Tingshuo Li

For many of us coffee is just an early morning kick-start, but for Tingshuo Li (Adam) it's an art form. The 21 year old from Guangdong, China, is so into coffee it's almost an obsession - he's studied coffee-making, works full-time as a barista and even watches DVDs about coffee in his spare time.

"The secret to good coffee is good milk," he says. "You don't want any big bubbles and you want it really shiny on top. You need good extraction and the pouring skills are very important."

These are just a few of the techniques Adam picked up during the two years he spent studying at NZMA. He graduated from the provider in December 2006 with a National Diploma in Hospitality Management.

"Before I started at NZMA I drank coffee and liked it, but I didn't know what was good or what was bad. Since studying at NZMA and working as a barista in different places I've learnt heaps about coffee. It's really fascinating."

Since starting his diploma in January 2005 Adam has worked at a number of popular coffee spots including The Crib in Ponsonby, Spill the Beans in central Auckland and Eve's Pantry in Sylvia Park, where he whipped up between 300 and 400 coffees a day during peak times. He's now employed as a full-time barista at Starbucks in trendy College Hill.

"It's the perfect job for me because all I do is make coffees, which is what I love doing. I'm very, very happy."

Adam says his time at NZMA was hugely beneficial, and a lot of fun at the same time.

"I really enjoyed the practical nature of the course making coffee, cocktails, customer service and wine service. I particularly enjoyed my ten weeks working in the NZMA caf�. It's run completely by the students and is a very good place for us to practise.

"I also found the industry functions very worthwhile."

Industry functions play a vital role in the course. Key players from within the industry are invited to attend cocktail parties where NZMA students are assessed on food service, cocktail making and wine service. It's an excellent networking opportunity and frequently students are given business cards from potential employers who are impressed with what they see.

For Adam it's been a resounding success. Not only has he gained a well-recognised qualification and great job, but discovering the joys of coffee has opened up a whole new world for him.

"I came to New Zealand in 2002 and after studying English for three months in Cambridge, I spent two years at high school in Hamilton. Then I moved up to Auckland. I didn't want to go to university...I wanted to do something more practical and interesting. Hospitality is a good choice for me because you can chat to the customers and it's a lot of fun.

"Eventually I'd like to open up my own caf�. My dream is to open one first in New Zealand and then, once that's doing well, go back to China and open some more."

Rest assured, they'll all serve excellent coffee!