Interview By Ayanda Dlamini
It’s not often you come across award-winning female trainers in the coffee industry, making Claire Strydom’s recognition as Coffee Trainer of the Year all the more significant. Representation in this space matters, and Claire is proving just how impactful a dedicated, skilled trainer can be.
Claire has been honing talent at SEAM Coffee, leaving a lasting impression on the baristas she mentors. But beyond her technical expertise, what truly sets Claire apart is her approach. She’s incredibly personable, attentive, and grounded. When you chat with her, you quickly understand why she excels in her role; she listens to understand, meets people on their level, and fosters an environment where learning feels both empowering and approachable. Today we get to catch up with Claire!
Winning Coffee Trainer of the Year is an incredible achievement. What does this recognition mean to you?
I think as someone who has always looked up to some of the titans and stalwarts of this industry, like Khulekani Mpala and Ishan Natalie, it’s huge to be recognised amongst them! But mostly, I feel that this award is actually so much for the humans that I have trained - it’s the recognition of their efforts in their spaces as well as mine as a trainer.
Can you share a defining moment in your career that solidified your passion for coffee education?
This is a tricky one, I’ve always loved sharing knowledge and ideas but, I think I fell in love with training when I started building relationships with the baristas we would work with on an ongoing basis. Seeing people grow month to month and gain skills and develop their own passion for coffee is such a joy.
How has your approach to training evolved over the years, and what has shaped your teaching philosophy?
I think over the years, I’ve come to learn that even though the foundational skills we teach may be the same, the approach to every ‘student’ or every scenario needs to be tailored to them, and this is one of the things that keeps it fresh for me too. The other thing I’ve come to learn is that coffee is an ever evolving industry and ‘product’ - so the joy of this is that I am constantly learning so there are always new things to teach!
In your experience, what separates a good barista from a great one?
Attitude. Honestly, someone who has genuine love for coffee and a willingness to remain teachable will always be great!
As a trainer, you taste a lot of coffee. What's your go-to cup when you just want to enjoy a moment for yourself?
If you know, you know, I love me a little quiet chemex in the first morning light. Usually brewing something new we’re trying out in the roastery or whatever coffee has stolen my heart of late, recently that’s been Lalesa, an Ethiopian natural.
My recipe for this typically looks like this:
25g dose. Aiming for around 360g yield. Draw down time of around 3 minutes. I usually bloom with about 60g of coffee, then split the remainder into 4 equal pours spaced 30 seconds apart.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring coffee trainers?
Never. Stop. Learning. More importantly, you’ve got to love people - we’re in the people business more than the coffee business, so you’ve gotta love working with humans first and foremost.
