About Prodigal Coffee
Enter the world of Scott Rao, the man behind the revolution in coffee roasting. His career in the coffee industry began 30 years ago when he opened his first coffee shop and roaster in Amherst, Massachusetts at the age of 22. It quickly outgrew even the nearby Starbucks branch and became a local institution. Since then, Scott's career has transformed several times, whether as a cafe owner in New Zealand and Montreal or as the author of books that have shaped the global discourse on coffee roasting. Today, Scott Rao is a personality whose seminars and consultations are sought after by roasters all over the world.
He is known for his systematic and detailed approach to coffee roasting. His methods and techniques, including some of the most cutting-edge procedures, are backed by years of research and practice. He shares his know-how through books such as "The Coffee Roaster's Companion" and "Coffee Roasting: Best Practices", which have become reference works for a new generation of roasters. Not only does Scott train and consult, he also designs equipment for the next generation of the coffee industry. And he performs all these activities with the German Probat roasting machine from 1956, which is an icon in the field.
Mark Benedetto is not just an ordinary chef; he is a culinary artist who bravely decided to leave his comfortable world of kitchens and cafes to enter the fascinating world of coffee roasting. After conquering the demanding Q-Grader exam, in 2017 he opened his own roastery, Last Stand Coffee, in the heart of San Francisco's tech eldorado. His specialty? Roasting exclusive coffee for the city's leading technology offices. But that is not all! Mark also broadened his horizons by becoming the right-hand man of legendary coffee consultant Scott Rao. They have been involved in several exciting projects together, including an experimental roast for the Facsimile Coffee brand in 2020-2021.
