"In my third year of college, I had a sports accident that caused a retinal detachment. I went through surgery, and afterward, the doctor told me to rest and not overuse my eyes. If I became an engineer right away, the pressure on my eyes would be even greater. So my plan was simple: work somewhere else for two or three years, let my eyes recover, and then return to writing code."
"At first, I didn't drink coffee at all, and I didn't like it. But my boss and coworkers encouraged me to try it. They brewed me a cup every day. At first, I refused, but eventually I tried a cup - and something clicked. It felt like coding: Could I make this more precise, more efficient? Could I describe what I tasted so others could understand? So, I started studying sensory skills and how to communicate flavors."
Nian Yang-yi studied computer science and information engineering to avoid social interaction and planned a coding career. A sports accident in college caused retinal detachment and surgery; doctors advised rest and avoiding eye strain. To protect vision, Nian postponed engineering work and took a café job for a planned few years. Daily exposure to coffee and encouragement from colleagues led to tasting, sensory study, and an obsession with describing flavors. Nian worked as a barista for ten years while attending tastings, events, and classes. Continued exploration revealed coffee as a lifelong craft that resists full mastery.
Read at Business Insider
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