Master espresso: grind, dose, tamp, and pull a shot that tastes like you meant it.
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Steam milk to microfoam — velvety, consistent, ready for latte art.
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Understand the machine: pressure, temperature, how to make it do what you want.
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Serve with confidence: speed, quality, and the warmth that keeps customers coming back.
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Pass the SCA Foundation skills check by the end of the day — most learners do, first time.
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Earn a credential recognized in 80+ countries — valid for life.
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Walk into any speciality café and know you can hold your own.
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Join Dubai's community of serious baristas.
Who It's For
Career-changers entering speciality coffee.
Café staff levelling up to barista on the bar.
Home enthusiasts who own — or are about to own — an espresso machine.
Hospitality professionals who serve espresso without yet making it.
Prerequisites
No prior barista experience required — Foundation assumes zero.
The Atelier Introduction day is recommended but not required.
Closed shoes for the bar session — milk and steam don't forgive open footwear.
An apron and bar towel are provided. You take the apron home.
The Instructor
Maryam Tabatabaei
Authorized SCA Premier Trainer · Q-Arabica Grader
Taught by Maryam.
Maryam is an Authorized SCA Premier Trainer and a Q-Arabica Grader certified under the SCA Q Coffee System (formerly the Coffee Quality Institute) — one of the few practitioners in the United Arab Emirates who holds both credentials at once.
She placed fourth at the HB Best Batch Roasting Championship (Feb 2026), judged the UAE National Roasting Championship (Jan 2026), and presented at Gulfood 2026’s Specialty Coffee Stage. Cohorts in her studio are kept to six learners — closer to a master class than a campus.
“I will not teach you what to think about coffee. I will teach you how to taste it for yourself.”
What is the international value of the SCA Foundation certificate?
SCA-recognised in more than eighty countries, lifetime credential, no renewal. The same certificate carries weight in Dubai, Melbourne, and Oslo.
Do I need barista experience?
No. Foundation explicitly assumes zero. If you've never pulled a shot, this is the right starting point.
What if I do not pass the exam on the day?
You may re-sit at no additional fee within ninety days, on a date arranged with Maryam. Most learners pass first time; a small number find the practical needs a second attempt.
How many learners are in a cohort?
Six. The SCA recommends up to eight; we run six because the practice time per learner is more than thirty per cent higher.
Will I work on the same equipment I'd find in a café?
Yes — La Marzocco Linea PB and Mahlkönig E80, the bar standard in speciality coffee. Whatever you'll meet at work, you'll have already met here.
I'm Maryam Tabatabaei — Authorized SCA Trainer, Q-Arabica Grader, and Q Instructor (SCA Licensed). One of very few practitioners in the UAE holding all three credentials. Whether you're opening a cafe, setting up a roastery, or training a team — let's talk.
Cafe and roastery setup
Equipment, layout, workflow, menu — from concept to opening day.
Staff training programs
SCA-certified curriculum customized to your team and business level.