Lead Barista

Lead Barista

Eva's Little Kitchen — West Concord, MA

Full-Time | $18.00 to $22.00 per hour, based on experience, plus tips

About Eva's Little Kitchen

Eva's Little Kitchen is an eclectic and modern bakery, grab-and-go cafe, and catering company, offering a variety of delicious and beautiful provisions. We serve everything from breakfast pastries, cookies, and cake, to family-style meals, sandwiches, salads, soup, and more! Everything is scratch-made and prepared in-house by our talented team of cooks. We seek to provide delight and comfort to each of our customers through our warm hospitality and spectacular, globally inspired food. We believe in the power of food to bring people together. Our success depends on our amazing, hardworking staff. Eva's Little Kitchen proudly offers a comfortable, clean, and modern work environment and training in each position. In addition to competitive pay, we are committed to helping our team grow within our company. We aim to provide a work/life balance that is hard to find in the food industry. Join our team and become part of our exciting, rapidly growing company! We are looking for reliable, team players looking for long-term employment in a steady environment.

The Role

We are looking for a skilled and passionate Lead Barista to own the coffee program at our West Concord location. This is not just a behind-the-bar role. You set the standard for espresso quality, lead and train the barista team, and bring creative energy to our seasonal drink offerings.

Reporting to the Assistant Cafe Manager, you are the resident coffee expert at ELK West Concord. You take pride in consistency, love teaching others, and care deeply about the guest experience from first sip to last. As ELK grows, there is real opportunity for this role to expand to our Bedford location and beyond.

Responsibilities:

Bar Quality and Standards

• Maintain espresso quality, consistency, and presentation standards on every shift
• Dial in espresso daily and adjust for seasonal and batch changes
• Ensure all bar equipment is clean, calibrated, and functioning properly
• Monitor drink quality across the team and coach in the moment when standards slip
• Uphold cafe cleanliness and organization at the bar station at all times

Training and Development

• Onboard and train all new baristas on ELK's drink recipes, techniques, and standards
• Build and maintain barista training materials and recipe guides
• Conduct regular check-ins with barista staff and surface feedback to the Assistant Cafe Manager

Menu and Seasonal Development

• Develop and propose seasonal drink menu changes in collaboration with management
• Bring creative, trend-informed ideas for specialty beverages that align with ELK's food identity and brand
• Along with management team, execute new drink rollouts including staff training and recipe documentation
• Communicate with management to maintain accurate, up-to-date drink menus and signage

Operations

• Open and close the bar station according to established procedures
• Manage coffee and bar supply inventory; communicate ordering needs to management
• Assist with cafe floor coverage and guest service as needed
• Contribute to team meetings and bring forward ideas or concerns

What We're Looking For

• At least 2 years of specialty coffee or cafe barista experience
• Strong espresso and milk technique with a genuine passion for coffee craft
• Prior experience training or leading a team preferred
• Detail-oriented and consistent, with high personal standards
• Creative thinker who stays curious about coffee trends and seasonal flavors
• Reliable, organized, and a strong communicator
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
• Flexible availability including mornings, weekends, and holidays

Compensation and Benefits

• Hourly rate: $18.00 to $22.00 per hour, based on experience, plus tips ($7-$10/hr)
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid training
• Employee dining discount
• Opportunities for growth as ELK expands its coffee program

Schedule and Location

• Full-time, hourly
• Primarily morning and daytime shifts
• Weekend availability required
• Work Location: West Concord, MA (in person)

Please send your resume and a brief note about yourself to hello@evaslittlekitchen.com.

Eva's Little Kitchen is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid sick time
• Paid training

Work Location: In person