A word from Matty's manager Megan - 
Matty is absolutely one of the funniest people I've ever met! 
He has me doubled over practically every shift when I'm lucky 
enough to work with him. His espresso is syrupy and delicious 
and his latte art is beautiful, particularly his macchiatos. He 
seems to have a special place in his brain for remembering the 
names of every regular he has and I watch them feel immediately 
at home when they walk in and see him behind the bar. He's 
wonderful, caring, so hilarious and we are lucky to know him.
 

Matty, what do you do here at Victrola?

I am a barista, generally the weekday opener. Can sometimes be seen dancing (poorly), singing (off key), or telling jokes to strangers (that didn’t quite land).

How did you get into the industry?

I started working as a barista many years ago as a “temporary” gig between corporate sales positions, but then fell in love with the coffee industry as a whole. Longest temp job of my life.

So the job and the product can be addictive. Good to know. What’s your coffee drink of choice? 

I take my espresso straight, and in rapid succession.

How about after work?

Irish whiskey. Also straight, and in rapid succession.

Why the coffee industry and not something else?

Why coffee? I could fill multiple pages with this answer. Coffee preparation bridges the sometimes immense gap between science and art. The cafe space is an ongoing social experiment playing out before your eyes. The word itself can describe a living plant, a finely crafted end product, or an event that brings people together, and still it evokes something larger than that, something more personal. The hopeful anticipation that comes with lifting a perfectly pulled shot of espresso to your lips can be likened to that of a first kiss. And, in my experience, it will probably end better.

Tell us a little about your college experience, outside of disappointing first kisses.

My college years were truly a collection of the easiest and most enjoyable times of my life. Prolly ‘cause im so smrt

Most likely atone for something I did in the first one.

What would you call your autobiography?

The Life And Times Of Matty, or, How Did All This Pizza Sauce Get In My Bed?

What are you reading right now?

Mostly just take-out menus. The occasional lecture about String Theory and Quantum Mechanics slips in, though.

What would you say is one of the most important skills a barista can have?

What is this, a job interview?! I haven’t thought about it for the barista community as a whole, but for myself personally, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t genuinely care about people and service. You can--and will--affect a person’s day by the way you act and speak. Being aware of that is only a foundation. Actually striving to make each interaction a positive one is imperative.

What would your last meal be?

If I had to make a prediction, I’d say nachos.

What sort of music do you like to work to?

A stream-of-consciousness collection of J-Pop, sludge metal, and showtunes. No, I’m only kidding. Just J-Pop and showtunes.

Hidden talents?

Probably.

Well played sir. Do you have any hobbies?

No.

I’ve been struggling lately to come up with a restaurant-quality recipe for tandoori chicken, but I think I’ve finally got my toaster strudel perfected.

What do you do when you're not making delicious espresso?

I can be found on the set of my hilarious new sit-com “Matty, Stop Talking To The Neighbor’s Cat Like It’s A Person.”

I know it might be hard to say, but what would you say is your favorite thing about your job in coffee?

At the end of the day, it’s always about the people. The strong life-long relationships I’ve built, the smiles I’ve helped to put on thousands of customer’s faces, the incredible coworkers and industry peers that I get to see on a regular basis…  Coffee is an overwhelmingly gratifying experience, and--although they are important--the beans don’t get to take all of the credit.