Lead Barista, Morning Opener (Part-Time)

The Golden Ritual Café

Location:Bakersfield, CA
Salary:$18–$21/hr
Type:Part-time · In person
Date Posted:September 30, 2026
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The Golden Ritual is a grab-and-go café serving specialty espresso, matcha, and baked goods built around saffron and cardamom, and a few other fun flavors. Everything is made from scratch, with no artificial syrups and no shortcuts.

We're a small room inside Legacy Square, a building that already hosts a wellness spa, a yoga studio, and a few other businesses. We expect steady traffic from the building and the businesses around us, and a lot of our guests to become familiar faces.

The role
Part-time, about 20 hours a week, Monday-Friday, 7:00-11:00 a.m. Occasional Saturdays possible. Start date is the first week of November.

A founder will work beside you for the first few weeks. After that, you own the morning: open, prep, and run the bar during the rush. You'll also help train one of the founders and future team members on the bar.

What you'll do
  • Open the shop and prep for service
  • Pull clean, consistent espresso and make drinks quickly during the morning rush
  • Greet every guest warmly, learn our regulars' names and orders, and get to know the people who work in the building
  • Keep the counter running smoothly, handle payments, and keep the space clean and organized
  • Help teach the bar and our standards to new team members

About You
  • 2+ years on a professional espresso machine preferred; 1 year minimum
  • Warm. You're the kind of person who says, "Good morning, how's your day going?" and means it.
  • Confidence working the bar independently
  • Speed without cutting corners on the shot
  • Latte art is a plus. Our roaster, Olympia Coffee, will train you on our coffee.
  • A California food handler card, or willingness to get one before you start
  • Ability to perform the physical requirements of the role, including standing for extended periods and lifting up to 30 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation

What we offer
  • A free drink and something baked in-house, every shift. Yes, you can have both.
  • A staff discount on everything else
  • A real say in the menu. Got an idea for a seasonal drink? We'll hear it.
  • Training from Olympia Coffee
  • A short shift. You're done by 11 and the rest of your day is yours.
  • Regulars who know your name by week two
  • Room to grow as we do, with the opportunity for more hours and responsibility

How hiring works
A short Zoom call, then an in-person visit with a brief skills tryout, followed by a paid working shift for finalists.

To apply
Send your resume, a few lines about yourself and your coffee experience, and tell us: how would you greet a stranger walking into The Golden Ritual at 7:30 in the morning?

Email us at [email protected]

The Golden Ritual is an equal opportunity employer.
$18-$21/hour depending on experience, plus tips

How to apply

Send an email to:

[email protected]

From the employer

Send your resume, a few lines about yourself and your coffee experience, and tell us: how would you greet a stranger walking into The Golden Ritual at 7:30 in the morning?