Who's Pouring the Drinks at Gryphon Café?

Radnor Patch wants to know who is pouring the drinks at local establishments. Get to know this barista at Gryphon Café.

Name: Jaryd Tookmanian

Age: 26

Hometown: West Chester

Current Residence: Philadelphia

Barista For: Gryphon Café

How Long He's Been at Gryphon Café: Two years

Origins: He graduated from Wheaton College and was in-between jobs before he found himself behind the bar pouring java drinks for the first time. "I used to come here for open mic nights and a few of the employees were my friends. When I first started, I didn't know the difference between a latte and a cappuccino and now I'm a coffee snob," laughs Tookmanian.

Favorite Drink to Make: Cortada—a Spanish "baby latte" drink that's one-part espresso, one-part milk.

Least Favorite Drink to Make: Frappuccinos—"It never turns out to something that I would like it to be. You're just throwing a bunch of stuff in the blender and I just don't like it. I'll do it for you and put a smile on my face but I don't like them."

Favorite Menu Item at Gryphon Café: The portobello mushroom and tapenade sandwich (the portobellos are marinated and grilled and the tapenade is made from green olives, all made in-house).

Favorite Bakery Item at Gryphon Café: "I love the chocolate croissants here."

What's the best part of your job?

"I love this job. I love the people I work with. It's a mini community behind the bar here. We probably hang out way too much. There's a great vibe behind the bar."

What do you like best about the area?

"It's a great community and the people here are great. It's always busy here and I love that. The same people come in here every day. They know my life story and I know their life story. It's really cool."

Why the Gryphon and not another coffee shop in Philly?

"The commute can definitely be rough but this is where I first got started and learned about coffee. Rich Mattis, the owner of the Gryphon, is so passionate about the customers and his employees. He's really supportive and he's really involved with the community. The Gryphon's been here for 17 years now."