Episode the 43rd

From his initial plan to move to France and cook—despite not really having extensive experience in the kitchen or even a food blog—Tim Williams has ended up on a remarkable career path in coffee. So remarkable, in fact, that one could almost argue that Tim is the “Forrest Gump” of coffee, someone who appears at seminal moments in specialty coffee history: Flat White in 2006, Intelligentsia Venice in 2009, Penny University in 2010… the list goes on.

We managed to catch Tim for No. 43 quite literally right before he leaves London to return to Australia for a new chapter in his coffee life. Using Tim’s experience as a structure within which to explore important ideas, Colin and Tim chat about on working environments, service, management, traditions, and what it means to be out of your depth. Also covered: how some of our current messaging lends itself to an awful, ambiguous grey area between what we want the customer to do and what they’re technically allowed to do, why owning a coffee shop is really just parenting on a different level, Tim Varney’s pining, and skeletons in Square Mile’s closet.

Follow along with Tim’s newest chapter on his website, instagram, or twitter.