homebarista
Meet the ROASTER
After spending 10 years in San Francisco and working for multinational advertising agencies, Lindesay Smith, co-founder of Matakana Coffee Roasters was feeling a little disenchanted and was looking for a vocation that he could feel passionate about.
H
e found it on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. He went for the surf, but fell in love with the coffee, learning his craft as an understudy to a master roaster at the renowned Coffee Gallery in the historic beachside town of Haleiwa. “It was the environment and that idea of creating an experience for customers from roasting right on the premises that drew me to it,” explained Smith. Back home in New Zealand in 1989, Lindesay was one of the pioneers of the New Zealand coffee scene, inviting Kiwis to put down that cup-of-instant and embrace the espresso, long black and flat white. He founded the Sierra chain of cafés with the first branch on Jervois Road, in Ponsonby, Auckland, introducing customers to the fine art of coffee roasting. “We had the roaster right there on the pavement. It was exciting to be a part of evolving Kiwis from a nation of tea-drinkers to coffee lovers.” Smith’s award-winning velvety smooth signature roast went on to win numerous
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awards and inspired the Village Market Blend which they still produce today: a medium-dark roast with flavours of rich dark chocolate, stone fruit, and hazelnut. It is the very core of hospitality - customer satisfaction - that Smith has embraced, noting that developing and maintaining long-standing relationships is the best aspect of the job. At the Matakana Farmers Market, Smith and the team serve about 1000 coffees every Saturday morning from their market stall, plus another 300-400 from their espresso stand at The Roastery in the heart of Matakana village. “Most of these are regulars and repeat customers,” noted Smith. “Coffee fuels connection, it’s amazing to be providing what is such an important aspect of our society.” From its award-winning blends to its single origin and Fair-Trade Organic varieties, Matakana Coffee Roasters has a cup for every palate. “We select our high-grade Arabica beans from the world’s finest coffee estates across