Australian Barista Competition 2008
I’m back, I’m inspired and I’m completely stoked to have taken out third place in the 2008 National Barista Competition.
Although it seems like ages ago, my first competition was last year at the 2007 WA barista heats. Looking back, I realise that I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Like most people, I had never seen an actual competition and relied on old video footage to give me an idea of what I was in for. I was pleasantly surprised and excited to have come second to the infamous Nolan Hirte of Lemon Espresso in Mt.Claremont. It meant two things for me; Firstly, that I was on the right track and secondly, that I was now addicted to barista competitions. With the Five Senses team behind me 100%, I was keen to give it a shot at the open heats in Adelaide.
Just in case you don’t already know, the open heats are for any barista wanting to give it a go. The winner of the opens automatically goes through to the next day as a wild card in the finals. The competition was fierce, as everyone there was keen to excel. This was likely my biggest learning curve as I witnessed first hand the different techniques and styles of new and seasoned competitors. Placing fourth in these heats made me realise that I was WAY under-prepared and had lots of work to do for next year. I took the judges comments on-board and was already thinking about my next comp.
Soooo … a whole year has come and gone and I was definitely more refined and comfortable with my performance this year. I spent a lot more time working with Jay and Rich (the roasters at Five Senses), considering my blend and what I was trying to achieve. By pulling what felt like a kabillion shots, I kept my focus on what was in the cup. Once I was satisfied, I then began considering my actual table settings and performance. In the end, I went with a single origin coffee. I used the San Emilio Estate, which is a pulped-natural El Salvadorian bean that demonstrated beautiful body, balance and nuance. You know – one of those coffees that makes you go “WOW!” It turns out that I wasn’t the only one who liked it – I got the thumbs up from the judges and was over the moon to have been rewarded with first place in the 2008 WA Barista Competition. I later found out that I had actually achieved the highest score ever in WA, with Ness from Epic Espresso coming an extremely close second. This meant that I got to bypass the open heats this year and head straight through to the finals in Melbourne – YAY!
WA was well represented this year – competing in the open heats, we had Emanuelle from Ristretto, Vanessa from Epic, Mimma from Gloria Jeans, Tracy from Mooba and Nic from Beaufort St. Merchant. We also had Kimbo from Five Senses competing in the Latte Art competition and Katherine from European Foods took out the cupping competition. Lastly, there was me, hoping to do well in the finals. I must admit, 18 extremely competitive contenders from around Australia made for tough competition in the open heats. With only one spot up for grabs, Con from 7 Grams Espresso in Melbourne took the honours. That night, while most of the WA crew were out mingling with the local coffee mob, I sat at home busily polishing, packing and rehearsing my routine.
Up bright and early, it was time to shine and I felt as prepared as I could possibly be. I was confident, excited and ready – a nice feeling to have pre-comp. I was up fourth and was just after Anne Cooper from Qld. During my 15 minute prep time, I felt myself relax as I noticed the first couple of rows were filled with family and friends kindly supporting me. You never really know till it’s all over, but I felt like things had gone off smoothly. For me, knowing my coffee inside and out was the key to connecting with the judges, coming off as genuine and achieving the taste profile I was after.
In the end, I was completely stoked to have placed third in Australia. I finished with a total score of 740pts with second place beating by merely half a point (Con 740.5). It’s funny to see people unsure of how to react when I tell them I came third, as if they think I may be disappointed. I honestly feel so privileged to be amongst the top baristas in Australia. It would almost be disappointing to just walk right into first place. I’ve realised that the title is something to strive for and comes with experience and the ability to adapt and rise to the occasion. Valuable feedback from the judges has helped me move forward with each competition and first place no longer feels out of reach. David Makin, the Victorian winner, clearly demonstrated the skill and knowledge of an experienced competitor, who deserved the title. I wish him all the best in Copenhagen, representing Australia in the World Barista Competition.
So many people helped me along the way and I could not have done it without the continued support and encouragement of Five Senses Coffee. Special thanks of course to Andrew (otherwise known as Super Tang) and Zach from spring espresso in Subi for their magic cups, taste buds and very helpful tips. Most of all, to Wayne, for putting up with the espresso highs and lows and hand crafting my fabulous trays and table settings.
Check out www.thelows.org/syd/austbarcomp/ for some really great photos of all the competitors.
Can’t wait for the next comp!
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