THE CREW BEHIND THE COFFEE
sam parker
Lead Barista & Training DirectorSam is an SCA-certified and professionally qualified barista trainer with eight years’ experience in the coffee and hospitality industry. Passionate about developing people as much as great coffee, he loves seeing someone’s confidence grow behind the espresso machine and helping businesses improve quality, consistency and standards.
At Espresso Crew, Sam leads training and supports everything from espresso recipes and grinder dial-ins to coffee quality and practical troubleshooting. His barista skills have also earned recognition through industry competition.
A fan of Colombian coffee and always happy making a cortado, Sam can usually be found dialling in a grinder — or talking about coffee for far too long.
natalia pena
Founder & DirectorNatalia is the energy behind Espresso Crew, with over 15 years of experience in the coffee industry, spanning commercial coffee, hospitality, training, coffee tasting and sourcing, marketing and business development.
Over the years, she has worked closely with roasters, suppliers and coffee professionals, tasting and selecting coffees from different origins and helping develop blends that work beautifully in real hospitality environments.
She created Espresso Crew to share that knowledge in a practical, approachable way, bringing together great coffee, great people and training that helps businesses grow.