I first met Liz in real life last October while I was in New York for Tamper Tantrum. Since then, I’ve watched her be elected to the BGA Executive Council, write about HR in Barista Magazine, and staunchly shout from virtual rooftops about injustices happening in the industry and beyond.
I met Elizabeth Chai in real life last year in Kansas City (the qualifying event). But I first knew of her when I learned she was doing a big camper coffee crawl across the US from Atlanta to Portland, where she is based now. Liz is a “coffee + design” graphic designer, illustrator, and photographer. We also have shared interests in donuts, dessert, and craft sodas. If you run into her at a coffee event, she’ll likely be dressed up in a colorful vintage fabric dress with a camera in hand.
In the last year, we’ve been fortunate to run into each other often enough that I could set up a short photo session and interview. It’s not often that I’m able to photograph and interview someone else who does similar work as me. I think highlighting other fellow freelancers in coffee can help others realize that there are other careers in coffee that may be outside the “norm.”
On a side note, while we do have some similar interests, I hope this interview also highlights how we are not the same person (please stop mixing us up at events).
Like many of my real-life coffee friends, I first met Bethany on social media. Her sassy, brutally honest tweets were a refreshing escape from the carefully curated streams many of us (myself included) have adopted.
I met Bethany in real life this year at USCC sectionals in Kansas City. She qualified for nationals & I was fortunate enough to run into her in Atlanta. I took a quick snap and sent over some interview questions.
We’re staying in New Orleans for this second installment of Boss Ladies of Coffee. There was a real sense of community when I was there in the Crescent City. As you may well know, service industry workers are the true insiders on the food & drink scene. When I asked Reneé of Church Alley for other cafe recommendations, she pointed me to Sólo Espresso.
I'm a San Francisco-based writer & photographer. On the side, I munch on donuts & hang out with my dog Zoey.
You can reach me here or on Bluesky.
Life goal:
eat / drink coffee / write / travel
>>>> all in one.
about
Jenn is a San Francisco-based writer & photographer. On the side, she munches on fun flavored chips & hangs out with her dog Zoey. You can reach her via the contact page or on social media @thejennchen.
about this site
All photos were taken by Jenn Chen, unless otherwise noted, & under full copyright. Photos of me in red & orange were taken by Jessica Caisse. Do not use copy or photos without prior permission. Logos designed by Hannah Ellen.
All images & copy are Copyright Jenn Chen Media, LLC 2008-2025. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions
There’s an uprising that is happening around New Orleans. I recently visited and was told by a local friend, “Ladies dominate the industry here.”
This was a must-see. During my stay in the city, I visited two of his suggestions & was fascinated by the atmosphere of community this city supported.
Read More