A boost for barista business

The days of coffee being considered “a boring beverage” are over, according to organisers of the inaugural UAE Barista Championship (UBC).

May Juan, operations manager for event organiser International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E), explained: “It is our hope that through the UAE Barista Championship, we will be able to show the rest of the region that days of coffee as a boring beverage are over and that baristas are no longer seen as just another person behind the counter, but as professionals with refined skills in a culinary art.”

The preliminary round of the UBC will take place on November 10-11, with the finals taking place at the Specialty Coffee and Tea Convention on November 12, at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai.

“The competition will consist of two rounds: the preliminary round and the finals. All entrants will compete in the preliminary round, then the six with the highest scores will go on to compete in the finals,” Juan said.

“Following the finals, there will be an awards ceremony where finalists will be awarded sixth through first place.”

During the event, competitors will have to prepare and serve 12 coffee drinks — four espressos, four cappuccinos and four of an original signature beverage they have created — all within a 15-minute timeframe.

The contenders will be judged by four sensory judges, two technical judges and one head judge, who will all focus on station cleanliness, taste, beverage presentation, technical skill and total impression.

“The winner will receive the highest honor for a barista, a personalised tamp, as well as a multi-day trip from Dubai to the World Barista Championship in London in June 2010,” revealed Juan.

The UBC has been organised with the support of the World Barista Championship (WBC), which started out in 2000 with a small competition in Monte Carlo, USA, with 12 competitors from different countries.

From then, the event grew exponentially each year, attracting contestants from around the world.

WBC executive director Cindy Chang explained that the aim of the event was “to spread enthusiasm and passion for specialty coffee and draw more attention and respect for the baristas in the industry”.

“Through these competitions, baristas get a chance to show off their passion and their skills; plus competitions instill a sense of pride and hopefully bring out the best in people,” she added.

“Baristas are very much involved in coffee preparation and service and having a competition that acknowledges that obviously helps to further their ability to perform and realise their skills.”

According to Chang, the time is ripe for a barista competition to be launched in the UAE.

“In other countries, there’s already an ongoing trend regarding quality coffee; I think the UAE could be very much that, getting to the point where interest in coffee is there and the public appreciates not just local coffee shops but also the specialty coffees that they’re seeing.

“A barista competition will enhance the interest that exists in the market.”

Chang siad the WBC’s aim was to “continuously promote the barista profession” and encourage as many countries as possible to get involved in supporting their barista community.

“As such, the barista competition is something that we would love to see happen more in the Middle East — and the rest of the world,” she said.

IC&E’s Juan added: “It is our hope that through UBC, we will be able to promote the growth, excellence and recognition of the barista as a profession not just in the UAE but across the rest of the Middle East.”