Founding Head Barista at Chepa -- anchor our coffee program on Seven Seeds beans, a La Marzocco Linea Classic and Mahlkonig E65S GbW. Part-time, guaranteed 30+ hrs/week, and real creative input building our Mexican specialty drinks menu from scratch.

FOUNDING HEAD BARISTA - CHEPA
Mexican Lonchería & Specialty Coffee Bar | High Street, Northcote
Part-Time, Guaranteed Min. 30 Hours/Week | Anchored Fri-Sun From $27.97/hr (Award Level 3) + Weekend Penalties, Seven Seeds on La Marzocco · Mahlkönig E65S GbW · PuqPress
Chepa is opening in October on High Street, Northcote - a tight, obsessively-executed Mexican lonchería paired with genuinely serious specialty coffee. We're running Seven Seeds on a La Marzocco Linea Classic, dialled in on a Mahlkönig E65S GbW grind-by-weight grinder with a PuqPress - the kind of setup most Melbourne cafés don't invest in from day one. Alongside that, a full Mexican drinks program: atole, aguas frescas, and eventually mezcal and margaritas as we grow into evening trade.
We're looking for the barista who becomes our anchor behind the machine - the person our casual team is built around, working directly with me to shape both the coffee and the drinks program from scratch.
The Opportunity

Founding Head Barista. You're the anchor - we'll bring in casual staff to cover the shifts around you, but the standard on that machine is yours to set.
Real creative input. Beyond espresso, you'll help develop Chepa's Mexican specialty drinks program and educate Northcote on what it is - genuine creative ownership, not just execution.
Direct line to the owner. You report to me. Your read on the coffee and the floor shapes how Chepa runs.




Guaranteed hours, honestly structured. Part-time, guaranteed minimum 30 hours a week - always Friday, Saturday and Sunday, plus additional weekday shifts to round out your week.

What You'll Own

Coffee craft. Seven Seeds beans, La Marzocco Linea Classic, Mahlkönig E65S GbW grind-by-weight, PuqPress - dialled in and held to a genuine specialty standard, every cup.
Mexican drinks program. Atole, aguas frescas, and the specialty coffee drinks that put a Mexican spin on the format - your job is to help set the standard and keep the consistency.
Educating the neighbourhood. You're the one explaining what these drinks are to a Northcote crowd that's never tried them - equal parts barista and storyteller.

What We're Looking For

Comfortable and confident across the full range of espresso-based drinks - not just competent, genuinely good.
Specialty coffee experience. Trade-relevant qualification or strong hands-on experience at a specialty standard.
A creative streak. Real interest in developing a drinks menu, not just pulling shots to spec.
Warm, natural hospitality instinct - you set the tone at the counter.
Genuine interest in Mexican food, drinks and culture

Pay, Transparently
Base Pay

Restaurant Industry Award Level 3 - $27.97/hr
Part time, guaranteed minimum 30 hours per week
Weekend penalties: $34.96 Sat · $41.96 Sun
12% super + 4 weeks annual leave (pro-rata)

To Apply
Send your CV and a short note on your coffee background - and if you've already got drink ideas, tell me about them - to [email protected] or apply directly via this portal.
¡En español si es más fácil!

📌 Head Barista (Northcote)
🏢 Chepa
📍 Northcote