Papieri People

Blossom Coffee House

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Mirei Tanaka-Lingg

Barista with heart and soul

Stepping inside and breathing in the subtle coffee aromas is like entering an oasis of calm amid frenetic everyday life. Your gaze is drawn to the sophisticated floor-to-ceiling bright red roasting machine in the corner behind the inviting counter, where owner Mirei Tanaka-Lingg is busying herself at the stainless steel coffee machine. Mirei indulges her passion for the art of coffee at the Blossom Coffee House on the first floor of the Silo Building at Papieri Ring 6. In this issue, she talks about how she got there and how coffee is more than just a beverage for her.

Mirei Tanaka-Lingg’s life story is as rich and varied as the different aromas of the coffee she roasts, creates and prepares with such devotion. Born in Japan, she has since lived in many places around the world. Her family moved to Brazil when she was six years old. She spent the earliest formative years of her life in the countryside around Rio de Janeiro, before going on to travel the globe. «I’m a child of many cultures,» she says with a laugh, «and that’s reflected in my coffee.»

 

 

 

 

«I’m a child of many cultures and that’s reflected in my coffee.»

Mirei Tanaka-Lingg

After further stops in Japan, she began her career as a barista in Melbourne, Australia. Her passion was aroused at a Japanese restaurant known for its fine food and sake, but not for its coffee. «The coffee there simply wasn’t good enough. It needed to be better! That was when I fell in love with the art of making coffee.»

But Mirei didn’t give her heart only to the little beans. She also met her current husband – originally from Zug – in Melbourne some 25 years ago. She moved to Switzerland with him in 2010, and they now live in Cham. Her two children are now adults. Her roots in Japan, her childhood in Brazil and her time in Japan and Australia have shaped her personality and laid the foundations of her expertise as a barista.

«My passion was aroused at a Japanese restaurant in Melbourne.»

Mirei Tanaka-Lingg

 

 

Upon arriving in Zug, Mirei soon realized that the local coffee scene was still in its infancy. «People simply had no idea about good coffee,» she recalls. But that quickly changed. Through a number of projects, Mirei drew upon her expertise and worked hard to introduce her neighborhood to the world of high-quality coffee. «My customers were thrilled when I served them their first cappuccino decorated with a heart of milk foam. That was obviously something new to them. I was proud to be the first barista in the local area.»

Upon arriving in Zug, Mirei soon realized that the local coffee scene was still in its infancy. «People simply had no idea about good coffee,» she recalls. But that quickly changed. Through a number of projects, Mirei drew upon her expertise and worked hard to introduce her neighborhood to the world of high-quality coffee. «My customers were thrilled when I served them their first cappuccino decorated with a heart of milk foam. That was obviously something new to them. I was proud to be the first barista in the local area.»

Mirei quickly made a name for herself as a Japanese barista. Four years ago, Christoph Schär, head of catering of OYM, noticed her and hired her as a barista. When the Silo Building was constructed to house the OYM Campus for young sports students, Mirei was offered the opportunity to run her own café there.

She continues to work with the OYM team while living out her dream of creating the perfect coffee at Blossom Coffee House. «For me, coffee isn’t just a passion, it’s also a science,» she explains. «Every step is important: the roasting, the right air inflow, the temperature, the time the water takes to flow through the coffee – it’s a dance of precision and passion.» She explains that freshly roasted coffee contains carbon dioxide gas, which must first escape in order for the coffee to develop its full aroma. «The coffee has to breathe,» she says. «Only then is it perfect.»

«The coffee has to breathe – only then is it perfect.»

Mirei Tanaka-Lingg

[Translate to Englisch:] Die glänzend rote Hightech-Röstmaschine sticht sofort ins Auge.

Mirei’s passion for coffee is reflected in every detail. She knows the origin of the beans she roasts and exactly how each bean should be treated to develop its unique flavor. «Brazil embraces natural processes that make coffee sweeter. Washed coffee from Africa, on the other hand, has more acidity and a more intense aroma. Just like wine production, coffee in every region has its own processes and stories.»

«Just like wine production, coffee in every region has its own processes and stories.»

Mirei Tanaka-Lingg

Besides her talent for hospitality and artisanal craft, Mirei is also an entrepreneur with a clear vision. Sustainability is hugely important at her coffee house. Most of the furniture is second-hand and lovingly decorated with cushions made of coffee bean bags. The distinctive table in the middle of the room is more than 150 years old. She also sells her ground coffee in reusable, refillable tins in a classic metal design so people can enjoy it at home.

None of this would have been possible without the support of friends and family. She is particularly grateful to the decision-makers at OYM, who believed in her right from the start.

The OYM restaurant TReat and the adjacent interior design office Beyond Design, located on the ground floor of the Silo Building, are still in the final stages of completion. But the Blossom Coffee House is already open for those who fancy a break, want to chat over a coffee, or hold a small meeting.

Besides the finest coffee in the region, customers can also enjoy an evening drink or a bite to eat at the coffee house and in its outdoor area in the courtyard of the Silo Building – an oasis that delights the senses and whisks you away from the stresses of everyday life.

Mirei Tanaka-Lingg is more than a barista – she is an artist who pours her passion and dedication into every cup of coffee. «Coffee is more than just a drink,» she says. «It’s a moment of pause, a connection between people, a journey through the flavors of the world. I’m delighted to be contributing to the development of the Papieri neighborhood with the Blossom Coffee House.»

«Coffee is more than just a drink.»

Mirei Tanaka-Lingg, Barista Blossom Coffee House

 

 

Opening hours

Mon-Fri                 8 am – 5 pm
Saturday               closed (open for the Papieri-Fest)
Sun                       8 am – 3 pm

Kontakt

Blossom Coffee House
Papieri-Ring 6
6330 Cham

https://www.blossomcoffee.ch

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