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a personal habit and that would have been the World Coffee Event would recognize. of beans, roasting, machines and more;
passed on from student to student. So as an Until now. As a sanction body we are now the consumers have yet to reach a level
Educator I was free to focus on maintain- able to send our champion to any cham- of sophistication where they will demand
ing quality education rather than the sales pionship provided all our championship for higher quality. Many of those in this
of merchandize or coffee beans. We were has a WCE representative overseeing it. industry who are pedantic and fastidious
able to explain to students how to evaluate Barista Guild Asia as the initiator of the about quality in their delivery of coffee
coffee objectively and how to select the association has a responsibility to see that may probably still be working in vain if
right machine and grinder for their cafes all our Malaysian baristas that aspire to be we do not ensure our consumers begin to
based on their initial budget. The latin have a Nation Champion or a World Champion discern quality in a cup.
a saying “caveat emptor” or “let the buyers be given the opportunity. It’s our job to
beware”; we were able to help students highlight the growth and development of
and potential café owners make informed the Baristas through the competitions as
decisions on their purchases while focusing well as training and forums.
on developing their skills and ability. We are confident that our Baristas
Also after attending the many train- have what it takes to make it to the top
ings, I was able to make necessary changes rankings and we have proven this at the
to how it was taught. For example all the recent World Barista Championship beat-
trainings required the participant to at- ing many veteran countries that have been
tempt both the practical and theory exam participating for the last decade. We are
on the final day. Many of them are still very also hoping to develop courses and classes
new to the experience and found this to for the Baristas to improve their skills and
be daunting and gut wrenching. I wanted knowledge in the Specialty Coffee industry.
the students to build their confidence first As an Association we aspire to elevate and
and not to experience undue stress. I also recognize the position of the barista as a
wanted the students to have sufficient high skilled job.
practice time with instructors and get
enough feedback to improve themselves Tell us what do you think needs to be
before being assessed. Many of the schools improved in the local coffee industry
impose an examination fee for failing to and why?
pass, and this became a point of conten- I think the way to go about this As an Authorised SCAE Trainer and Q
tion for me as a consumer when I wasn’t is through Consumer Education. This Grader, what do you think is most im-
given the opportunity to improve myself requires the support and effort of every- portant in Coffee Education? Especially
first before sitting for the exam. Many of one in the industry. From the roasters, in the Malaysian industry.
the coffee instructors had an elitist culture distributors and café owners as well as Range of available green coffee
in the way they impart their knowledge. consumer support groups. We have come beans and specialty coffee for consumers. I
Whereas I came from a consumers’ per- a long way, but it’s important that the think we are still very limited in options of
spective I wanted a course that understood coffee industry comes together and work coffee. Specialty coffee accounts for about
the needs of a beginner or a consumer who to build the entire industry. We are still 15 percent of the coffee trade in America,
just wanted to start off on the right foot in growing and learning to work as one to but in Malaysia is a lot less. So we are very
the coffee business. Therefore will never help develop the consumers because many under exposed in the range of flavors and
claim to be the best or most experienced still can’t tell the quality differences in cof- tastes that is readily available to us. This
in the industry, but we can definitely be fee. Whilst we are doing our very best to is due to the fact that the requirements in
able to springboard you right in the coffee improve the training of Baristas, selection importing green beans is highly restrictive
industry. and because specialty coffee is imported
in small amounts it’s even harder for the
company to get it approved. Without these
“the coffee industry locked skilled range of beans we are unable to provide
trainers who were well trained in the coffee professionals a database of fla-
imparting knowledge, skills and vor profiles and source. Secondly we are
ability.” in need of coffee professionals who are
able and willing to share their knowledge
As the honorary secretary of the asso- to others.
ciation, how do you think that Malaysia
Specialty Coffee Association will be able
to help local baristas and the industry.
The Association was set up to with
the intention to facilitate the opportunity
for our local baristas to be able to com-
pete on the world stage. We’ve had the
Malaysia Barista Championship since 6
years ago, but we were unable to send our
Champion to compete at the world stage
because we lacked the national body that
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