From pulling the perfect espresso shot to getting the perfect ratio of milk to coffee, baristas are some of the most popular summer jobs in Utah.
In 2023, the Utah Department of Workforce Services reported that around 27,000 teens were working in food services. While it’s dipped a bit since then, Utah still leads the nation in teen workforce participation, with many of them working in restaurants or coffee shops.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, baristas make up about .25% of Utah’s total workforce, employing over 4,000 baristas statewide.
In December of 2019, Azzurra Cuchel and her husband, Luca La Mantia, made their mark in Utah’s food and coffee scene by opening their own cafe, bakery, and catering business. It’s called Sapori Italian Bakery and Cafe.
They moved to Salt Lake City from Sicily, bringing all the flavors of the island and the recipes they grew up with to Utah. From the cream puff-like zeppola to the classic cannoli and biscotti, Auzzura said they make everything from scratch. They have two locations: one in Ogden and one in Millcreek, which they opened earlier this year.
“It’s so important to be kind,” she said. “Like when you’re giving a ‘Good morning,’ that’s the best thing to do. And always smile at them.”
Azzurra said that since they opened just a few months before the pandemic, it was the community that kept them afloat. So being a good barista and baker is about giving back that kindness to the community.
“They helped us a lot,” she said. “We opened our first location in Ogden just three months before the pandemic. So it wasn’t good timing, but the community was great. We survived because of them.”
She said they’re always looking for more people to join their team. And as a manager, she’s looking for trustworthy, passionate people to work at the bakery.
