Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders 236 : Founder Friday! w/ Miel Castagna-Herrera & Curtis Herrera of Cafe Corazon!
"The little cafe, with a big heart." These words were spoken by Curtis Herrera who, along with his wife Miel, own Cafe Corazon in Kansas City, MO. Cafe Corazon is vibrant homage to Miel and Curtis' Latin roots (Argentina and Mexico respectively) and in the last year it has been open has quickly garnered praise for their warm hospitality, traditional drink including a wide selection of Yerba-mate, and their dedication to showcasing their culture in everything they set their hand to.
In our conversation today we will hear their story and the passion and challenges that went into creating this unique space, the lessons they have learned, and their advice to others in the industry. Cafe Corazon is the epitome of authenticity and a fine example of what the future of the cafe space can look like when we celebrate our diversity and dedicate ourself to serving our communities while being true to ourselves all along the way.
We discuss:
- Creating a safe place for the latin community
- Educating on culture
- Overcoming hurdles as minorities
- Staying true to your roots
- Building a traditional and creative menu
- Experiencing the hurdles of racism
- Hiring and training
- Growing as coffee professionals
- Eliminating pretension
- Dealing with COVID
Links:
Related Episodes:
097 : Founder Friday w/ Erica Escalante of The Arrow Coffeehouse
232 : Founder Friday w/ Blew Kind of Fanny Lou's Porch
225: Encore Founder Friday! Dorian Bolden of Beyu Caffe, Durham, NC
199 : Founder Friday w/ Mario Jimenez of Banana Dang Coffee, Oceanside, CA
171 : Founder Friday w/ Matt Chitharanjan and Namrata Asthana of Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters in India
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