add to the latte.

This is more complicated I discover as the latte must be formed in layers.

To do this I hold the spoon at an angle in the glass and pour the milk over the top.

I am then given the task of carrying the latte to the customers who have ordered it, as serving is an integral part in the role of a barista.

My hands shaking (I severely lack co-ordination) I carry the latte to the table which seems miles away by the time I arrive.

Carefully lifting it off the tray and placing it on the table I manage to serve it to the customer without spilling it.

Proudly walking back to the bar, I am spurred on by my success to try the more adventurous-flavoured latte.

Leading me to a huge display of coffee flavours in a variety of bottles, Mr Cinotti shows me the different flavours available.

Feeling festive, I decide to go for classic cinnamon.

Going back behind the bar, I select the tall latte glass and pour in a shot of the cinnamon flavouring before repeating the standard latte process of adding the coffee and warm milk, ensuring that the layers are perfect.

From my experience as a barista I learn that perfection is a huge part of the coffee-making business as coffee is a very personal thing – tailoring it to the drinker’s tastes is essential for complete enjoyment.

Next up is my all-time favourite – the cappuccino.

The process of grinding the roasted coffee beans attaching them to the coffee machine before adding it to the correct cup is the same, but the main difference is the addition of foam.

Warming skimmed milk, I pour it in to the stainless steel milk jug and place it under the milk frother where again the small thin nozzle warms and froths the milk.

Using a special milk-frothing thermometer, I check that the temperature is perfect before pouring it carefully into the drink and spooning the foam on to the top of the cappuccino.

Using the side of a spoon, Mr Cinotti shows me how to create shapes in to the foam to give it that finishing touch.

I then sprinkle pure chocolate chips on to the top of the coffee and sit down to enjoy my barista-made coffee, all in a hard day’s work.