Understand the journey from origin to cup: terroir, processing, roasting, and brewing.
2
Learn the vocabulary of speciality coffee — acidity, body, sweetness — and how to identify them.
3
Taste the difference, cupping experience with coffees from at least 3 distinct origin.
4
Explore the SCA Foundation pathway and decide if barista training is your next step.
5
Meet other coffee enthusiasts in Dubai's specialty community.
6
Receive a curated tasting guide and brew recipes to take home.
7
SCA certification, SCA online exam, the knowledge you will use forever.
8
Leave with confidence to discuss coffee with anyone.
Course Syllabus
Day-by-day breakdown of topics, timings, and deliverables.
1
Single Day Session
Origin & Roast & Cup
09:00
Welcome & Orientation
Meet Maryam and the cohort. Overview of the day ahead.
09:15
The Origin Story
From seed to seedling: terroir, altitude, processing method.
10:00
The Roast
How roasting transforms green beans into the brown you brew.
10:45
Coffee Cupping
The professional tasting ritual. Four origins, four stories.
Hands-on
12:00
Brew Methods & Break
V60, Chemex, Siphon, French Press — which for which coffee?
Practice
13:00
Lunch
14:00
The Espresso Question
Why espresso is not just 'concentrated coffee.'
14:45
Your Next Step
Barista, brewing, roasting — which path calls you?
15:30
Q&A & Farewell
Who It's For
Coffee enthusiasts who want to move beyond 'I like coffee' to real knowledge.
Café customers curious about what happens before the cup.
Anyone considering the Barista or Brewing pathways but wanting a taste first.
Teams and groups who want a shared coffee education experience.
Prerequisites
None. No prior coffee knowledge needed.
An open mind and three hours of your day.
Comfortable standing — the cupping table is active.
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.”
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.