People
Get to know a barista: Ami Spears of Jet Fuel
Jet Fuel has a bit of a reputation. I've worked in Cabbagetown, right around the corner from the coffee shop, for almost three years now. I've known people that have left the local cafe just about in tears. When I went in before the holidays for our scheduled interview, I was told that Ami wasn't in. When I inquired a little further as to when she would be in, I was brushed off, coldly. The shop isn't for everyone, but the regulars, especially cyclists, absolutely adore Jet Fuel - and for good reason. It's a calm atmosphere with some damn good coffee. When I was able to catch up with Ami the following week, we had the following conversation in the back of Cabbagetown's Jet Fuel.
Name
Ami Spears.
How long have you been a barista?
I've lost count. Probably about 12 years. I actually started out at Starbucks in the States, in Austin. I was there for three years and then I moved to Toronto. There was a little break from coffee, but you never really lose it. So I've been here at Jet Fuel for about four and a half years.
Do you have a favourite customer and why?
Nice. Low maintenance. A lot of people ask for certain things and it depends on who you get here. Like some people will do somethings and some people won't. I'll do pretty much anything. We have a lot of regulars and it's about repetition. You get to know who wants what and know a little about them. I'm not a small talker. Like I don't small talk, I just make your coffee and hopefully you like it. Not a big small talker. I guess people might think I'm kinda dry or might think I'm a jerk. But I'm just kinda closed off at work.
What's your secret for pulling the perfect shot?
It's just kinda automatic now. We have the pump grinder here so it grinds all-day. It doesn't grind each time you pull. You just pump it three times and it's the right amount. You just need to know how much pressure to give it. It's pretty automatic, I think.
Do you moonlight as a writer, actor, artist or adult film director?
I'm a musician. I also do a vintage collective. We just do vintage pop-up shops. Mostly clothing. On the musician side I play drums and bass and sing in my band. We're called Ostrich Tuning. It's a reference to a particular tuning in the '60s. It's like psychedelic, melodic; it's noisy at times. It's all jamming in the way of psychedelic.
What's something that no one else knows about you?
I have no idea. I'm not a very mysterious person. As for the customers, I still don't think anyone knows I'm married. I've been married for probably a year and a half now. Probably before that, people probably didn't know I had a boyfriend or fiance because we already lived west. He doesn't drink coffee so he doesn't get out this way very much. And again, I don't give out a lot of information. But if someone asks me, I'll tell. I have conversations with my customers all the time, but I'm not the one to be like, "Oh, by the way..." Probably most of my customers don't know that I'm married.
What's your favourite Toronto hideout?
I like Tequila Bookworm a lot. I don't go there a lot, but anytime I do I really enjoy it. And their coffee has progressed over the years. I know a couple years ago I had a coffee and it wasn't that good, but it's really good now. I don't go out a ton, but when I do go out I like seeing shows, or playing a show. That in itself keeps me busy when I do go out. Favourite venue? I really like The Piston. It's on Bloor, it's also a lovely bar and in the back room there's a venue. It's kinda small but it's always really fun.
What's your favourite album to spin at work?
My go-to is "Unknown Pleasures" by Joy Division and then "Loveless" by Bloody Valentine, which I don't play a lot, because I think I've listened to it so much over the years. Every now and then I'll play it and it's just so good. And then a lot of Velvet Underground.
To take the nerves out of customers, what's the proper way to order an Americano?
People will come in and ask for a black coffee, and everyone here deals with it differently. I try to keep it simple. Like less words is less confusing. So I'm like, "Our regular coffee or black coffee is an Americano. It's water with espresso." I just break it down like that. Most people go for it. And our coffee does tend to be quite strong. Even I get cracked out on it - I can't drink more than one over six hours.
How do you take your coffee?
I do an Americano, sometimes really short with a bit of sugar and a little bit of cream and then some foamy milk. It's a little bit of everything. Or a Macchiato.
RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS:
Dogs or cats? That's a tough one. I'd have to say cats, but it's very close.
Biggie or Tupac? Biggie.
London or Paris? I'd love to go to Paris. I think I'd prefer France.
Bikes or streetcars? Bikes for sure.
Beards or mustaches? Beards.
Rob Ford or Tim Hortons? Yuck. Both are yuck. I like Tim Hortons' muffins.
PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES
Discussion
58 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
I don't need a barista to gush over me or force a commercial smile, and I certainly don't need or want a barista to indulge me if I'm making a huge ass of myself (as I've seen customers do; as though baristas are being paid enough to take their entitlement-gone-wild abuse!) but I also don't want to go somewhere if I'm made to feel like I'm imposing on the barista for ordering something or needing more information about the offerings...
And then there's the whole militant bike courier crew who frequent the joint--the red-light running, pedestrian running-over, streetcar-racing pedal jockeys who menace everyone else on the streets.
Finally, the music is often too loud to sit there and read a book, or even have a conversation. Which is sort of the whole point of a cafe, along with the coffee.
It's no coincidence it's been extremely successful for almost 20 years.
@Matt: Wow, doesn't sound like you like the city much. And you have an awfully strong negative opinion of a place you clearly don't frequent. JetFuel hasn't really been a "Bike Courier" - I'll leave out your clearly misguided attempt at generalized judgement - hangout for many years. And as an aside, JetFuel has the longest running Canadian cycling team and has generated some of the top athletes from our country in the sport.
On the other hand,
biggie > tupac.
What's wrong with some of you people?
The only thing that could possibly be misconstrued as being unpleasant is the fact that she is not a small talker. There are a lot of people in this city who are not small talkers and are not unpleasant at all.
When you go to the LCBO, do you expect your cashier to chat you up, or, do you just expect him/her to scan your shit and tell you how much you owe them so you can get the fuck out of there?
Some people are just not comfortable with small talk because it feels fake.
Don't judge her because, unlike countless other people out there, she won't pretend to be your friend when she isn't.
Plus, she likes Jou Division!
He did. She got her coffee. And now she's a regular.
As for the coffee at Jet Fuel? It's OK. I've had better.
Hipsters are funny.
How do you glean that I don't like the city from my disliking of a coffee shop?
(Total sidenote: I won't lie--I'm a daily cyclist, but hardcore cycling culture annoys the shit out of me. There are loads of wonderful people in the culture, and it's a great sport, but there are also a lot of sanctimonious gearheads who think the streets are a race course. A place that kowtows to that rubs me the wrong way. Add in the often rude service, the lack of food (geez, why can't I get a muffin?) and no menu, and yeah, it's a bit offputting.
And big secret: the coffee is only okay, and I hate how they serve it in a pint glass.
Wow, I do sound negative. Time to stop.
3 hours ago · LikeUnlike ·
Stell: Pot meet kettle! haaaaaaaaaaa! so good!
Mark Bee: thanks, whoever you are. that's all i want to actually know, is how (my) coffee is. not jetfuel's or some other baristas coffee is. the coffee should always be consistent at jetfuel, but it isen't but i have had that experience myself at every coffee shop i've been to. i will elaborate on this later......................
tripper: you're right on. also, when i say that "everyone here deals with it differently", i mean that you can come in and get attitude when you ask for a regular coffee, or you come in and don't really know what you want. but you won't get that from me. not everyone is made from the same cookie cutter, so don't lump me in with everone else. i have also, had attitudes and rudeness from other coffee shops. and i have never pulled a "do you know who i am?"
i.e. Lola: i'm not the one that asked the question about ordering an americano properly, I just answered the question.
j: awe xo cute
Sean: it's true, the word that people never say, which is the most accurate about Jetfuel is Intense. that is how i usually describe it to people that have never been there. The music is intense, the atmosphere can me intense, the coffee is intense. it has that little bit more of a kick than other coffees around the city. but that suits the place. That is Jetfuel. and when you deal with that from 6-8 hours a day for 3-5 days a week, you're gonna adapt to that but at the same time we can get edgy at times cause we are pounding out 50 coffees in 10 minutes sometimes and that can last for 2 hours straight. and being in the service industry is tough, cause you're dealing with alot of different types of people, and when you add the high volume to it, it's can be overwhelming at times. so when i say that i don't small talk much, or even like it for that matter, i do detach myself a bit for own sanity, that doesn't make me an asshole or unpleasant. i come across to new people as dry but nice, a nice dry. but i can damn well tell you that i have become more dry or closed off since i have lived in Toronto. I love Toronto now because i have many people that i love here and that love me, but when I first moved here I immediately saw how closed people are, atleast compared to Texas, or any other U.S. State I had been to, but espec. Texas. Even small, simple things like smiling at someone on the street that you don’t know. That is a common thing in Texas, but here majority of the time people look back at you like you’re an alien. And guess what? I don’t try anymore, atleast I didn’t for a while. But then I was like f… that I’m going to do what I usually do and people can just deal with it the way they do. If they want to walk around looking miserable and freaked out by other people, cool. Whatever tickles your pickle. Anyway, that was a long tangent. But at work I am more dry and a bit closed off, I am a little more jaded than I use to be, I admit. But I try to be conscience of that and go back to being more like me.
Brent: wow! You really know me, just from reading this. The only reason you call me a hipster is because you saw that someone earlier call be a hipster. As far as being aloof and detached, read above.
Avatude: your comment does not refer to me, you’re lumping me in with other baristas that think they are entitled. I take pride in what I do, I don’t feel entitled. I hate entitlement and elitism with a passion. And let me tell you, we deal with a lot of that. So if you ever get attitude out of me, it’s probably because you are acting like an entitled asshole.
All the Jetfuel cappuccino haters: you haven’t had one for me. And if you don’t want a huge ass cap. Which is the way we do it. Just ask for a macc. Size. It’s beautiful thing. Or just a order a macchiato, just less foam. “microfoam or cortado” if you will. Thanks to other coffee shops that have started the cortado craze! It’s a freakin macchiato. What a lot of people don’t get about me is my sarcastic sense of humour attitude, that’s me a Jetfuel, straight up, alot of people are just over sensitive and don’t get it. But all my regs. Do
Mekajiz: I think you might be talking outaya ass. I don’t think that was me. It may have been my bang doppelganger, Liz. Haaaaaaaaaaaa! You betta check yourself Mekajiz. Oh and p.s. we are the management.
Orpheus Clay: we’ve been running it for 20 years, that’s how.
Nell: please refer to the beginning of my response to Avatude’s comment. I like how you know for a “fact” from this interview that I’m incredibly banal. Not just banal but “incredibly” banal. It’s an actual fact! Good one. That’s a pretty big word to be using on someone that you have never actually met.
Amir: I know right? That was pretty hilarious when that happened though. Oh people, they are funny.
Joe: you’re definitely talking out of your ass. I don’t think that you have actually been to Jetfuel and if you have, you had a really bad coffee and that is not what it should taste like, and if (this) did actually happen then you should have had enough balls (2) to come us and tell us so we can make you another one that doesn’t taste like toilet water. We don’t actually bite. Johnny, the manager might throw it at you (which that Is why we love him, sometimes) but anyone else would be glad to remake it for you.
That one is for you Liz (bang doppelganger giving me a bad rep.) xo
SaraLaura: Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! You know I don’t even have a cell phone right now, much less an I phone. Oh, that may make me even more of a hipster. And I def. don’t own a mac. But I think that you may know that. xo
MikeM: nuff said by the real people. don't your friend's defend you when people shit talk you? oh? probably not.
thanks to all the people that read this and actual get where i'm coming from and didn't read into things that aren't there. much love. come in and say hi and let me know that you read this and i'll get you a free coffee. and it will be delicious or you can spit it back in my face, cause you're my favorite kind of customer. much love to the people keeping it real of there.
I happen to know Ami personally and can vouch that she's one of the most genunine sweet-to-the-bone people you will ever meet.
You angry-type people mean to tell me that you're always 100% super happy-chatty-cathy at work? You're "ON" 100% of the time? Well if you are, you're either a) lying or b) insincere and fake and I sure as hell don't want to know you.
Quit taking your dissatisfaction with your own boring life out on someone who's loving theirs - leading a creative and productive and contributive one. I bet she does more in a week than you do in two months. Actually, I know she does. I've witnessed her do it. Maybe it's all the coffee. ;)
And please, if you're going to assume that all people who are into art, music and clothing are "hipsters," do the world a favour and crawl back under the rock you came from.
I'm by no means a regular at Jet Fuel, as I've spent the past 7 years living in Montreal. I grew up in Cabbagetown, so I certainly have a soft spot for it and I make sure to stop by whenever I'm in town. I'm always sure to ask how they're doing, say please/thank you and just generally treat them the way I'd like to be treated and I've always had very pleasant experience. I've interacted with Ami a number of times and she's always been super friendly. I feel that if more people were genuinely courteous to baristas (and others in service industries) that they wouldn't be here complaining about aloofness...
b.t.w. i am playing tonight at THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 225 STERLING ROAD UNIT 19. 11pm. So anyone who thinks that i am empty, passionless or uninspired should come out and see how much of those three things that i am not. i am very inspired by amazing and positive things and people, and very uninspired by people like you SPENCERSHOT, and there are alot of people like you out there and that is the reason i am the way i am when i deal with the public. i just make people their coffee, hold them at arms length until i get to know them, and if you're a good person, than you're my friend. i don't think that makes me unpleasant.
good one Liz and Kristina.
b.t.w. My band is playing tonight at THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 225 STERLING ROAD UNIT 19, 11pm with 9 other amazing bands. So anyone who thinks that I am unpleasant, passionless and uninspired should come out and see how much of those three things that I am not. I am very inspired by positive and amazing things and people and very uninspired by people like you SPENCERSHOT. And there are a lot of you out there and is the reason that I am at work. I make people damn good coffee, but hold them at arms length until I get to know them. And if they're a good person, then you're my friend. I don't think that makes me unpleasant.
Good one Liz and Kristina.
my point "that guy" which you totally missed because you replyed with a micromanaged comment is that we make our macchiato is basically a cortado whith the difference of an ounce of "microfoam" if you must, which i would just call proper foam. the point is that it is really good espresso with smooth milk/foam (proper foam). everybody makes everything a bit different. everyone makes it (their) own. we are very straight forward at Jetfuel as you well know. i know what a macch. is, a cortado, latte, capp, and whatever else other coffee shops feel they have to put on their menu for variety, and i can make anything people ask for but we're still going to make our version of it which is probably like i said, an ounce of foam diff. and my point is, who gives a f as long as it's damn good. so don't give me an over analysis of my comment and micromanaged speech on coffee thinking your one upping me, cause it's just cheesy. and your obviously a Jetfuel hater like most of the unintellegent comments on here. not saying that everyone that dislikes Jetfuel is unintellegent, but the people on here sound very much so. our coffee is not for everyone, we know that. so go hate somewhere else, cause as you can see the majority here doesn't care.
alot of people are attacking you are saying how bad you are , personally i dont give a shit , ive never had you as a barista and if you were as bad as people are trying to suggest i strongly doubt jetfuel would have you on their staff let alone let you represent the cafe with this article.
for all the people that dont enjoy jf show them that by not coming back , as for me ill be back . Im that same douche customer that complains when my drink is bad and call baristas out when their being rude. this might be news to jf and alot of other cafes in Toronto but you are in the service industry , you are their to serve ! And if all you wanna do is make coffee , then your not a barista your a coffee jockey .
Ami, I don't know you and I've never been to JetFuel and you could be the worst barista in the world and a horribly bland person, but I apologize on behalf of my fellow citizens for their assholery during this holiday season. Hope you had a good one.
And I like your band. You have a kind of Velvet Underground vibe going on.
Ami is a really nice lady, and i've never tried her coffee but c'mon!: insulting someone over the internet??!! have you ever served coffee before? !?? Is being a negative asshole on a messageboard really worth your time? ?? if you don't like the coffee go somewhere else. make it at home.
I never actually read the comments in these articles and I probably won't ever again. its pathetic.
3 rules in life: work hard, don't be an asshole, and love your friends.
stop wasting your time being negative to people for no reason.
Ami makes good coffee!
I guess what I'm trying to say, is that the internet is a dingleberry sometimes.
When I sifted through the thread, there were over a 100 comments. I've cut this to less than 60. Some of you will be offended that your posts have been removed, and will no doubt accuse me of playing favourites or adhering to an arbitrary scheme. I can live with that. Here's an offer: if you think I've removed your comment unfairly, you can write me an email at derek@blogto.com and make your case as to why I should republish it.
Once again, apologies that this got so out of hand in the first place. Commenting is now closed on this post.