Procurement News Notice |
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| PNN | 4858 |
| Work Detail | In the coffee world, Brandon Bir is no regular joe. The sourcing and education manager for Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea recently achieved certification as a "Q Grader" from the Coffee Quality Institute. The Q stands for quality in grading Arabica beans, which means he holds a lot of weight with purveyors and growers at the origin of the coffee -- even if they don't share a common language. "The Q is one of the most difficult tests I've taken," said Bir, who received a master's degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin System and has six other designations from the Coffee Quality Institute based in California. The institute is a charitable trust of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. Bir's six-day trip to certification included both practice and actual certification testing that requires participants to measure the complexity of coffee to pinpoint accuracy, including levels of salt, sour and sweet and identifying phosphoric, malic, citric and acetic acids. "It's tough," he said. "It's definitely a mental game." Rocky Rhodes, CEO of International Coffee Consulting Group and a Q instructor, said the test is brutal. "The stress of three days of intense training followed by the days of more intense testing require a pretty strong heart and can be a humbling experience," Rhodes said. "That is why there are usually both tears of joy and sorrow at the end of a class." Bir, 34, has worked for Crimson Cup for six years. He works in the Crimson Cup Innovation Lab, 700 Alum Creek Drive, just west of Bexley, where he trains new employees and runs the company's independent certification program. His obsession with coffee started at age 12, when he bought his first espresso machine at a garage sale. His coffee passion has taken him from Ethiopia to Indonesia, and he has learned the brewing methods of a multitude of cultures. "I've liked coffee for a long time," he said. "I've really appreciated coffee since I've been in the business." Two former Ohio State University football players are bringing their brand of barbecue to the Linden neighborhood. Former college roommates Chimdi Chekwa and Bryant Browning -- along with friends D'Andre Martin and Mike Johnson -- will open Pit BBQ Grille at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, hours after the Buckeye football team's home opener against Bowling Green State University. "We chose the Linden area because we want to serve that community," Chekwa said. "There's not too much going on outside of fast-food restaurants." Chekwa said most meats will be grilled, not smoked, evoking the flavors of backyard barbecues. "My take on it is it's really that home-style grilled food," he said. "We have a process that's going to be more unique than throwing the meat on the grill. "It's going to have that nice grilled taste." Chekwa, now a cornerback for the Miami Dolphins, grew up in the South. Martin, Johnson and Browning -- a former Ohio State offensive lineman -- were childhood friends in Cleveland. All have permanent homes in Columbus. Chekwa said their different tastes come together at Pit BBQ Grille. "They have a distinct memory about the barbecue in Cleveland and I have a different memory of barbecue growing up in the South," he said. Among the choices are the Polish Boy (kielbasa topped with fries and coleslaw), Polish Girl (kielbasa, fries, coleslaw and pulled pork), turkey ribs, rib tips and pulled pork. Pit BBQ Grille also offers classic sides, such as mac and cheese, candied yams, greens and green beans. Individual items are priced less than $10 and most platters are $9 to $12. Browning, an insurance adjuster at Nationwide Insurance, said Pit BBQ Grille will have a signature sauce, which he described as a little spicy, tangy and sweet. "When you taste that sauce, you're going to appreciate it," Browning said. The 2,500-square-foot restaurant is at 3545 Cleveland Ave. in the Northern Lights Shopping Center. Chekwa, who was raised in Louisiana and Florida, said he promised himself he would never return to a cold climate. "(But) every time I came back (to Columbus) to visit, it just felt like home," he said. Although Chekwa's schedule will not allow him to spend much time in the restaurant, he does plan to visit often. "I'm going to be around," he said. "I'm the type of individual who likes to be around what I have. I'll be around when I can." The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner six days a week. It will be closed Mondays. Hadley's Bar + Kitchen opened Aug. 26 in the trendy stretch of South Fourth Street downtown. Brian Swanson's fourth restaurant, billed as "not your average neighborhood hangout," has a modern bill of fare, several signature cocktails and a full line of draft beers -- 26 in all. Among the dishes are oysters on the half shell, truffle brie mac and cheese, pork belly Cuban, tacos and a hot-fish sandwich. Everything is priced $12 and less. The restaurant is at 260 S. Fourth St., in proximity to Dirty Franks Hot Dog Palace, Mikey's Late Night Slice, Little Palace and other hotspots. Swanson's other restaurants include Bodega, Balboa and the Grandview Cafe, which is being renovated and should be open in six weeks or so, he said. |
| Country | United States , Northern America |
| Industry | Consumer Products |
| Entry Date | 03 Sep 2016 |
| Source | http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/2016/09/01/crimson-cup-java-experts-new-license-right-on-q.html |
