The letter, part by part
Freya Willis (Barista, independent café in Leith) is applying to be a Senior Barista at Thistle & Grind Coffee House. Here is what each paragraph does.
- The hook
- The proof
- The fit
- The close
Dear Mr Reid,
I have been ordering your Ethiopian filter on Saturday mornings for two years, and every time I watch your team work the bar through the Bruntsfield rush I think the same thing: that is the café I want to grow in. So when the Senior Barista vacancy at Thistle & Grind appeared, I knew I had to put my name forward.
At Harbourside Beans in Leith I have spent three years on a busy bar serving around 350 drinks on a typical Saturday. I helped cut our average wait from six minutes to just under four by reorganising the milk station and prepping syrups before opening. I also trained five new starters to dial in espresso, and our mystery-shopper score rose from 82% to 91% in a year.
I am at home on a two-group traditional machine, I calibrate grinders through the day, and I adjust recipes as beans age off roast. Beyond coffee, I handle cash-ups, stock orders and food safety checks, and I hold a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate. Regulars tell me they come back for the chat as much as the flat white, which I take as the best compliment.
I would love to come in for a trial shift so you can see how I work on your bar. I am free most weekdays and can start within two weeks. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and I hope to be pulling shots for your regulars very soon.
Kind regards,
Freya Willis
Skills to mention
Employers hiring a barista often look for these. Name the ones you really have, with an example.
Phrases you can borrow
Change the details to your own, then copy them into your letter.
I keep quality consistent from the first coffee at opening to the last one before close.
I enjoy remembering regulars' orders, because small touches like that build a loyal neighbourhood café.
I stay organised under pressure, keeping the bar clean and the queue moving during the busiest hours.
I like teaching new baristas the basics of extraction so the whole team pours with confidence.
Tips for a barista cover letter
- Mention how many drinks you make in a peak hour or day so managers can picture your speed.
- Show coffee knowledge like dialling in or milk texturing, but keep it short and practical.
- If you have trained others, say so clearly; senior roles rely on coaching new starters.
- Include food hygiene certificates and cash-handling experience, as these are often required.
- Offer a trial shift in your closing line, since many cafés hire after seeing you on the bar.
Mistakes to avoid
- Writing a generic hospitality letter that never mentions coffee skills or the café itself.
- Overloading the letter with coffee jargon instead of showing speed and service.
- Ignoring availability, which matters for rota-based café work.