Master espresso: grind, dose, tamp, and pull a shot that tastes like you meant it.
2
Steam milk to microfoam — velvety, consistent, ready for latte art.
3
Understand the machine: pressure, temperature, how to make it do what you want.
4
Serve with confidence: speed, quality, and the warmth that keeps customers coming back.
5
Pass the SCA exam on day five — most learners do, first time.
6
Earn a credential recognized in 80+ countries — valid for life.
7
Walk into any speciality café and know you can hold your own.
8
Join Dubai's community of serious baristas.
Course Syllabus
Day-by-day breakdown of topics, timings, and deliverables.
1
Foundations
The Bean, The Machine, You
09:00
Welcome & Orientation
Meet Maryam and the cohort (max 6).
09:30
Espresso Fundamentals
What espresso is. Why it's not just 'concentrated coffee.' The 25-second rule.
10:30
Machine Tour
La Marzocco Linea PB — group head, pump, steam wand, dump.
11:30
Grind & Dose Intro
Why consistency matters. Your first grind.
Hands-on
12:00
Lunch
13:00
Shot Pulling (Demo)
Watch Maryam pull ten shots. Notice what changes, what stays the same.
14:00
Your First Shots
You're on the machine. Expect some channelling. That's normal.
Hands-on
15:30
Cupping & Feedback
Taste the shots you pulled. Understand why they taste that way.
2
Refinement
Dialling In & Dosing
09:00
Recap & Questions
What stuck with you yesterday? What confused you?
09:30
The Grinder Setup
Burr alignment, calibration, consistency checks.
10:30
Dialling In
How to adjust grind size to hit your shot time. The loop: grind → pull → taste → adjust.
11:30
Hands-On Dialling
You dial in three shots. You pull them. You taste them.
Hands-on
12:00
Lunch
13:00
Milk Steaming (Intro)
The wand. The pitcher. The sound of a perfect steam.
14:00
Steaming Practice
Your hands on the wand. Cold milk, steam wand, muscle memory forming.
Hands-on
15:30
Feedback & Questions
3
Integration
The Full Workflow
09:00
Recap
Espresso + Milk. How they fit together.
09:30
Station Setup
The real bar in a real café — organization, speed, safety.
10:30
Pressure Profiling
Pre-infusion, ramp-up, decline — and why it matters.
11:30
Making a Flat White
One drink. All the skills. Pull, steam, pour, serve.
Hands-on
12:00
Lunch
13:00
Milk Steaming (Refinement)
Microfoam. Texture. Latte art foundations.
14:00
Espresso + Milk (Continuous)
Ten consecutive drinks. You're building rhythm.
Hands-on
15:30
Cupping & Debrief
4
Mastery
Speed, Consistency, Care
09:00
Review & Mindset
One day to exam. What matters now.
09:30
Espresso Under Pressure
Pulling shots while being watched — how to stay calm.
10:30
Milk Steaming Under Pressure
Consistency, speed, texture — all at once.
11:30
Continuous Service
Back-to-back drinks, real café pace. You're a barista now.
Hands-on
12:00
Lunch
13:00
Exam Walkthrough
What the SCA exam is. How it's scored. What to expect.
14:00
Practice Exam
Do it under exam conditions. Get feedback from Maryam.
Assessment
15:30
Final Questions & Confidence Check
5
Certification
The SCA Exam
09:00
Warm-Up
Pull a few shots. Feel the machine. Settle in.
09:30
SCA Exam
The real thing. Four espresso shots pulled and tasted by an SCA examiner. Milk drinks evaluated for texture and presentation.
Exam
11:30
Lunch & Results
Results are typically back by afternoon.
13:00
Celebration or Resit Plan
If you passed: congratulations. If you didn't: resit is available at no extra cost within 90 days.
14:00
Next Steps
Barista Intermediate awaits. Or take time to practice on your own machine.
15:00
Farewell
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.