Program Overview
The La Marzocco Café and Showroom opened in April 2016 in Seattle. The café is unique in that it is designed to serve as a platform to showcase the diversity and creativity of specialty coffee. Each month, a new “resident” takes over the café in order to present their vision of coffee service. Residents curate the coffees that are served, design the complete menu (every item and every ingredient), select the equipment that will be used during their residency, design supporting bar flow, and train our team to execute the coffee program.
In addition to designing the coffee program, residents are also invited to use their residency as a platform for education and community engagement. Residents are encouraged to develop and present educational programming and unique engagement experiences for café guests during their residency, as well as design a launch event to begin their residency. Our goal is that residents will fully embrace the opportunity to express their creativity and showcase their work. No idea is too far-fetched, and our team is eager to be challenged, and to bring each resident’s vision to fruition.
We are now accepting applications for one-month residencies for Year 3, beginning May 2018.
Applications need to be completed no later than February 15th, 2018, 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time.
Selection Criteria
Our goal is to create a slate of 2018-2019 residents that are diverse in their perspectives, geographies, and size.
We will be selecting individual residents based on the completeness of their applications, and the unique perspectives and creativity expressed in their applications. We will also prioritize creating an overall slate of residents that is diverse; we will be considering the group overall, in addition to reviewing the individual applications.
Each residency is meant to create the resident’s coffee experience that they choose to present to the communities they serve. Applications should highlight their perspective, and a commitment to creating something special, novel, and unique while in residence.
Applications will be evaluated based on our ability to understand the applicant’s perspective, and the supporting elements (menu, educational programming, company background, etc.) that help showcase that perspective. We will also be giving special consideration to applicants who can commit to having team members train our team in Seattle in the days leading up to the start of their residency, and in the first few days following the launch of the residency.
Coffee samples will be evaluated in a blind tasting.
While being a La Marzocco partner (someone that purchases our equipment) is not required, it is heavily considered. If you are not currently a partner of ours, please share with us what attracts you about our residency program.
The application will serve as the basis for your residency; you are essentially designing your residency as you envision it.
Be as thorough and complete in your answers as possible. Please keep in mind that this application process will take significant time and attention, as the application period will not be extended.
We have found that the Seattle community we serve enjoys being challenged by unique experiences – and they have come to expect it. We hope you’ll surprise them!
If you have questions as you work on your application, please first refer to the FAQs listed on the application. If you have additional questions, you can contact Amy Hattemer at amy@lamarzocco.com.
To summarize, residents will be selected based on these criteria:
1. The applicant’s unique perspective within specialty coffee, how their perspective is creatively expressed.
2. The overall diversity of the residents (perspective, company size, geography – international and domestic).
3. The completeness of the application.
4. The applicant’s ability to commit to be in Seattle to train our team in the days before and after the residency begins.
Application Instructions
1. Work with your team internally to design your residency application.
2. Submit the requested information listed in application in any format you desire. (video, online drive with uploaded content, song, online presentation, etc…)
3. Complete your application by February 15, 2018, 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time.
We look forward to learning about your vision for a residency at the café!
