About us

Obed Santos has been roasting coffee since 2007 and has been in the food and beverage industry since 2005. He graduated with highest honors from Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, CA in 2006. He started a private chef company in 2007 and was relocated to Chicago where he was able to continue his business by cooking for the Crown family for four and a half years. He then moved to Iowa for 3 years where he was a pastry chef. Acquired his Q-Grader certification in 2017, which is the equivalent of a sommelier for wine. His creativity, refined palate and knowledge of the cooking process complements his roasting profiles. To Obed, specialty coffee is in the same realm of having that perfectly paired wine with food or the harmony that comes when connecting different textures, colors and flavors on a plate.

Roasting coffee is where art meets science- it’s a craft. Idioma’s ultimate goal is to work directly with farmers to source the highest quality beans available. Obed’s roasting process brings out the unique flavor profiles each specific coffee bean has to offer. The passion he injects into his coffee can be tasted in every sip you take. Idioma’s commitment to environmentally friendly , ethically sourced beans allow you to treat specialty coffee as a ceremony that should be translated and celebrated. Idioma translates to ‘language’ in Spanish. At Idioma we believe coffee is a language waiting to be translated… because great coffee speaks many languages.