The sixth edition of the International Coffee & Tea Festival got underway yesterday (November 12) at the Meydan Hotel Gallery in Dubai.
HE Eng. Mohammed Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehhi, board member, Meydan Hotel, and HE Hamad Buamim, director general, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, inaugurated the event, which will run until November 4.
Features on the first day included the new ‘World Barista Championship All Stars’, which saw world champion baristas, brewers and latte artists showcase their skills, techniques and coffee know-how, and organisers said there had already been a strong response from exhibitors and visitors.
The world champions - Hidenori Izaki, Stefanos Domatiotis, Christos Loukakis, and Gwilym Davies - interacted with the audience through head-to-head challenges, a pop-quiz and opportunities for autographs and photographs.
Meanwhile, the National Level Barista, Latte Art and Ibrik Championships gathered the most skilled and professional baristas in the country who competed for the 6th UAE Barista Championship, 3rd UAE Latte Art Championship and 1st UAE Ibrik Championship.
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The opening day of the event also hosted what it claims is the region’s only SCAA-Certified Coffee Training, with sessions integrating coffee preparation, coffee grading as well as coffee roasting.
“We are extremely delighted to have received such a fantastic response for the 2014 International Coffee & Tea Festival,” said Ryan Godinho, UAE’s National Body liaison for World Coffee Events and Special Events Coordinator (Training & Championships), ICTF.
“It has always been our endeavour to make the show more engaging and exciting for the visitors and our latest edition reflects this commitment. In line with our efforts to support the growth of the already bustling beverage industry in the Middle East, we have introduced the ‘World Barista Championship ALL STARS,’ where the visitors can taste amazing brews prepared by World Champions.
“In addition, the National Level Barista, Latte Art and Ibrik Championships attracted participation from the leading baristas in the region. Visitors also benefited from the coffee training and will be looking forward to more interactive sessions over the next two days.”
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