Page 50 - #57 English

Cover Story

PART 3
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COFFEE COMPETITIONS

THE PATH TO BIGGER OPPORTUNITIES

Being a barista, making and serving your morning low-fat cappuccino or latte
haven’t always been taken seriously; barista is usually seen as a part-time job while
studying in university.
Unfortunately, many people do not realize how exciting and big can be the
industry. As many baristas are not just serving coffee, they choose to improve
their skills and roasters, trainers, managers in coffee business, judges, Q-graders
or even to go and compete for the Best Barista title.
A coffee competition can really start a career: almost every famous coffee
person is a champion of WCE, as the event gives you the chance and the audience.
Although, the intensity of competition is not for everyone, it requires constant
practice and improvement until every movement becomes a muscle memory. And
there are competitions such as World Barista Championship, World Coffee in
Good Spirit, World Latte Art, World Brewers Cup, World Cup Tasters and World
Roasters, so you can imagine how highly educated a barista should be.
In the World Barista Championships, competitors must provide four espres-
sos, four milk beverages, and four “signature” coffees, which are their own cre-
ations. Baristas will plan every single step and detail of the 15-minute process in
advance: everything from cups to aprons and music. And almost every year, rules
are changed to make them even more objective.

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