Tuesday 29 June 2010

World Barista Championships in London

Last week London was abuzz with activity surrounding the World Barista Championships. The national champions of 54 countries came to London to compete for the title of World Barista Champion. Each competitor had 15 minutes to prepare four espressos, four cappucinos, and four espresso-based signature drinks of their own design. And they must do this all whilst talking passionately about the coffee they're using. This year's World Champion is Mike Phillips from the USA. Mike works for Intelligentsia Coffee in Chicago and he is the first World Champion to come from the United States.


100624WBCx43


For all my WBC photographs click through here.

100625WBCx6100624WBCx75100624WBCx103100624WBCx31100625WBCx4100624WBCx121

This year I volunteered to be a 'barista buddy'. My role was to help a competitor find equipment, ingredients and to provide local knowledge. I was the buddy to Honduran Champion Anna Lucia Hawitt and Argentina's Gustavo Castro. Ana Lucia, in the big image above, placed in the top 12 during the preliminary rounds and made it through to the semi-finals. You can watch her semi-final presentation here.

4 comments:

Commercial Espresso Machines said...

I was at the championships. Did not get chance to go this year though, how was it?

London Accountant said...

This is incredible to watch. I will never see my local baristas, who I already respected greatly for their work, in the same light again.

Cheoy Lee said...

There are so, so many skills involved in being a barista...

SHANGHAI AFPAK said...

So difficult to be a good barista.
Well done!

Coffee capsule packaging machines:www.afpakmachine.com