In a month will start the 16th edition of the World Barista Championship. We continue with our puzzle to discover the official coffee machine for the 2015 WBC together with past Barista Champion.
After the Japanese Hidenori Hizaki and the 2010 WBC Champion Michael Phillips, it’s time to re-read what Alejandro Mendez (El Salvador) said the day after his victory in Bogotá, at the World Barista Championship in 2011.
Does being a good barista mean having talent or a good education?
I think being a good barista means a deep understanding and respect for all the processes of coffee transformation. The barista must always give his best to ensure the highest quality in the cup and can succeed only through a thorough knowledge of coffee.
What do you think is changing in the relationship between new generations and the world of coffee?
Young people are getting closer and closer to the coffee world, and are primarily interested in learning and understanding all there is to know about coffee in all its phases.
Your idea of specialty coffee?
I try to be a coffee ambassador to the world. Most consumers do not know anything about the process of coffee production.
The barista therefore has the task of spreading knowledge about this process of transformation of coffee. Specialty coffee, I believe, represents a change in people in this way, with a focus on quality.
Specialty coffee is what a barista should respect. We need to learn all the phases of cultivation, production and processing of coffee and respect them equally.
What should a barista never do?
Work at less than one’s best, giving the impression of working hard. We must nevertheless show love for what we do and transmit all that passion into the cup.
