Michelin Restaurants Stepping up Their Coffee Game

As the coffee industry continues to grow and the consumer becomes more informed, restaurants are taking note. Michelin-starred restaurants are at the top of the high-end food game and when news broke that 30% of the world's top-level restaurants use Nespresso coffee pods, the specialty industry gasped in horror.

Coffee is often an afterthought to restaurants, but it's what patrons end their meal with and is the last memory they will have of their seemingly perfect dinner.

So how to convince restaurants to install a coffee program alongside their wine program?

The coffee industry needs to do its part by educating chefs on the potential of coffee's tastes. Many chefs have not had a truly wonderful, fruit-forward cup of coffee and compared that next to a Nespresso coffee pod's brew. On the other hand, coffee is only one component of a restaurant. The investment that would go into learning how to make a great cup of coffee, or even espresso, is not often justified in the sale of a $3 cup.

The best way for restaurants to approach coffee now is to offer brewed coffee only. The training and equipment is easier on a $40 Chemex than it is to practice continually on a $20,000 La Marzocco espresso machine. Earlier this year, Copenhagen restaurant Noma made headlines when it announced a new, dedicated coffee program. By partnering up with industry-leading roaster Tim Wendelboe and creating beautiful glassware for the presentation, they create a table side experience for the diners. This is just yet another way to expose the general public to what coffee could be.

Hopefully, coffee consumers will become more savvy in their drinking choices, thus creating a demand for high-quality brews to match the caliber of Michelin restaurants.