Seventy-year-old Hava Çal, working as a barista in her daughter's coffee shop in Fatih, Istanbul, Türkiye, has become a social media sensation. What started as a way to support her daughter and pass the time quickly turned into a hit with young customers.
Nicknamed "Barista Aunt" on social media, Çal explained her journey into the craft. "My daughter took a three-month training course. While watching her and others, I started learning. I tried it myself, liked it and kept going. Now, I can make all kinds of coffee," she said.
Having lived in Austria for 36 years, Çal returned to Türkiye after her children settled in Istanbul. She took an interest in coffee-making after her daughter opened a shop in Süleymaniye 16 years ago. For the past decade, she has been helping out as a barista, not only assisting her daughter but also enjoying the craft.
Speaking about her experience, Çal shared: "I lived in Austria for 36 years and speak fluent German. Since my children studied here and got married in Istanbul, it was easy for me to return. When my daughter opened the shop, a barista came to train us. My daughter took a three-month course, and I learned by watching them. I tried making coffee, enjoyed it and continued. Now, I can prepare all types of coffee. A young lady once ordered an Americano from me, and when she liked it, she posted about me on social media. That’s how I started receiving attention."
Çal emphasized that her primary role is to help her daughter when the cafe gets busy. "Since we are near Istanbul University, we are always busy with students and professors. They all know us and call me 'Barista Auntie.' At first, customers are surprised, but our regulars are used to me now. I love working and enjoy what I do. I'm not officially working here; my children own this place, and I help them as a hobby. If I get tired, I leave. I was curious when I first came here for coffee, tried making it and enjoyed it. That’s how I became a barista. But my daughter is the real barista; we all learned from her. She trained the employees, too," she explained.
One of the cafe visitors, Melek Tekirdağ, expressed admiration for Çal. "I had never been here before, but she is such a friendly woman and speaks German fluently. I looked her up and found out a lot about her. I was really impressed. Seeing a 70-year-old woman working as a barista is surprising. I don’t usually drink much coffee, but the one I had here was excellent," she said.
Another customer, Rabia Tekirdağ, shared her excitement about meeting Çal in person. "I had seen 'Barista Auntie' on social media before, but I didn’t know she was here. It was quite a surprise to see her today. I tried the coffee, and it was great, especially the one made by Aunt Hava. People should visit, taste the coffee and have a chat with her. It’s an inspiring experience," she said.
