Josh Pickens on creating memorable cafe moments at Ole and Steen US
What makes a great cafe experience? The coffee itself, yes. But it’s more than that. The flavors and the freshness of the pastry that accompany it, the atmosphere, the customer service. We’ve all been there - you might have a delicious latte in front of you, but if the barista’s rude, or the table’s sticky, well, it just doesn’t taste the same.
Josh Pickens, the president of Ole and Steen US, is dedicated to curating meaningful experiences for each and every customer who walks through the doors of Ole and Steen’s five New York City storefronts. A Danish bakery that expanded to the United States, Ole and Steen has been a Counter Culture partner since 2019 and is known for their exceptional pastries. For Pickens, a major way to uphold the brand’s Danish heritage is by attending to the details and investing in the company culture, ensuring that every interaction reflects the meticulous care and quality that Ole and Steen is known for.
“To me [what makes Denmark’s cafe culture special] is the understanding of quality from the staff. Any place you go to, they know how things are made, why things are made, and the quality that goes into every detail,” said Pickens. “We want our teams here to be knowledgeable about how incredible the product is that we make: how much time goes into it, how much detail goes into it. So when they're serving a customer, they may not say directly, ‘hey, this is about to be one of the best croissants you've ever had’, but there’s a felt connection.”
This Danish hospitality is something that Pickens hopes to cultivate within the New York team. In a city where everything is fast-paced, the minuscule interactions at the bar make all the difference in whether a customer will return, or turn instead to the hundreds of other options available. While this sentiment may be intimidating, Pickens sees it as an opportunity. New York City, home to some of the best restaurants in the world, is filled with a community of people who appreciate excellence. Rather than getting lost in the chaos of the city, Pickens believes that the investment in building a culture dedicated to quality can be embraced by the people who live and work in New York.
Here at Counter Culture, quality is one of our core principles, and naturally, we talk about it a lot. We’re committed to driving the potential of coffee at every step of the supply chain so that every cup can be experienced at its best. And we’re proud to partner with Ole and Steen on their journey to create some of the most meaningful cafe experiences that New York City has to offer.
