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People

Story and Photos by Coffee t&i Thailand
Scott Rao

An Influential Coffee Figure

Every inspiring and creative work starts from small “After graduation, I opened a small café around the
steps toward a dream. The work of Scott Rao is no exception as university. It was an extremely difficult time. I started work
his experiences are compiled into a book called Coffee Roaster’s every day at 8, ad at the same time, I had to learn as much as I
Companion, which provides answers for curious coffee heads. can from my barista friend. I initially tried to roast my friend’s
Scott also organized seminars and talks in 15 countries around profile until I was confident. A month later I was able to roast
the world, making him one of the top coffee gurus in the indus- my own profile.”
try. Let’s explore his story and find out how he gets to where he If you are looking for a roasting machine, Scott believes
is today. size and features are important things to consider. For example,
Taiwanese made machines are good at ventilation control for
The Dream small 12-15 kg machines.
Scott had a life-changing experience when he met a
barista while studying at University of California (UCLA). He Experience Through Words
sparked Scott’s interest in coffee and it grew to become passion Scott’s café is just the early steps in his coffee career.
and inspiration, so he decided to open a small coffee joint. He didn’t stop there as he compiled years of experience in his
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