2017 Competitors

Sounds a little wacky but my interest in coffee started after I started watching a Korean drama called Coffee Prince in 2007. From there I enrolled in a coffee school and got my first job behind the bar in my hometown. 

2017 Central Region Cup Tasters Championship Winner

2017 Australian Cup Tasters Championship Winner

I actually haven’t found my favourite coffee to cup yet, I am interested in discovering how varied farming and processing techniques impart nuances and flavour in the cup.

Art and architecture are my hobbies, I am excited to see the all the works at the Museum of Fine Arts as well as the Gothic and Renaissance style buildings.

I see myself competing in the Brewers Cup, participating as a sensory judge at a higher level. Also green bean buying and roasting on a larger scale for Kingswood Coffee back home.

I would like to thank my boss Mikey, and manager Dai, they have given me many opportunities to grow in the coffee industry and better my skills. My team at Kingswood who have always been supportive. Also Ryan and Chanho who have spent countless nights cupping with me.

Ever since I can remember I have loved the flavour of coffee. It all began with coffee ice cream which was my favourite flavour as a kid, to a weekly Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino with my Mom on Sundays as a tradition as a teenager, to drinking Canada’s favourite coffee: a Tim Horton’s Double Double (Brewed coffee with two creams and two sugars) as a young adult. When the first specialty coffee shop opened in my hometown (Two if by Sea in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia) I fell in love with quality coffee. I was so excited to discover just how good coffee could be. The atmosphere in the coffee shop was amazing and it eventually helped bring a part of my hometown to life that had been needing a pick me up. My first coffee job was at Starbucks in Vienna, where I worked for four years when I first moved to Vienna. This job introduced me to the world of coffee and how amazing it is to discover different flavours of coffees from different regions. I took a year off from the coffee business to be an English teacher but missed the coffee world too much and found my way to Coffee Pirates and there I’ve been for nearly a near and a half and I love it.

2017 SCA Austria Cup Tasting Championship – 1st place.

Any coffee that gives me what a WOW reaction. Recently I have been enjoying cupping different African coffees because as my tastes change I find myself really enjoying the fruitier notes.

I’ve been to Budapest a few times and it is one of my favourite cities to visit. It is a really vibrant city and I am looking forward to revisiting some of my favourite places. I’m lucky that it is quite near to Vienna so that I can bring a team of supporters with me!

I’m not exactly sure! Definitely living somewhere where English is not the main language spoken, I love living in a country where I can speak a different language. I would love to continue in the coffee industry as I am learning more and more about the different career options within the industry.

A big thanks to Evelyn Priesch and Werner Savernik of Coffee Pirates who encouraged me to enter the Cup Tasting Championship back in January when I didn’t think I had a chance. Also to all of my coworkers at Coffee Pirates who cheered me on in January and who will be with me in Budapest!

Belarus CTC was my first national competition and I took first place on April 2017

Cattura Bourbon

First of all I am excited for my coffee trip in Budapest and to visit interesting places. I have never been in Europe yet

In coffee industry

I would like to thank my team from 26 coffee shop in Minsk. They are cool guys!

I started in 2001 with no knowledge, no real plan but a lot of passion. It was one of the best decisions I ever took.

5 times National Cup Tasting champion, always ended 2nd or 3rd. Now finally first 😉

It’s hard to beat a good Ethiopian cupping table.

I will take my little son with me as he is interested in coffee and travelling.

We just started up a new company where we will source green coffee, micro-lots focussing on small roasters.

My team back home in Belgium because it is thanks to them and their daily support that I can do these things.

I had been working on a coffee farm, caring for seedlings. I suffered a car accident and my brother invited me to work with him. I am from a coffee family, the youngest of 3 brothers who all work with coffee and I had the opportunity to learn from them.

2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 Brazilian Cup Tasters Champion

Pulped natural from Espirito Santo and Matas de Minas, Brazil.

I am excited and honored to participate in the World Cup Tasters Championship. I hope to have the opportunity to meet new coffee people while I’m there.

I’d like to be working with coffee abroad in 5 years.

I’d like to thank Danilo Lodi, Elias Generoso, Ivan Totti, Jack Robson. Without their support, I would feel much less confident going into the World Championship. I would also like to thank all those who rooted for me during the competition and Vanusia Nogueira and the entire BSCA team.

My first job was a cafe — a little take-away cafe inside Station, one of the busiest cafe in Melbourne. I saw my colleague, Tony doing latte art and asked him to teach me how to. Since then I got in to coffee and today, I am a coffee nerd.

2017 Canadian Cup Tasters Championship 1st place

Blends – it’s amazing to taste and experience how blending coffee can result an unique flavours.

Learning about the culture; people, languages, foods and just going to explore every little thing about Budapest! If it’s legal, I would like to get drunk and swim in the Danube 🙂 Joke!

Probably making coffees in Budapest!

Team De Mello Palheta Coffee Roasters, training me everyday, keeping me awake everynight. Thanks.

Cafe latte

Season coffee, 2017, the city of  Nanjing, China.

African coffee

I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of people who I’ve only seen on TV or in magazines, also looking forward to enjoying amazing coffee.

Just enjoying coffee

My wife who is also my coach, and my boss, elephont chou. Thanks to everyone who has ever helped me.

All my life with coffee, my family are small producers and I have always liked to help them in the harvesting and processing. As a taster I started in 2009 because of the curiosity to know the attributes of the coffee of our farm and thanks to the training as taster received in ASPROUNION.

• Colombia National Champion 2010
• Fifth Place at the Maastricht World Championship Netherlands 2011
• National Champion of Colombia 2016

Obviously Colombian coffee and especially the coffee of my region Nariño that is characterized by its citrus notes to orange, sweet to caramel and floral, with citric acid bright, juicy body and excellent balance.

My priority is the representation of Colombia, 100% focused on the championship.

Happy with my family, promoting high quality differentiated coffee businesses for the benefit of small coffee producers in my region.

To my wife who is my partner and coach, my daughters and my family that are my inspiration, ASPROUNION for the support in my training as a taster and the National Federation of coffee growers of Colombia that makes possible the realization of National championship and sponsor my Participation as representative of Colombia in the World Championship.

12 years ago I started working in a wet profit plant, which later I went as assistant of a catacion laboratory where I was trained as a taster and after 5 years I managed to join a coffee exporter in Costa Rica and to date I’ve been a  professional taster for 7 years.

2013-2017 Costa Rican National Cup Tasting Championship – First Place

National Penta Campeon.

World Cup Tasters Championship 2013, Nice France – 5th Place

World Cup Tasters Championship 2014, Melbourne Autralia – 24th Place.

World Cup Tasters Championship 2015, Gothenburg Sweden – 1st Place.

World Cup Tasters Championship 2016, Shanghai China – 1st Place.

Costa Rican coffee, I really like every one. They always think they will see different characteristics that will make them special to each one of them.

I think that living a new experience will always make it exciting, meeting new people and being able to share with them will make the best of Budapest

Thank God those 5 years in my case have advanced, because thanks to the good work I have been doing in the last years today I am working in a company related to coffee here in Spain

First of all to God who is the one who has given me this gift, and my teachers who formed me and who learn in a good way to dedicate myself to this work. My family, wife and friends have always supported me year after year and have given me that positivism which is what fills me most in each competition.

During my university studies I learned about coffee plants and processing of coffee beans. I’d become so interested that I started to work in a coffee shop. One and a half years later I took a barista course and got my SCAE Barista Foundation Certification. Now I work as a barista and a coffee roaster in Dos Mundos roastery.

Czech Cup Tasters Championship 2017 – 1st Place

Natural Ethiopian

I look forward to experiencing the atmosphere of this huge coffee event, tasting some great coffee and meeting new people.

I would like to thank my boss and coach Lukas Zugar, who’s been training me for this competition, my boyfriend Petr, and my friends and family for patience and support.

I only learned to drink coffee 3 years ago in Copenhagen, at the coffee collective. Before that I never really liked it, so I think that was like the turning point. then my passion about coffee grew when I was backpacking through central and south Amerika, after that i started brewing for myself not really knowing what or how. then in april 2016 i got my first real barista job at original coffee where i’m still working and loving it.

Cup Tasting Championship Denmark 2017 1st Place.

That’s a difficult one. I guess it would be one with high acidity and sweetness with a low bitterness.

To meet coffee geeks from all around the world, and to build connections with baristas and roasters from all around the world. And the food, I love to eat so I definitely looking forward to test the food culture in Budapest.

Still in the coffee Industry or sailing around the world 🙂

I would like to thank my bosses Philip, Nikolaj and Jonas, our roaster Ida Kofod and all the staff from Original Coffee for baring with me and helping me with my preparation

I started in Cood Life Coffee, coffee shop in Helsinki Finland as a barista. Lauri the owner taught me everything about coffee.

2015 Finnish Cup Tasters 3rd

2016 Finnish Cup Tasters 4th

2017 Finnish Cup Tasters 1st

Juicy Kenyan coffees from Nyeri region. Varieties Sl-28, SL-34.

World Cup Tasters Championship 2014 (Melbourne Australia) – 15th Place

World Cup Tasters Championship 2016 (Shanghai China) – 12th Place

African coffee (Ethiopian and Kenyan)

I was working as a manager for an NGO in Basel and my desk was in a co-working space on the first floor in a coffee house called Unternehmen Mitte. In 2007 the founders of that coffee shop asked me to join the management crew and later I took over as CEO of that coffee shop. I travelled to the coffee farms that produced the coffee beans in our blends and I started to get really absorbed into the world of coffee.

Swiss Cup Tasters 2013 – Runner Up

Swiss Brewers Cup 2014 – Champion

Swiss Cup Tasters 2014 – 3rd place

Swiss Brewers Cup 2015 – Runner up

Swiss Barista Finals 2014, 2015, 2016.

German Cup Tasters 2016 – Champion

Because of organizing the Swiss Cup Tasters Championship I stopped to compete in Switzerland and competed in Germany where I was born.

Broadly speaking I like washed coffees more than natural or other semi-processed coffees. I love to cup coffees from the same region or farm. This gives me an insight to learn more about the impact of microclimates and varieties of coffee beans on the cup profile of the coffee.

Drinking a lot of coffee. Meeting coffee friends from all around. Competing at the Cup Tasters Championship.

We have many dreams and aspirations. Let us see what is possible.

Hopefully our Kaffeemacher academy will have developed even more courses and programs for coffee users, producers and baristas. We would like to develop some of these courses, working closely with the people we provide them for. What do they need, how can we all move coffee forward together? I am sure we shall support more and more coffee shops in Basel and hopefully set up more of our own like Café Fruhling. Basel will be an important spot on the international coffee map and our coffee community is growing fast. I hope we can be at the centre of this supporting, helping and training young and new coffee professionals and those starting up on their own. Personally, I would like to carry on competing in competitions as well as training other competitors.

Big thanks to all my colleagues at Kaffeemacher who made it possible that I can compete. Thanks to my brother and business partner Felix Hohlmann.  Thanks to Bunn, Deutscher Kaffeeverband, BWT water and more. Thanks to the roasteries who supported me with coffee for training!

Started off as a roaster and year by year I cultivated my knowledge about coffee.

National barista championship :
2001 – 1st round
National cup tasting championship :
2009 – 5th place
2010 – 2nd place
2011 – 1st round
2012 – 4th place
2013 – 1st place
2014 – 1st round
2015 -1st place
2016 – 1st round
2017 – 1st place

That’s a difficult one. I guess it would be one with high acidity and sweetness with a low bitterness.

To meet coffee geeks from all around the world, and to build connections with baristas and roasters from all around the world. And the food, I love to eat so I definitely looking forward to test the food culture in Budapest.

I would like to see my company succeed both nationally and internationally and simultaneous become a SCA judge around the world.

Many thanks to my coach/wife who has been by my side for the past nine years.

I used to worked in the Accountant Department and one day, my boss gave me the opportunity to get into the coffee lab and I just loved it.  I have been working as a cupper since 2008.

None, first time competing.

Antigua, Guatemala coffee because you can  always experience a unique flavor of cocoa and chocolate

I will really like to meet roasters and cup tasters, in order to taste new coffees and exchange coffee knowledge and be an ambassador for my country with the grain.  And also, visit coffee shops, for new taste experiences.

I see myself roasting coffees and cupping for big companies

I will really like to thank my boss, Luis Pedro Zelaya from Bella Vista Coffee for giving me the opportunity to get here and become a cup taster.

After tasting the signature Floral & Citrus note of Yirgacheffe, I fell in love with specialty coffee and started home roasting. Then I went to Taiwan to study barista & roasting skills and started my coffee career when i’m back.

Hong Kong Aeropress Championship 2015 – Champion

Hong Kong Cup Tasters Championship 2016 – Champion

G.E.S.H.A

Meet all the great coffee people and getting drunk by coffee.

All my teammate, teachers who taught me about coffee and the organizer of the Hong Kong CTC.

I started in a little coffee shop and bar in Budapest.

2017. Good Spirit Tasting 3.

2017. Cup Tasting 1.

2016. CUP Tasting 1.

2014. Cup Tasting 2.

2014. Good Spirit 2.

I love Ethiopian coffees!

I thank to everybody!

My best friend that used to be barista herself introduced me to the craft.

Icelandic Cup Tasters 2017 – 1st place

Icelandic Barista Championship 2016

Any Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

Take the waters in as many beautiful thermal baths as I manage

I got great support from my company, and I would like to especially thank Anna, Kristin and Tumi 🙂

My interested in coffee started from my first cup of espresso few years ago. Since then I learned more how coffee grows and can be processed until it can be enjoyed by customers in coffee shops.

Indonesia Cup Tasters Championship 2017 – 1st Place

Coffee grown by Indonesian coffee farmers, that grows with love and passion.

To compete with people from another country as well as to experience the city

Could be anywhere, as long as there’s a coffee to be enjoyed with family and friends.

My family for always supporting me during these time and also all my friends in Pontianak and Jakarta, couldn’t go this far without their supports.

Good ideas start with great coffee always 🙂

I love African coffee, especially Kenyan and Ethiopian.

I am thrilled and honoured to represent Ireland on the world stage in June in Budapest. We are all united in shared coffee values and interest by a desire to learn more and work together as a community of professionals – I am very happy to be a part of it.

In the future, I see myself still working in coffee and taking part in coffee related projects.

I am very thankful for coach Elvis Seivijus Matiejunas and my colleagues and friends.

I was interested in the specialty coffee by coffee that I drank when I visited the shop at something like an interview

Japan Cup Taster Championship 2014, Participated

Japan Cup Taster Championship 2015, Participated

Japan Cup Taster Championship 2016, 1st place

Gorgeous and flavored coffee

I am looking forward to see the cityscape.

I would like to make more accurate cupping during business.

I am very grateful to the owner and staff who supported me for practice and participation.

I started 4 years ago in Riga, Latvia. Working in a city that does not know speciality coffee, really makes you think of different ways how to get people to enjoy and take part in the cofee industry. For the last 2 years I have been living and working in Berlin, a city with big dynamics, but the coffee scene is still growing and developing fast. My main focus is exploring the different aspects of the industry and learning, so one day I can share my knowledge.

2016 Latvian Barista Champion

2016 World Barista Championship competitor

2017 Latvian Brewers Cup – 2nd place

2017 Latvian Cup Tasters Champion

I definitely love to cup fresh crop Guatemalan and Kenyan coffees. The more complex, the better.

I am very excited to see the city and hopefully enjoy the weather. At the event – meet up with other national champions and coffee friends.

I see myself still in the industry, learning and looking for opportunities to improve.  Still competing and helping others to do so.

I would like to thank my friend and coach Cory, for all the time and effort that we put in. My girlfriend Una, for supporting and helping in my practice. And everyone elso , who helped with coffee or equipment.  Thank you.

I started as a barista, then had the opportunity to compete in the 2011 WBC in Bogota, which was a huge and decisive experience for me. Tim Wendelboe helped me a lot back then with coffee and with the great attitude to coffee, which was really inspiring. Also, Marcin Moczydlowski thanks to you for all the help back then!  Afterwards, step by step we’ve started to create Taste Map.

2017 Lithuania Cup Tasters Championship, 1st place

2011 WBC, Bogota, 37th Place Preliminaries

2011 Lithuania Barista Championship, 1st place

Every cup of specialty coffee is great. As people put so much efforts in developing and revealing all the flavours in a cup of specialty coffee.

Enjoy the moment, good vibes, atmosphere and coffees.

In Taste Map, roasting, enjoying , creating new roast profiles, tasting new coffees, and developing new ideas.

Huge thanks to my wife, Ieva for all the support and being a part of me.

Grandpa introduce some very nice washed Brazil paper filter coffee when I was about ten.

Ethiopian sidamo natural

Meet all the coffee greatest around the world and love the city.

Keep learning, keep calm, learn to appreciate people’s differences and respect them all.

Roma coffee roaster, my company. NZ specialty coffee association. Master Emma. My wife Daisy.

Started as a part time barista at a coffee bar while studying my bachelor degree in media. Competed at the regional championship in classic barista the same year and that started my passion for coffee.

Norwegian Regional Championship Classic Barista, 3rd place
Norwegian Championship Cup Tasters 2015, 5th place
Barista League 2017, 6th place
Norwegian Championship Cup Tasters 2017, 1st place

Clean, transparent cups with a balanced and fruity body

It’s my first time going to the world of coffee event, and I´m very excited about looking at the competitions, the exhibitions and just take in the atmosphere. And of course competing in the cup tasters!

Still working with coffee on a professional level. Would like to develop my personal knowledge and skills and continue competing in nacional and internacional events.

I would like to thank Kaffebrenneriet AS (the coffee-company I work at), for support and training. They always makes sure to arrange cupping, teach me about coffee and they always challenge me to become a better taster. I would specially like to thank Synøve and Cecilie for always sharing their knowledge about coffee.

I started working in a restaurant chain as a bartender, latte art was the thing that got my attention behind the bar, so I started practicing. In a short time I competed in my first regional competition and I took a 4 days barista training course. That was the begining. After that I found out that this restaurant chain had their own roastery, so, I asked the owners if I can see the roastery, they said YES. A couple of weeks later I was roasting the coffee for the restaurants and realised that this is what I love to do. Roast.Brew.Cup the coffee.

National Latte Art Champion – 2012, 2013 & 2014

National Cup Taster Champion – 2012, 2015, 2016 & 2017

Second Place in National Brewers Cup Championship 2017

🙂 Natural processed Ethiopian heirloom varieties.

Visit new coffee shops, eat great food, meet coffee people.

Sourceing great green coffees for Narcoffee roasters from all around the world.

My wife, my parents, my coleagues from Marty, Olivo, Bujole and Narcoffee.

It was 2015. My brother invited me to his favourite cafe DoubleB on Millionnaya street 18, Saint Petersburg. After I tasted very strange coffee and in few days the understanding that coffee very difficult and wonderful drink came to me.

Russian Barista Championship 2016
Russian Brewers Cup 2017

Complex and structured coffee.

Explore coffee, drink coffee and talk about coffee

Don’t know. Just drink coffee.

My team and my friends for supporting

It was a personal interest that developed as I learned and tasted more and more coffees. I enrolled myself in courses and was a home barista all the way until I joined A.R.C. After dabbling in different areas of coffee, I have come to discover that my favourite is roasting. I have a 600g roaster at home that I frequently use to experiment with different roasting profiles!

Singapore National Brewers Cup 2017 – Champion

Singapore Cup Tasters Championship 2017 – Champion

I love cupping new and interesting coffees that I’ve never tasted before. The possibilities that coffees can have really excites me.

I’m excited to meet everybody and see the show as I’ve never been before.

Hopefully I’ll be making a difference in the coffee industry and being a part of all the interesting and exciting developments that’s happening from farm level till the consumer’s cup.

Firstly, I would like to thank the Singapore Coffee Association for the support they’ve shown me throughout the National Championships and more. Also, huge thanks to the sponsors for the Singapore National Coffee Championships 2017, especially Bero Coffee Singapore and Bunn for supporting the Cup Tasters Championship. Lastly and most importantly, my team at A.R.C. for all their help and mentoring.

When I was studying in university I got a part time job in coffee shop – it was 9 years ago 🙂

2011 – Barista, 5th Place

2012 – Barista, 2nd Place

2013 – Barista, 2nd Place

2017 – Cup Tasters, 1st Place

Any coffee that comes to my table in the morning 🙂

I’m excited to meet well-known and new people from the coffee comunity, and participate in a lot of cuppings

With children in the garden 😀  Seriously – teaching new baristas to find passion in barista jobs, and judging coffee competitions.

Janos Szongoth – Semiramis, Hungary and Jakub Hartl, La Boheme cafe, Czechia for help with training  My special thanks goes to my all-life partner Tom Callo – he helps me all the time

I was in college when I took on work at a local restaurant to earn some extra money.  It was there that I learned the basics of being a Barista…and this was when I fell in love with coffee .  I was determined to improve my knowledge and coffee making skills and learn all I could.  Years later, I still have the desire to grow and learn and share my knowledge with those who share my passion.

Eastern Cape Regional Cup Tasting Championship – 1st Place 2012; 2013; 2014

2016 SA Cup Tasting Championship – 1st Place 2017

Eastern Cape Regional Barista Competition – Top 6 2011; 2012; 2013; 2014 and 2016

Colombia Huila Excelso

To experience the coffee culture in Budapest and meet the world’s coffee professionals at the Championship.  I am eager to learn from and interact with other coffee lovers.

My greatest desire is to improve the quality and understanding of coffee within the industry – among both industry professionals and consumers.  To create an emphasis on mastery of the craft for professionals and the approachability and enjoyment for consumers.

I would like to thank my Sumatran team (family) and my friend, Shaun, for all the hard work and effort they put into helping me achieve what I have and for assisting in my being here in Hungary at the WCTC.

I took a coffee certification class as a hobby at first and I became fond of coffee.

Panama Esmeralda Geisha

Get a chance to meet baristas all over the world.

The best owner, the best roaster, and a barista champion!!

Korea Coffee Association (KCC), GSC international, MI coffee, Gom coffee campus, and many more people who I will thank in person.

After several jobs in the industry I was looking for a job related to the world of food. Being close to one of the most important companies of coffee in Spain made me enter the world of coffee.

2013 – 1º Spain and 7º WCTC

2016 – 1º Spain, it was not possible to go to WCTC of Shanghai.

2017 – 1º Spain and ???

A good espresso from Kenya after eating. I love the sensation of the acidic coffee.

Be near to the biggest in the world barista world.

I hope not to have big changes in the next 5 years.

I spent many hours cupping coffee with the quality manager of the group in which I work, Begoña Baque. I’d also like to thank the patience of my coach.

I was looking for a job and thought I could make a decent cappuccino. Turns out I couldn’t, but da Matteo in Gothenburg gave me a chance anyways. After a year behind the bar it turned out I was better at talking about coffee than I was at making cappuccinos so I started hosting cuppings workshops and eventually I started roasting.

2015 World Cup Tasters Championship in Gothenburg – 18th place, First Round

Probably Colombian, Ethiopian or Kenyan coffee, but anything that’s fresh crop and/or blind is always exciting.

Drink lots of coffee and wine and probably some absinth.

Hopefully still talking about and roasting coffee while struggling to make cappuccinos.

My colleagues Gabriella and Christian at da Matteo Roastery for always making me better.

Swiss Cup Tasting Championship 2015 – 14th Place

Swiss Cup Tasting Championship 2016/17 – 1st Place

Swiss Barista Championship 2017 – 5th Place

A nice African or Colombian filter coffee

Visit a very nice city that I’ve never been to before.  I think we will have a great time all together at a very nice coffee fair. I’m looking forward to visiting nice restaurants and bars and to meet the people of Budapest!

I’d like to thank Benjamin Hohlmann, the winner of the German Cup TastingCchampionship for a nice prep time and great coffee knowledge!

I started approaching coffee by working at a coffee shop as a barista.

2016 Taiwan Cup Taster Championship, 3rd place.

Any kind of coffee with high quality and appropriate roasting.

Friends told me the hot spring in Budapest can’t be missed, but what most excites me is definitely the big coffee party in Budapest.

Extend my skill to roasting.

Many friends helped me a lot, but I want to thank Miss Sherry Chang and Mr. Sam Wang the most. Sherry is who taught me how to prepare a cup taster competition for the first time.We always practiced together, and help each other during the game. Sam is my boss who inspired me in any way about coffee, and sponsored me for this competition.

Making coffees at festivals back in 2004.

Dutch Cuptasters Champion 2017

4th Place – Dutch Barista Championships 2016

Dutch Latte Art Champion 2014

Dutch Latte Art Champion 2013

5th Place – World Latte Art Championship 2013

Dutch Latte Art Champion 2012

Dutch Latte Art Champion 2011

Right now I’m drinking the La Berlina, a washed Geisha from Panama which we roasted for the winning performance of the Dutch Barista Championship and it’s just such an amazing coffee!

Super exited to visit my friends at the Espresso Embassy! But I’m mostly looking forward to cheer on the other Dutch Champions, Daniella and Nick!

Rocking Manhattan Coffee Roasters!

Ben Morrow, for knowing me so well and knowing just how to get me in to the right mindset as well as always pushing me to better my palate.

National Cup Tasters Championship 2017 – Winner

Have fun and work hard 🙂

Winner of World Championship

My team!

Once we arrived in Dubai because of my wife’s job, I couldn’t find anything related with what I was doing before (illustration). I always have been a coffee drinker but of the kind that needs a lot of milk and sugar to swallow the spanish torrefacto roasts. So, I started to attend barista courses in Dubai. The last one was held in Raw Coffee Company where coincidentally a job vacancy was open. I applied and didn’t stop learning until these days. Right now I’m working as the manager of a specialty coffee shop named Mokha1450 based in Dubai.

The UAE Cup Tasters Championship in November 2016 was my first official World Coffee Events competition. The same year but several months before I helped to organize the first UAE AeroPress Championship in Dubai. I took part but didn’t make it to the finals.

Depends on a lot of factors. I will always try to look for consistency (between cups and in relationship with the origin, processing method, etc.). If not, the answer would be always too easy, giving the Panamanian Geishas and Yirgacheffes a bigger advantage when it comes to preference.

I heard Budapest has a Filipino coffee shop where Barako coffee is served (Liberica), called Barako Kávéház. I’m really keen to try a cup!

My biggest dream is to be owner of at least 3 parking lots in downtown L.A. Just joking! I hope having my own roastery one day.

The person that always helps me unconditionally is Carmen, my wife. She gave me amazing coffee books and the Scentone Coffee Flavor Map, a great tool that changed my life. When it arrived at the post office, the guy in customs didn’t know what it was and she had to open it so the officer could smell the tiny bottles. Karthik, one of my best friends and coffee professionals and 2 times in a row UAE Ibrik Champion. All my colleagues at Mokha1450 and my boss, Garfield Kerr.

I was hooked on coffee when I lived in Melbourne. The cafe and brunch culture fascinated me. When I went back to Taiwan, I tried to order flat white or piccolo from the baristas but there were no such drinks. I then realised I wanted to learn more about coffee in general, so I traveled to London to start my own coffee journey.

Green and roasted defects.

I am excited about Hungarian wine.

Dedicate in coffee sourcing and building communication between farmers, buyers and roasters.

Being able to express myself without feeling like I had to change my hair, dress, or even the music I like. Coffee was very accepting of everything.

Roaster regional Knoxville 2017

Ethiopian, Kenya are always hands down tasty, but 2016 brought an amazing  Colombia and George Howell’s vintage Coffee is differently a mind melter (brought on discussing of proper storage and possible warehousing large vintage coffee)

Drinking tasty wines and riding a bike somewhere new on every street!

Taking a nap, for sure…. I love to live in the now, so the future isn’t in my thought. Enjoy the present, it’s what we have

I would love to thank Jon Frech and Keith Feigin owners of Black Oak Coffee Roasters for seeing potential in me. Always being supportive, and encouraging. Love having Jon in the roasting room tasting cup, after cup, after cup of coffee, and Keith for bring Michelin rated food and tasting cup, after cup, after cup of Whiskey (in the same night)