Today, Rifqi is Head of Roasting at Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters in London, overseeing production and sourcing while also running Dawn Coffee Curators, a venture linking smallholder producers in Indonesia with UK roasters. For Rifqi, each role connects back to the same goal: honouring producers and bringing their coffees to a wider audience.

Rifqi, what is your first memory with coffee? 

It’s probably too far back to recall my very first memory of coffee. Growing up in Indonesia, coffee was always around in one form or another. But when it comes to specialty, my earliest memory is crystal clear.

In 2019, I took an overland work trip across Flores Island, a place better known internationally for Komodo Dragons than coffee. I visited three coffee-producing regions: Ruteng, Wae Rebo, and Bajawa, and it was there that everything changed for me. I remember sitting down for a cup, taking a sip, and suddenly tasting citrus and apple in black coffee for the first time. No sugar, no syrup, just pure, vibrant flavour. It completely shifted my understanding of what coffee could be.

Even more powerful, though, was realising how deeply coffee was woven into the daily rhythm and culture of the people there. That trip was the spark that set me on the path I’m still walking today.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?

The spark from Flores stayed with me, but the real push came during the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, home brewing was booming across Indonesia, and together with a couple of friends, I decided to start a small online micro-roastery. We began with drip coffee bags, an approachable way to bring better coffee into people’s homes.

My background before coffee was in the creative industry. I worked in an agency, and those connections turned out to be invaluable. They gave me access to baristas and roasters who generously shared their knowledge, and they helped me understand branding, storytelling, and how to connect with an audience. On the practical side, we were fortunate to be in Indonesia, where sourcing coffee directly from farmers was possible and accessible. That gave us both authenticity and flexibility.

The roastery grew from online retail into supplying cafés, and eventually, we began receiving inquiries from overseas, first Singapore, then Hong Kong. Suddenly, what began as a small lockdown project was opening doors to exporting coffee. That was the moment I realised I wanted to dive deeper, not just into brewing and roasting, but into the entire coffee value chain.

This path ultimately led me to London. I was awarded a scholarship to study a master’s degree at Bayes Business School, where I specialised in entrepreneurship and international business. It was a big leap, but it gave me the global perspective I needed. My journey into coffee wasn’t a straight line, but looking back, every step feels connected: from origin, to roasting, to exporting, and now to where I am today.

Tell us a bit about the place you work at. What is your role there?

At Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters, I’m the Head of Roasting. Hermanos is an independent, UK-based specialty roastery with ten coffee shops across London. What makes us unique is that all of our coffees are sourced directly from Colombia. My role is to manage the daily production roasts, oversee quality control protocols, and source coffee with our green buyer in Colombia to ensure quality across the lineup.

At the same time, I run Dawn Coffee Curators, a green sourcing venture I founded to connect smallholder producers in Indonesia with roasters here in the UK. Our focus is on traceability and on shining a light on underrepresented origins, particularly from Java and Sumatra. It’s a personal project that bridges my roots in Indonesia with my current life in London.

What kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they try your coffee?

Most of my work happens behind the roaster rather than behind the bar, so I don’t always get to see customer reactions directly. For me, the most rewarding part of this job is knowing that somewhere, someone is enjoying a cup I roasted, whether it’s in one of our cafés or brewed at home after an online order.

What I hope they feel is care and connection. Coffee travels such a long journey, through so many hands, farmers, pickers, millers, exporters, and roasters. My role is to honour all of that work by roasting in a way that respects the origin and brings out its unique character.

If a customer tastes a floral Gesha from Colombia or a fruity coffee from Sumatra and feels that there’s a story in the cup, then I feel I’ve done my job.

What is your favourite part of the day at work, and why?

My favourite moments aren’t tied to a daily routine but to the times when I get to travel to the origin. Standing on a farm, meeting the producers, then cupping coffees right there, in the place where they were grown, that’s when coffee feels most alive to me.

Later, when I roast or present that coffee back in London, it feels like carrying a piece of that landscape and those people across continents. Those moments remind me why I do what I do: to honour the producer’s work and carry their story into every cup.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?

Motivation comes from both ends of the value chain. At origin, tasting coffees and seeing the work producers put into every harvest inspires me to match their dedication on my end. It’s humbling. On the other side, competitions and community push me forward.

Preparing for the UK Brewers Cup forced me to refine every detail, my recipes, my storytelling, my sensory skills. It reminded me that improving isn’t just about brewing better, it’s about communicating. Coffee is endless. There’s always more to learn.

What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?

Coffee isn’t only about hospitality; it’s also a complex global supply chain. From farms and processing mills to exporters, roasters, and finally the customer, every step adds value and meaning. Recognising the bigger picture helps us appreciate and respect the product even more.

What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?

London’s coffee scene is always evolving. Recently, I’ve noticed more cafés are offering manual brews again, which is exciting because it engages customers differently.

In Indonesia, one trend that’s growing is coffee omakase, multi-course tasting experiences curated by the barista. Through Dawn, I’d love to introduce more storytelling-driven formats like that, where the coffee becomes an experience that creatively bridges farm and consumer.

You have some amazing achievements in championships. Can you tell us more about them?

Thank you! Competing in the UK Brewers Cup 2024 was a surreal milestone for me. Honestly, I never thought I’d compete until I met Alex from Ireland, who told me about his routine at the Irish Brewers Cup finals. He reframed competition for me, not as an intimidating stage but as a game, one where the goal is simply to tick the boxes on the scoresheet.

I ended up blending Gesha and Red Bourbon from the same farm, Finca Anaya in Huila, Colombia, both washed coffees sourced and roasted by Hermanos. With just three weeks to prepare, I leaned heavily on my team for support, especially in shaping the script and structure.

On competition day, standing alongside some of the UK’s best brewers, I somehow found myself in the finals, my first-ever Brewers Cup, finishing 5th. It was a reminder that sometimes all it takes is saying yes, and figuring it out along the way.

Your open service felt very personal and emotional (in a good way!). What was the main message you wanted to come through?

For me, it was never about winning, it was about sending a message.

At first, we experimented with stories about farms and even about “home,” but they didn’t feel authentic. I wasn’t competing with an Indonesian coffee, so the farm narrative didn’t resonate, and the “home” story felt like it was written for me rather than by me.

Then one night, I admitted what I was really feeling at that time: heartbreak from a breakup. It was raw, present, and strangely aligned with the coffee I was using, long-lingering, floral, like a memory you weren’t ready to let go of. So I built my routine around that story.

It was vulnerable, but it felt real. On stage, I shared that story honestly, and for the first time, it felt like I was truly connecting. Coffee has this incredible ability to hold space for emotion, memory, and even healing. That’s what I wanted to show.

Yes, the story was true. And yes, I’ve moved on and I’m in the best place now. But I’ll always remember that moment, because while the heart can be manipulated, the palate stays true. And healing takes time.

What is in your opinion the most important thing to have in mind when you start to compete in coffee championships?

First and foremost, good coffee. At the end of the day, it’s not a hospitality or beauty contest; the quality in the cup comes first.

Beyond that, know your “why,” and study the scoresheet. Competition is a game, and the boxes are there for a reason. Focus your energy on what’s being evaluated rather than on distractions that won’t impact your score.
Finally, don’t do it alone. Surround yourself with a supportive team to help with preparation, feedback, and training. Having people who believe in you and keep you accountable makes all the difference.

What are the next championships you’d like to compete in?

One step at a time. If the timing, the coffee, and the message align, I’d love to compete again. But for now, my focus is on my work at Hermanos and on building Dawn Coffee to grow Indonesian exports.

Competition has given me a lot, but I don’t want it to take too much from me either. I genuinely believe you don’t need a title or a trophy to grow in this industry, you can make an impact while still enjoying the journey.

If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?

Taste is king. What we believe today might evolve tomorrow, but as long as the taste is good, any theory or “rule” can be questioned. Coffee doesn’t have a fixed status quo; it’s always evolving, and that’s what makes it exciting.

What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?

Lately, I’ve been going to a lot of gigs, mostly rock. I grew up on Guns N’ Roses, Sum 41, Oasis, and The Killers; those bands still inspire me today.

I also love writing and teaching. From time to time, I give lectures on value chain management and entrepreneurship, which is a way to bridge my coffee journey with my academic background. Sharing knowledge is something I deeply enjoy.

What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?

Through Dawn Coffee Curators, I’m working on building deeper relationships with producers in Java and Sumatra. We’re piloting microlots with full traceability, and I’m excited to bring them to UK roasters in our upcoming October shipment.

At Hermanos, we’ve just finished sourcing our lineup for the next container, also arriving in October, which will include some beautiful coffees perfect for the autumn and winter season.

On top of that, I’m also involved in Give Endlessly, and we’re planning our next charity event in collaboration with Allpress London in Dalston, again, in October. It’s shaping up to be a very busy month, but in the best way possible.

Quick Fire Questions for Rifqi Maulana:

Filter coffee or espresso-based?

Filter coffee.

Milk coffee or black coffee?

Black.

The most underrated coffee drink?

Dirty latte.

The most underrated coffee brewer?

Tricolate.

Which method to make coffee you use at home?

V60.

The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?

Motors Coffee in Paris, great coffee selection and I had the best banana bread of my life there!

Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?

Paris – an exciting, high-quality, and growing coffee scene!

The post Barista Stories: Rifqi Maulana of Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters, London appeared first on European Coffee Trip.

Today, she’s a barista and manager at Po drodze, a cosy café in Warsaw where she’s spent the past five years. The space is more than a workplace – it’s where she’s built strong ties with regulars, mentors new baristas, and grows into a competitor on the National and World Stage.

Her debut in the National Championship resulted in snatching the Polish Cup Tasters Champion title. Katia competed in Geneva at The World Cup Tasters Championship with the top 50 champions, but she’s far from finished. Katia is already preparing for her next competitions, driven by the same focus and curiosity that first pulled her into coffee.

Katia, what is your first memory with coffee? 

I suppose the first one is connected with my mom drinking coffee every Saturday morning. Brewing some black coffee in a mokapot or ibrik, adding some sugar and a splash of milk (sure thing). And the smell we could feel in every corner of our home.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?

Truly speaking, it all started when I visited a few nice places with great service and good coffee, and it just clicked. I wanted to become a reason why people are visiting THE place. My first job was in a city cafe, and we got along with all the baristas who worked there and for me, everything they were doing looked like something magical.

After graduating from university, I moved to Poland and went through a few workplaces. One of the places was a factory producing car airbags (yes, I can sew), and then I was a one-person band in a vegan restaurant doing everything at once. And then I got my first job as a barista, and it was where it all started. So many different coffees, brewing methods, knowledge and information, first championships (which were freaking stressful, but so cool), and here I am now.

Tell us a bit about the place you work at. What is your role there?

I currently work in Po drodze – I call it my happy place, cause for the last 5 years I’ve been here at my best and my worst times, which definitely made me who I am. I love the rush on weekends, when all the regular guests come for a cup of coffee, so you are definitely gonna have a good talk, sometimes a hug and even a tiny chance to pet someone’s dog! (I’m obsessed).

My team for me is kind of a family already; they believe in me a lot, and I’m trying my best not to let them down. I’m a barista, so definitely doing some shifts behind the bar; as a manager, I’m always trying to keep up with everything needed for smooth work. Also, I’m looking for potential new members of our team, and those who start their journey with us usually spend a lot of time with me in the beginning.

What kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they visit you at the cafe?

First of all, a great cup of coffee can make a bad day a bit better. And this is pure pleasure: you can comfort someone by doing your job. Secondly, it’s all about flavour and balance. The best thing about all of it – when someone comes to you and says that it’s definitely the best coffee they’ve ever had.

What is your favourite part of the day in your cafe, and why?

Definitely morning, sometimes it’s hard to wake up, but when you do have the whole place for yourself for an hour, listening to your favourite music, setting up an espresso and doing all the stuff – it’s awesome.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?

It can be really challenging when you’re stuck in a routine and don’t have enough time and energy to learn something you, but I believe that competitions/championships and preparations for them give you a huge space to work on and improve my skills.

What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?

The most common one is that making coffee is easy. I mean, it looks pretty easy when someone does that. But we all know how many factors you have to think about while brewing every single cup of coffee. I personally always try to tell people more about coffee in different aspects: how things like the weather outside could impact the taste of your cup of coffee, or the fact that you don’t have to add anything to your coffee to make it taste fruity or chocolate-like. And that it mostly depends on where it grows and how it is processed. Most of the guests are really curious and ask a lot, and it always makes me happy to share my knowledge.

You have some amazing achievements in championships. Can you tell us more about them? What are the next championships you’d like to compete in?

It was my first try in the Cup Tasters Championship ever. And truly speaking, it was kinda challenging. The first step is to get on the list. Registration ends so fast that you just pray to all the Coffee Gods you got on the list. And then you just have to spend a lot of time getting ready. The last 3 weeks before going to Kraków looked like one day on repeat: you wake up, go to work, and after work, you spend all of your free time slurping coffee. On and on. Sometimes I had bad days, and it was pretty frustrating. But it was tiredly worth it. I’m gonna compete in PreOpen De Cata in Warsaw, and also, I’m on the list for next Nationals as well.

How did it feel to be for the 1st time (for sure not the last one!) on the World Stage?

Damn! It was so exciting! One year ago, I couldn’t even imagine I’d be in the World Top-50 Cup Tasters. It was such an honour to share this stage with all of the Champions. They are so amazing and so supportive. And I’m for sure looking forward to meeting them all again next year, so I definitely should try my best this year as well!

What is in your opinion the most important thing to have in mind when you start to compete in coffee championships?

Everything is possible, you have to trust yourself, be consistent, confident, trust the process and enjoy!

What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?

I love to spend time in the mountains, it’s a great chance to connect with nature and just calm down. Also, I do some martial arts such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing. Both learn you to stay focused and think about your next move.

Quick Fire Questions for Kateryna Vasylets:

Filter coffee or espresso-based?

Filter coffee.

Milk coffee or black coffee?

Black.

The most underrated coffee drink?

Iced Filter coffee.

The most underrated coffee brewer?

Delter.

Which method to make coffee you use at home?

Delter or drip bags.

The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?

MAME in Switzerland!

Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?

Kyiv I suppose, cause even if you don’t live there, you’re always gonna feel like at home because of the awesome coffee community <3

The post Barista Stories: Kateryna Vasylets of Po Drodze, Warsaw appeared first on European Coffee Trip.

In Gaziantep, she co-founded Niji Coffee Co., a specialty roasting and training space that supports entrepreneurs entering the coffee market. Alongside it, she runs Cezve & More, the city’s first specialty café, inviting guests to explore both traditional and modern brew methods in an open, hands-on way.

Kevser’s work blends heritage with innovation, from reintroducing cezve as a precise and expressive brew method to training the next wave of competitors and coffee enthusiasts!

Kevser, what is your first memory with coffee? 

My first memory with coffee dates back to my university years, during an internship. One of my professors asked me to make a cup of cezve/ibrik coffee. I had no idea how to brew coffee at the time, so it turned out terribly. My professor told me never to make coffee again. Ironically, here I am now, fully immersed in the coffee industry.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?

I studied Nutrition and Dietetics and later moved to the United States for my master’s degree and language training. During that time, I helped my father, who was working in the coffee import business, by translating academic and technical articles for him.

After returning to Türkiye during the pandemic, I initially focused on my professional expertise: working with patients with celiac disease and SMA. However, I quickly realised that I wouldn’t be able to pursue that field in the way I wanted in Türkiye. That’s when I truly discovered coffee through my father’s business.

With the arrival of Alireza, my future business partner, in Türkiye, I had the opportunity to learn from his extensive experience. Together, we began our journey of specialty coffee education.

Tell us a bit about your projects.

Niji Coffee Co. is our roasting and training facility located in Gaziantep. We created this space not only to roast high-quality coffee but also to provide consulting and education for entrepreneurs entering the specialty coffee market in Türkiye. We offer hands-on training, from green coffee selection and roasting profiles to sensory evaluation and recipe development, helping clients build a solid foundation.

Our café, Cezve & More, opened eight months ago and is the first specialty coffee shop of its kind in Gaziantep. It’s a place where guests can explore different brew methods – like cezve, filter, and espresso – using beans they select themselves. We also introduce them to signature drinks from competitions and offer guidance on how to enjoy specialty coffee at home. It’s all about making quality coffee approachable and personal.

What kind of experience do you want your guests to have when they visit your place and try your coffee?

For me, speciality coffee is not just about high-quality beans or beautiful cafés – it’s about the person behind the bar being truly hospitable, knowledgeable, and intentional in everything they do. I want our guests to not only enjoy a delicious cup of coffee but also understand the story and science behind it. Whether it’s talking about green coffee sourcing, roasting profiles, colour and moisture analysis, or sharing the aroma of freshly ground coffee, we aim to make each step visible and approachable. By involving our customers in the process, from grind to wet aroma to final cup, they gain a deeper appreciation and a more memorable coffee experience.

What is your favourite part of the day at work, and why? Which duties do you enjoy the most?

I love brewing the first coffee of the day – it’s our way of calibrating ourselves, not just the equipment. Sharing this moment with my team and making sure we’re all aligned gives me a real sense of joy and connection. In our roasting space, we have a new team member who has no prior experience. Every morning, she brews coffee as part of his learning process, and seeing how beautifully she has progressed already makes me genuinely proud.

At the café, one of my favourite moments is when a guest comes back after their first coffee experience and asks to try a different processing method. It opens up space for conversation, curiosity, and a deeper journey into the world of coffee.

What kind of community do you hope to build around your cafe, and how do you plan to foster that sense of community?

Building a local community is deeply important to me. In Türkiye, coffee is a highly respected and deeply rooted daily ritual. However, most people experience it through a limited range of flavours and preparation methods. At Cezve & More, I aim to introduce the diversity of speciality coffee, especially through cezve brewing, with a wide variety of beans.

I want to help people discover that even the most traditional methods can reveal new flavours and stories. I hope that this will create a new wave of coffee lovers from our local neighbourhood, grounded in curiosity and cultural appreciation.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?

My team – without question. Working with Alireza, Gökhan, Erdem, Sümeyra, Harun, Çınar, and other passionate coffee people constantly inspires me. Each person brings a unique perspective, and when we come together, we see coffee from entirely new angles. This shared energy motivates us to keep researching, exploring, and applying what we learn, especially in competition settings. No matter how experienced we are, there’s always something new to discover. My team is the biggest driving force behind my growth.

What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?

One of the biggest misconceptions I’ve encountered is about cezve brewing. Even within the coffee industry, many baristas and roasters don’t realise how precise and expressive cezve can be. They often assume it’s outdated or limited, without knowing that it offers as much control over the flavour profile as any manual brewing method, sometimes even more.

That’s exactly why I named my café Cezve & More. It’s a tribute to one of the earliest brewing methods in coffee history, dating back to the 15th century. Today, we have the opportunity to reintroduce cezve as a tool not only of heritage but also of innovation and flavour exploration.

What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?

After the pandemic, we saw a significant rise in automatic espresso machines and home brewing setups in Türkiye. As a result, many of our customers now prefer espresso-based coffees. To meet this growing demand, we created our “Fully Automatic Espresso Blend” series, designed specifically for ease of use without compromising on flavour. In recent months, I’ve also noticed a rising interest in matcha-based drinks, which seems to be becoming a strong secondary trend in both cafés and at-home consumption.

What do you think is the most important quality for a barista to have, and why?

For me, the two most essential qualities are curiosity and discipline. Curiosity leads baristas to keep learning, questioning, and exploring new methods, origins, and flavour profiles. But without discipline, curiosity can lose direction. Discipline ensures that knowledge is applied consistently and that skills are developed through practice and repetition. When these two come together, they create a barista who not only knows more but delivers better coffee every single time.

You have some amazing achievements while competing in coffee championships. Can you tell us about them?

We entered the 2022 Türkiye Brewers Cup just five months after founding Niji Coffee Co.—not to win, but to learn. With dedication and discipline, Alireza became the national champion. Despite facing visa issues that kept us from several world championships, we never stopped training.

In 2023, after a devastating earthquake forced us to live in our car, I trained for the Türkiye Cezve/Ibrik Championship with Alireza as my coach. We practised every day- often in the car – and I became the national champion. I chose cezve because of its deep cultural roots, and I wanted to explore its full potential.

In 2024, Alireza and I both competed in the Türkiye Coffee Roasting Championship. He won first place; I came second. He later placed third in the Barista Championship. That same year, we represented Türkiye at the world championships in Copenhagen – Alireza in roasting, and me in cezve. It was our dream to compete together on the world stage. I became the World Runner-Up, and Alireza placed in the Top 8.

In 2025, I coached Alireza and our friend Gökhan in the Türkiye Brewers Cup. Both advanced from the first round. Sadly, Alireza wasn’t allowed to compete in the finals, even though he followed all the rules. Gökhan became the national champion. That same year, we went to the World Brewers Cup in Jakarta, with the support of Janine De Laar, our team, and international friends. Alireza reached the finals.

All of this was possible through teamwork, discipline, and a shared love for learning.

Nowadays, do you prefer to compete yourself or coach?

This year, I focused on coaching, and sometimes, taking a step back is necessary. But I truly miss being on stage. I love sharing ideas, inspiring others, and bringing innovation to the coffee world. Competing gives me a unique platform to express that, so I know I’ll return when the time is right.

If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?

I wish more people understood the complexity behind each cup of coffee, especially how processing methods and brewing techniques like cezve can highlight a coffee’s true potential. Beyond the cup, it’s essential to recognise the hard work of coffee farmers and the growing impact of climate change on their lives and crops.

Every choice we make – from bean to brew – matters.

What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?

I love photography, hiking in nature, and reading books. But lately, with the intensity of work and competitions, I haven’t had much time for them. Right now, my full focus is on coffee, but I hope to reconnect with those passions soon.

What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?

We’re currently working on several ongoing projects, and education remains at the heart of everything we do. These continuous updates and new trainings are essential for our growth. While running our courses, we also dedicate time to research and development. One of our biggest goals is to make knowledge more accessible within the cezve coffee industry and to support the emergence of more competitors from our region. We believe that sharing what we learn is the key to building a stronger and more innovative coffee community.

Quick Fire Questions for Kevser Atmaca:

Filter coffee or espresso-based?

Filter coffee.

Milk coffee or black coffee?

Black.

The most underrated coffee drink?

Cezve coffee!

The most underrated coffee brewer?

Cezve!

The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?

7-öğütücüler, Terres de Cafe, KB Coffee, Supremo Coffee, Wildkaffee, Plot Coffee.

Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?

Istanbul and Krea Coffee Shop – because their baristas are genuinely hospitable and knowledgeable, and the owners reflect the same passion and openness.

The post Barista Stories: Kevser Atmaca of Cezve&More and Niji Coffee Co., Gaziantep appeared first on European Coffee Trip.

After years of training and consulting, Shannon launched Coffee with Shan in Portugal’s Algarve, later evolving into the Beany Bunch project. From running festivals and community cuppings to mentoring newcomers, she built more than a business—she helped grow a scene. Now, between Portugal and New Zealand, she’s reimagining her next steps.

Shannon, what is your first memory with coffee? 

My Dad, ever since I remember, brewed his espresso and poured latte art at home (abstract art), drinking like 8 coffees a day, hahah. My Mum used to love her “barista coffees” and I loved sitting with either her or Dad at a cafe drinking a hot chocolate or something while they’d have coffee from “the best place” and “the best barista in town”. Appreciating beans and baristas was part of the culture in New Zealand as long as I can remember. I loved the hustle and bustle of a vibrant cafe setting. NZ rocks for that!

What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?

I respect people from Europe who pursue a career in coffee, because there is a general misconception from the public about working in coffee, the same as working in service: as an unfortunate turn of life events or a low-level job, or “you could’ve been so much more” hahaha. For a young person growing up in New Zealand, I didn’t pursue coffee, it found me, tapped me on the shoulder and then SUCKED ME IN to the weird and wonderful world.

I feel like in New Zealand and Australia being a barista is SUCH A COOL JOB (you low-key get locally famous if you consistently make a tasty cup) and many people get excited if you tell them you work in coffee like “omg it’s my dream job, I’m going to quit my law firm and open a coffee shop”. Long answer to your short question: I never pursued it. I started as a FOH server, straight out of high school, in a locally famous cafe.

I started learning about coffee shortly after getting bored waiting tables (and very quickly became obsessed). I would force my colleagues to teach me in every moment I had spare. Eventually I got put into a formal training course by Supreme (although formal training isn’t appreciated as much down in that part of the world, as much as experience and your skill – where you’ve worked and for how long, work ethic, attitude, and attention to detail and desire to learn) and my barista career started one day when the barista was sick with no one to cover and I was thrust into our extremely busy barista service alone. They were like “oh crap, she’s aiight. Let’s put her on coffee now!” woohoo. It all kind of snowballed from there.

After working at this cafe for a bit over a year in Palmerston North, I moved to Wellington, where I studied jazz and continued working about 30-hour workweeks in coffee on the side. I continued to grow and learn, always pursuing better and better cafes as I wanted to learn everything I possibly could in coffee service. I worked in NZ cafes for about 5 years. I then moved to Melbourne, where I got a job as a barista for a famous South Melbourne cafe and realised that I essentially knew nothing. and that’s still my general attitude today. I’m only as good as the last coffee I brewed.

After working with Chez Dre, I somehow became a trainer in one of Australia’s most prestigious coffee education centres, the Australian Barista Academy, where I discovered a knack and a delight for sharing coffee education, and I’ve been travelling the world with coffee (and music!!) ever since.

Tell us a bit about all of your coffee projects.

I adore sharing knowledge and the insights and skills I’ve learned over my years of working in such incredible coffee shops. I love people. I love communication. I love how becoming adept at loving, high-quality, high-volume coffee service has made me a better, happier, deeper person, and it brings me such joy to share that with other people. All of my projects in coffee since then have been based around somehow sharing this love in one way or another. Inspiring people to consider a new (or a first-ever) career path, showing people what is possible within themselves and within this world, trying to lower the unnecessary gate-keeping we so often come across in this industry, trying to encourage participation and collaboration and sharing as best as I can.

I think of coffee as a deeply spiritual practice – one that requires us to pay attention to our centre (physical, emotional, time x space reality, creative centre, scientific rational centre) as well as pay attention to the medium with which we are working (our equipment and, of course, the coffee itself).

My largest, most recent project was a coffee education initiative, which I co-ran for the past two years as a Coffee education initiative in the Algarve. After I received a call to action from a super-cool business lady I consulted for, some years back.

She told me at the time, after the consultation had finished, that they would have LOVED someone like me to help them open their shop in the beginning. Years later, when I decided I’d love to try to challenge myself and open up my own coffee education business, I started by doing some market research, and I phoned her. We struck a deal where I would train her staff, implement systems, and I could start my business from her cafe.

So I moved to the Algarve and started Coffee with Shan, which ended up merging with my previous business partner and operated as Beany Bunch for two years – but will continue today under my own thing, across the two countries I live in.

That love of coffee I was talking about earlier was SOOO COOL to share with Nick (my previous business partner) and the locals!! The Algarve has a lot of foreign people, so the demand for a quality cup of coffee is really high, and there was a severe barista shortage every summer season, so I essentially set up a business to make myself redundant and set off immediately to train as many people as I can.

We worked to build community and make a coffee scene with fun events like the Algarve Coffee Festival (it’s SO MUCH WORK I’ll never do something like that alone again hahaha) and frequent barista meet-ups and competitions, and events like super accessible monthly community cupping events. It was honestly such a sweet, crazy, exhausting ride.

Although I had a sweet time in the Algarve, I sorely missed the rest of Portugal (I’m certainly a more northern girl at heart) and am currently moving back home to New Zealand for at least half of the time – where I’ve run a latte art training course to gauge interest over there, withsuccess, and will continue to run coffee education initiatives wherever I am. Let’s see how this all develops.

Regarding other projects right now, I’m living off-grid in a Log cabin in a 94,000km² forest in New Zealand, so I have been getting deep into permaculture and regeneration (there will be no coffee if there’s no Earth, right?), super excited to learn more about this.

I’m getting back into music again and am currently sitting in the Pyrenees in my music studio after completing an intensive 5-day music production workshop with the amazing Actress.

And for the rest, my hands are kept busy as I transition through some pretty major life changes, and once everything settles, I look forward to starting up some more coffee community/ coffee education type stuff. Still offering support, of course, if any individuals or businesses need it!

What is your favourite part of the day at work, and why? What responsibilities do you enjoy the most?

My favourite scenario is this: During busy service, you’ve recently tasted your brews, so you know that the coffee is tasting good, and then I adore being in a flow state! Fast paced enough for consistency from the grinder, paying attention and pouring love into every cup, moving quickly but calmly, and your nonstop, precise movements feel like a dance. People are transfixed and love to just watch you work because it’s so beautiful hehehe. and then seeing people’s faces as they take a sip of your hand-crafted little gift to them. It’s one of the best feelings in the world. Even my posture improves. There’s such a loving pride to the job that I try to share with my students and, equally importantly, the customer.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?

I currently have some health difficulties which stop me from being able to take any stimulants, so unfortunately, drinking coffee is out for me too, right now! When I’m in a place where I’m training often, I find that the people inspire me; the questions they ask, pulling the process apart and tasting and smelling. Slowing down and going deep inside.

Honestly, just coffee itself is such a fascinating medium to work with, I can’t see how there could ever be a lack of inspiration if we are paying attention! Working the odd barista shift occasionally and teaching require me to refresh my knowledge and keep up to date with current industry best practices, which is a lot of fun, too.

I also just think it’s important when sharing knowledge as a trainer to be as accurate and correct as we possibly can be, which means studying and caring about what we are teaching. Again, I’m passionate about communication, so being accurate and up to date is really important for me, as a responsibility to the people I work with, and coffee is just so much fun!

What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?

1) “Coffee people are snobbish”. Sometimes we coffee humans can be a little gate-keepy and almost be mean to each other and/or our customers, even. I would consider this a misconception, even though it is an accurate representation of how many coffee people act, especially those who may be new to the world or haven’t yet understood that the learning journey will never end. I address this by doing my best to be true to myself, I try to invite people in and have conversations, to share my excitement, rather than shaming someone for not knowing as much as me or thinking the same way as me. I try to impart this attitude when I teach; if any of my students were ever rude to someone, it’d feel like a huge failure to ME. I try to lead by example.

2) ”Working in coffee is not a real job”. heheh I mentioned this above, but I find this general European attitude so crazy! It’s so different from NZ/Australia attitudes. Again, I try to address this through how I teach. Coffee is such a big industry, there are jobs everywhere in any direction you are interested in, and also my life is kind of an example of this – travelling around the world with coffee and living a pretty cool life, I’d say. Even baristaing- You literally get paid to make delicious sciency/art for a job, continue learning, be active and not sitting on your bum all day, and meet cool and interesting like-minded people.

What kind of community do you hope to build around your activities, and how do you plan to foster that sense of community?

Kind. Collaborative. Curious. Fun. Creative. Adventurous. Inquisitive. Inclusive. I need to reground and establish my life setup again, but how I’ve done this in the past was through leading by example. Making fun things happen, like little coffee events and barista hangouts. Being open with knowledge to whoever wants to know. Continuing to learn. Being humble. Not gatekeeping.

Do you plan to make the next edition of the Algarve Coffee Festival?

Hehe, that would be adorable, but unfortunately not. Moving away from the Algarve, it just wouldn’t make sense for me. if anyone else wanted to run such an event, I’d be happy to pass on all the info I have to keep this thing rolling!

What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?

Hmm, I find with a lot of NZ cafes and roasteries, they’ve kind of been stuck in their ways ever since I started learning all those years ago. Things haven’t changed much. There’s a new trend which is happening at home and I also see in Europe and on my travels, which is award-winning or super interesting, quality coffees, brewed in a slow brewing method, but espresso is still available generally, a more open and collaborative/communicative service where all staff are super knowledgeable about the coffee.

I have recently visited Koyo’s new shop in Lagos and it blew me away – Cat served us ceremonial matcha, hot chocolate, teas and pour-over coffees (they don’t offer espresso), and the service was so beautiful and meticulous it made me feel so honoured as a guest!! The style of service was reminiscent of Chinese tea-houses. Slow and ritualistic. Beautiful. Eloquent.

A lot of information was given on beautiful printed cards about any product you would consume – BUT the cards were the MINIMUM info that Cat had. If you’d ask a question, he would talk for a very long time on each product, and it was such a rich experience, I highly recommend it. The first thing I’d like to see more of in cafes is a focus on FOH service. For example, if your customer-facing staff don’t know about your coffees, it’s an immediate sign that your business doesn’t put an emphasis on coffee. I then assume the coffee won’t be good, and often I am right with that assumption.

On the same note: If a staff member is rude or dismissive towards customers, we as an industry have lost an opportunity to educate and elevate that person’s coffee drinking habit. Our entire industry loses. We don’t need to prove we are better than others – we should be kind and humble and use all of our energy to get that elusive bean tasting good, to then let the coffee speak for itself.

If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?

Your espresso preparation technique has THE GREATEST impact on the quality and consistency of your brews. I’m not even referring to adjustables/variables like grind setting or dose here. I’m talking about the mundane, super boring, puck preparation. Be meticulous. Don’t bang your portafilter, not at all, after tamping – especially when putting it into the group head. Take your time to distribute as perfectly and consistently as you can – train your muscle memory and continue to self-evaluate every coffee of every day, as how we are feeling will change our movements. Throw away those distributors which do nothing but make the top surface of your coffee look flat.

What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?

Yoga, movement and the nature of my body. Meditation and the nature of my mind. Music and the nature of my little creative spirit. Plants and regeneration, and the nature of our fragile, wonderful planetary ecosystem. Cooking and ferments – turning delicious ingredients into delicious food and drink. Travel and staying put, but talking to strangers and learning to remove prejudice towards other people/ cultures that I do not understand. Life is my one true love – As Ram Dass said: “I would like my life to be a statement of love and compassion–and where it isn’t, that’s where my work lies.”

What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?

Setting up a new business in New Zealand. Clarifying my vision of what I want to build and being more true to myself with the educational products I create.

Quick Fire Questions for Shannon Marree Lawn:

Filter coffee or espresso-based?

Mostly Filter coffee.

Milk coffee or black coffee?

Mostly Black.

The most underrated coffee drink?

By the public: hand-brewed filter coffee. By EU baristas: Espresso.

Favourite piece of barista equipment?

Grind sieve.

The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?

KOYO in Lagos.

Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?

Haven’t been to enough. London, perhaps because I’ve heard things.

The post Barista Stories: Shannon Marree Lawn, Coffee Consultant, Portugal/New Zealand appeared first on European Coffee Trip.

The post Swan Latte Art Tutorial: How To Pour Swan For Beginners appeared first on European Coffee Trip.

Since stepping into specialty coffee in 2019, Noëlle earned a reputation for care, skill, and straight-up hustle! From a 5th place at the 2024 Dutch Barista Championship, winning multiple throwdowns, to having her own column in a coffee magazine, she’s made a cosy space for herself – and others – in the industry. She now balances freelance work, training baristas, and pouring shots at Dagger Coffee, writing and competing on various stages.

Read on to discover why Noëlle loves the lunch rush, how competition helped her grow, and why being enthusiastic about coffee is more than enough <3

Noëlle, what is your first memory with coffee? 

On birthdays, my parents always took out their filter machine from the storage, and I can still hear the sound of the machine sputter when it’s ready. I could serve my cakes as well. Or heating milk in the microwave and foaming it with a French press. Cutting out hearts of paper to make a heart with cinnamon for my mom. I get warm feelings when I think of those cosy moments, and a little disgusted by the thought of the smell of burnt milk…

But my most vivid memory is that 10-year-old me made my mom a HUGE papier mache cappuccino mug for Sinterklaas (a holiday here in the Netherlands). And since I am very, very clumsy out of enthusiasm, my dad and I thought of this genius plan to put a bag with broken old porcelain in the surprise. So when I gifted the surprise, I pretended to trip, and it would sound like my mom’s presents were completely shattered. We got her good, tho!

What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?

From a really young age, I really, really wanted to work. But here in the Netherlands, you have to wait till you’re 15. So as soon as I turned 15, I started working in restaurants. I’ve always noticed that people get extremely happy with coffee. So when I moved to a new city for my bachelor’s degree in primary school teaching, I started working at a bagel and coffee shop. I loved working so much that at some point I had seven jobs, couldn’t keep up anymore and ended up having a burnout. I was told only to do things that gave me energy, so I decided to focus on my barista shifts and quit my studies.

I did end up applying for a new study at the same time, but something that would help me in this field. Ending up having the worst time at my internship and after graduation, decided that I wanted to freelance and NOT work for a boss. I also made up an Instagram with two of my friends called dekoffiemeisjes (the coffee girls). That’s how we started meeting a lot of coffee professionals in the Netherlands. And that’s also how I ended up applying (since this roaster guy I was in love with told me I had to apply at this very specific café in Utrecht), and that turned out to be the best match ever, the café, not the boy.

That roastery is Dagger Coffee, and since I started working there, I think I have finally seen my career as a ‘grown-up job’, and Dagmar, the owner, has supported me so well these last few years. So now I balance between my freelance work, duties in the café and competing.

Tell us a bit more about your work and projects.

At Dagger Coffee, I am a barista and team trainer. Dagger has three locations, two are in a shared office building and one is a cosy cafe just outside the city centre of Utrecht. At all locations, we do coffee and brunch. So I do barista, kitchen and service shifts and sometimes combinations of those. And I am also responsible for staff training.

I also freelance in coffee. For the past three years, I have been mostly doing barista shifts at events and cafes. But since the start of this year, I have been doing the coffee quality control at Anne&Max and home barista trainings. I don’t have that much time anymore for barista shifts.

I co-host dekoffiemeisjes, which is basically a way for me to stay in contact with the Dutch coffee community. I love to share stories through video or photos. It’s not that we are influencers, but I also see this as part of my job, since it helps me network as well.

And… Starting in August, I’ll be having a column in a Dutch coffee paper called Café Courant. Where I’ll be sharing my adventures in coffee. (Feels like I just gave a big scoop here!)

What kind of experience do you want your guests to have when they try your coffee?

I just want them to feel cosy, seen and welcome. So I love to work at places where I can serve tasty coffees, where, as a barista, I can enjoy dialling in the coffee. And I love to have personal contact with my guests, so whether it’s a 3-minute order and go or a long brunch, I think service is one of the things I enjoy the most. And for me, it’s through coffee.

I think that a lot of Dutchies are still used to not-so-tasty coffees. And I love it when I can make that one thing, coffee, that you just drink just like you would drink water, more special. Just by putting more effort into preparing a tasty drink, but also in the way it’s served.

What is your favourite part of the day at work, and why?

Definitely lunch rush. Since then, it feels like a game to me, how to make it all work: give good service, make good coffee, don’t make people wait too long and make them feel like they are the main focus, and… all of that is created by great teamwork. I mean, that’s the greatest feeling in the world!

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?

Keep in contact with others in the industry. Learn from other coffee professionals, go to events, go to cafes, listen to the needs of your guests, work at different shops, sign up for classes, participate in throwdowns, and participate in the SCA championships. Just connect <3

What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?

In the Netherlands, working in hospitality is still mostly done by students. Especially coffee is quite an underrated product. Most specialty coffee baristas are perceived as snobby, and for some time, I understood that since on a daily basis I needed to prove that I have a “real job”. For me, the biggest achievement is to not care anymore what others think of my job, not try to prove myself and just have a lot of fun. Because everyone says that you need to make your passion your job, and when you do so, you should feel good about that.

Also, because barista work is mostly done by students, it is easy to get underpaid. It’s necessary to know your value and demand that. For me, openly talking about taboos like money really helped me to understand my value. I think it’s so important to help each other with this. This way we can make it work to nurture our passion!

What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?

Transparency about the pricing of coffee. Even in the national media, they try to point out what’s happening and why prices are going up. I feel like they just show the tip of the iceberg. I love that a lot of roasteries in the Netherlands try to give a little more information. Also national media is only pointing out the problems, I like that specialty also focusses op good practices. At Dagger, we make a yearly transparency report. I would love to see that more often at other roasteries as well.

You have some amazing achievements in championships. Can you tell us more about them? What are the next championships you’d like to compete in?

Thanks! Still feel like a baby in the competition world. After doing two years of smaller competitions like latte art throw downs and AeroPress championships. I decided to join the Dutch Barista Championship in 2024 for the first time and got 5th. Still really proud of that. I think I grew the most as a barista in that time, but it was also really overwhelming.

Since I feel like a baby barista, I made myself train 3 nights a week, aside from my 7-day workweek (since I was still growing in my freelance work). After that, I really needed a break, so I stepped back a bit to the background and coached Isabelle, who participated for the first time. She became 3rd (!!!).

This year, I want to learn something new, so I signed up for the Dutch Latte Art Championships 2026. I am excited for learning a new discipline and the search for who I am as an artist as well. I love to do crafts in my spare time, so how amazing it is to combine that with coffee. This competition feels like more of a new hobby than even more focus on my work. I feel like Latte Art Championships is something where I can start competing again, and learn a whole new discipline. Since these kinds of patterns are not what you would pour on a normal shift.

What is in your opinion the most important thing to have in mind when you start to compete in coffee championships?

For me, competing is not about winning or prizes. Every time I start any competition, it’s because I want to learn something for myself. So I started with latte art throw downs to learn new patterns and get more consistent in it.

Last year, for AeroPress, I wanted to learn more about the effect water has on coffee, so I bought the Lotus water drops and started experimenting with that. And this year I’m joining as many throw downs again since my shakes whilst pouring under pressure are too much. So I want to try out a few calming exercises. So far, I think taking a breath and turning away from the public helps. But I want to learn to face the audience and stay relaxed.

After the Barista Championship, I felt really hurt by the judges’ report. They basically said that my energy was chaotic and that it felt unprofessional. And since that already is my struggle (people often find me nice/cute but never cool or fierce) I really wanted to change that. I am really enthusiastic, but I don’t want to look childish. I’ve been working for the past 1,5 years on my appearance as a barista. Stay calm and excited, and hopefully the next competition works out.

Oh, and I loveeeee doing competitions in teams, like Crush the Rush! We absolutely crushed the 2024 edition with a team who never worked together but all felt the same energy. I feel like we can learn so much from each other. We also had a throwdown in Amsterdam some time ago where you had to sign up in teams. I did that with Jesse Fook, Rebecca and Indra, and we crushed that as well since in the weeks before we sent each other challenges every week. We really looked at each other’s latte art and tried to recreate it as best as possible. I think that was my peak in latte art!

So long story short:
I think it’s important to have a reachable goal in mind. Something that excites you. Then a competition can only be fun, since looking back, you can be the judge of your improvement. And for me, the professional judges’ reports can help you set up new goals.

If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?

If you don’t enjoy your coffee, don’t try the same again. Maybe consider brewing it differently or try new beans. If you enjoy a cup of coffee at a cafe, ask your barista what and how they brewed it. Get to know your flavour, a good cup of coffee should also be nice and warm or even cold.

Maybe even better warm since your tastebuds can taste more when coffee is cooled down (that’s why shi*ty coffees still taste kind of okayish when steaming hot). And also your wallet will love you, for me, I can enjoy a good cup of coffee way longer than a shi*ty coffee. I only drink one or two cups a day.

What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?

This year feels extra special, since I just got a permanent contract at Dagger Coffee. This way, I know I have at least 4 days covered. It gives me more freedom to work on my freelance passion projects, like doing quality control at the franchise chain, joining the nationals on latte art and writing columns. I just had a call today for a new collaboration for dekoffiemeisjes. So I’m also really excited for how that’s gonna turn out! So far, we have sometimes got some PR packages but never really collaborated long-term with a company.

Quick Fire Questions for Noëlle Lian Meis:

Filter coffee or espresso-based?

Filter coffee.

Milk coffee or black coffee?

Milky (but not in the filter, though).

The most underrated coffee drink?

Iced dirty chai

The most underrated coffee brewer?

French press.

Hobby besides coffee?

Singing, writing poems and reading romance novels.

The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?

Dagger Coffee!

Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?

I think that might be Rotterdam since there are a lot of different specialty cafes and roasters there, and the people are nice. Sometimes specialty coffee baristas can be a bit high and mighty or focus on a certain concept. But I feel like in Rotterdam, everyone just does their thing, and I love that. I feel like there is more personality and passion overall in Rotterdam.

The post Barista Stories: Noëlle Lian Meis, Freelance & Dagger Coffee, Amersfoort appeared first on European Coffee Trip.

Marilena currently works in a small, espresso-forward café, belonging to the fast growing Olivo Coffee Culture. where real connection matters more than floor space. Whether she’s brewing a filter, running a cupping session, or mixing coffee cocktails, Marilena brings curiosity into everything she does.

Marilena, what is your first memory with coffee? 

My first real memory of coffee is when I had a cappuccino made with specialty beans, no sugar. Until that moment, I always thought coffee had to be bitter or masked with milk and sugar. That cup completely changed my perception — it was smooth, flavorful, and unexpectedly pleasant. It made me realise that coffee can be complex and delicious on its own.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?

Honestly, it wasn’t a planned transition. Before coffee, I was working in bars, but at some point, I couldn’t find a job in that space anymore. That’s when I stumbled into the world of coffee. I started working as a barista, thinking it was just temporary, but very quickly, I got hooked. Within less than a year, I was already competing: I placed second in Coffee in Good Spirits and first in Cup Tasters nationally. That was a big turning point for me. I realised this wasn’t just a job, it was something I truly loved.

Tell us a bit about the place you work at. What is your role there?

I currently work at Olivo Coffee Culture, a cosy to-go coffee shop where we focus mainly on high-quality espresso and filter coffee. Even though the space is small, it allows for real connection with people, which I love. In addition, I help organise cupping sessions in our larger cafés as a way to introduce more people to the sensory world of coffee. I find a lot of meaning in creating these experiences – showing people that tasting coffee can be just as rich and nuanced as wine or spirits.

As someone who wears many hats – barista, mixologist, competitor – how do you balance these roles, and what drives you to stay involved in so many areas?

For me, variety is the key to staying motivated. I get bored easily if I do the same thing every day, so being able to shift between roles keeps things exciting. Every hat I wear feeds the others: what I learn as a competitor helps me behind the bar; what I experiment with in cocktails inspires creativity in coffee. I guess I just love building bridges between different parts of the beverage world.

What kind of experience do you want your guests to have when they try your coffee and cocktails?

I always want people to walk away thinking, “That was the best coffee I’ve ever had”. It’s such a joy to give someone that experience. And when it comes to cocktails, I love hearing guests say, “I want the same thing the girl made earlier — that was amazing”. That kind of feedback fuels everything I do.

What is your favourite part of the day at work, and why?

My favourite part of the day is the early morning rush, when people are just starting their day, and I get to be part of that moment. There’s a kind of quiet intensity to it: regulars showing up for their usual, sleepy conversations over the grinder noise, that first sip that wakes someone up. It’s like being a small but essential part of someone’s rhythm. I love that energy.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?

Competitions have played a huge role in that. They push me to learn more, practice harder, and refine every detail. Also, the people I’ve met at these events – both mentors and fellow competitors – have inspired me endlessly. It’s a community full of curiosity and generosity, and that energy keeps me going.

What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?

One big misconception is that being a barista isn’t a “real” or long-term career. But I know professionals who’ve been doing this for decades, constantly learning and evolving. I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon – in fact, I feel like I’m just getting started.

What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?

One trend I enjoy right now is the rise of co-fermented coffees. I especially love them in filter brews – the flavour profiles can be so unexpected and exciting. I hope to see this trend spread more widely, and I’d love to explore even more experimental processes.

You have some amazing achievements in championships. Can you tell us more about them?

Yes! In 2024, I won second place nationally in Coffee in Good Spirits, and in 2025, I took first place in the national Cup Tasters Championship. These experiences were incredibly rewarding and gave me the confidence to keep pushing further in this field.

How did it feel to compete on the World Cup Tasters Stage?

It was one of the most emotional moments of my life. I’ve never felt such intense adrenaline and pride at the same time. Being on that stage, representing my country, surrounded by the best tasters in the world – it was both surreal and deeply meaningful.

What is in your opinion the most important thing to have in mind when you start to compete in coffee championships?

Focus is everything. Competitions test not only your knowledge and skills, but also your ability to stay calm under pressure. If you lose your focus, even for a moment, it can cost you. But if you stay centred, you can really surprise yourself.

What are the next championships you’d like to compete in?

My next goal is to compete again in the Cup Tasters Championship in Romania. I’d love to improve even further and possibly qualify for the World stage again.

If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?

There’s no “right” way to drink coffee. The best cup is the one you enjoy most. That said, if you’re curious and open to trying something new, baristas can offer suggestions that might surprise you, in the best way.

What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?

My biggest passion is honestly just chasing happiness in all its forms. I love creating, learning, connecting with people, and staying curious. Whatever brings joy, I’m there for it.

What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?

Right now, I’m focusing on refining my sensory skills even more for upcoming competitions, especially Cup Tasters. I’m also really interested in collaborating on events that combine coffee with other creative disciplines, like cocktails, music, or even visual arts. I believe coffee has a place in so many different conversations, and I’d love to help create experiences that connect people through it.

Quick Fire Questions for Marilena Georgescu:

Filter coffee or espresso-based?

Filter coffee.

Milk coffee or black coffee?

Black.

The most underrated coffee drink?

Filter coffee.

The most underrated coffee brewer?

AeroPress.

Favourite piece of barista equipment?

Staresso.

The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?

Olivo Coffee Culture!

Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?

Bucharest.

The post Barista Stories: Marilena Georgescu of Olivo Coffee Culture, Cluj Napoca appeared first on European Coffee Trip.

Now based in Munich, Lucy has opened Humpback Whale Specialty Coffee – her own cosy café that feels more like her home than a business. Almost everything inside is handmade, prepared by Lucy and reflects her care for the craft and the people who walk through the door.

This is more than just a new chapter for Lucy – it’s a return to what matters most to her: meaningful coffee, warm conversations, and a space where every detail and interaction is personal and loving.

Lucy, what is your first memory with coffee? 

Jittery feeling after drinking robusta!

What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?

Coffee itself. In 2012, I started with a “take-away management” barista course because I wanted to open a coffee shop at that point. The takeaway business model was trendy back then in Ho Chi Minh City. Little by little, my love for coffee grew, and it still runs deep today.

And before coffee, I was an Engineer in a Telecom company. I graduated with a degree in Telecommunications Engineering, so it was very difficult for me to decide to switch from being an engineer to becoming a barista. But perhaps that was the right decision because up to this moment, I have no regrets, and what’s more, I feel happy doing it!

Tell us a bit about your place. What is your role there?

I am the founder of Humpback Whale Specialty Coffee. This café is a piece of my journey. A space where stories, coffee, and moments drift together – one cup at a time. I’m also working on bringing coffee embroidery products to Germany, so stay tuned!

What kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they visit you at the cafe?

Cosy and homey. At my cafe, almost everything is handmade (except the coffee machine and grinders!), because I want customers to feel like they’ve stepped into a cosy home kitchen. When they hold a handmade ceramic cup, I hope they can sense the love and care we put into every detail, that’s how HBW turns love into something you can feel and taste.

What is your favourite part of the day in your cafe, and why?

When I talk to the customers about coffee, they would like to have or have chosen. In my shop, the coffees on the menu reflect what I like to have daily & it’s a happy feeling to see customers enjoy them the way I do.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?

By playing with coffee, seriously! I love exploring different varieties and origins, always tweaking profiles to discover something new. Every time I find that “god” in a cup, it feels like levelling up. Back when I competed more, I could clearly see how much I was growing. Now, it’s that same spirit of curiosity and challenge that keeps me inspired.

What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?

“The most expensive coffee is the best”. In my shop, the coffees that have been chosen are not trendy, but they reflect what I would drink daily.

What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?

Signature drinks. They reflect our – barista – creativity and playfulness. But clearly, I haven’t done enough given that I only have one in my menu (yet!!).

You have some amazing achievements in the championships. Can you tell us more about them?

I’ve always seen competition as a way to refresh and challenge myself, especially in my coffee journey. Most recently, I had one of the biggest surprises and proudest moments when I won the title of German Cup Tasting Champion in Hamburg! I originally joined just to connect with more people in the coffee community and learn more about the industry in Germany, especially after the quiet pandemic years. Winning was beyond what I expected, but it made me incredibly happy and motivated.

How did it feel to compete on the World Stage?

Oh wow, it was exciting, and honestly, I felt kind of cool being there! But it also came with way more pressure and nerves than the national level. Still, once I was in the moment, I truly enjoyed every bit of it. Competing on the World Stage was intense, but also unforgettable; it reminded me why I love what I do.

What is in your opinion the most important thing to have in mind when you start to compete in coffee championships?

In my view, the most important thing is to stay focused and fully invest yourself in the process. Good things take time, and the more effort you put in, the more you’ll grow, no matter the result. And don’t forget to have fun! Whether you take home a trophy or not, the real reward is in the learning and the journey.

What are the next championships you’d like to compete in?

Yes, the one that is happening soon in September in Frankfurt, hihi!

If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?

About coffee – every cup of coffee you have is special; it brings you back to the present.

What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?

Cooking & walking in nature.

What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?

Farming and processing! I spent almost six months living on a coffee farm, and it was one of the most tranquil and peaceful times of my life. Honestly, it made me dream of retiring on a coffee farm one day, haha! As for what’s next, yes, I absolutely have some exciting projects and collaborations in the works… but they’re a bit of a secret for now <3

Quick Fire Questions for Lucy Huong Quach:

Filter coffee or espresso-based?

Filter coffee.

Milk coffee or black coffee?

Black.

The most underrated coffee drink?

Cold drip coffee.

The most underrated coffee brewer?

Moka pot.

Favourite piece of barista equipment?

V60!

The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?

Tim Wendelboe cafë in Oslo.

Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?

Chiang Mai in Thailand is a city full of gorgeous coffee shops and passionate baristas who truly love crafting and creating with coffee!

The post Barista Stories: Lucy Huong Quach of Humpback Whale Specialty Coffee, Munich appeared first on European Coffee Trip.

With a background in economics and a decade in coffee, Giorgos brings both curiosity and discipline to the craft. He’s not just serving great coffee – he’s questioning how it gets better, who it’s for, and why it matters. His time on the world competition stage and his work behind the bar reflect the same thoughtful approach.

Giorgos, what is your first memory with coffee? 

I’ve been making coffee for myself in the mornings since I was 14, typically brewing Ibrik coffee as many Greek households do. But everything changed in 2014 when I had my first V60 at Taf Coffee. Surprisingly, it was a Panama Gesha from Ninety Plus Estates, and that experience completely transformed the way I saw coffee.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?

I studied economics and worked a variety of jobs during Greece’s turbulent financial years between 2010 and 2015. Eventually, I found my way into the food sector. At the time, I was running a shop selling local specialities – traditional Greek products, wines, and spirits. Coincidentally, that shop was right next to what would later become the original location of Foyer. My growing passion for quality products gradually drew me into the world of coffee.

Tell us a bit about your place. What is your role there?

I work at Foyer Espresso Bar in Athens, Greece—a space I founded 10 years ago and share with my partners, Makis Papantoniou and Lisa Zancanella. Foyer is a vibrant, ever-evolving café that has grown alongside the specialty coffee scene. In the early days, we followed the trends, but over time, we’ve found ourselves helping to shape them.

What kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they visit you at the cafe?

For me, it’s all about making people feel comfortable and genuinely welcomed, not through big, cosy armchairs, but through real, approachable communication with the baristas. That personal interaction helps us tailor each experience to the individual. Over the years, specialty coffee has sometimes come off as intimidating or even snobbish, and I think that misses the whole point. At the end of the day, who are we doing all this for, if not the people we serve?

What is your favourite part of the day in your cafe, and why?

Honestly, I enjoy every moment. I love the calm of the early morning—sipping my coffee slowly, easing into the day. But I also thrive on the energy of the rush, when there are 15 orders lined up and everything is moving fast. I’m truly grateful for what I do and the way I get to do it every day.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?

Honestly, I’m not sure how to explain it – I might just be a bit obsessive. I think many people in the industry will know exactly what I mean. What started as a drive to stay ahead and grow professionally has turned into something deeper. These days, I often go to bed thinking about things like how a low-temperature pre-infusion might enhance flavour clarity in a coffee. It’s just a constant curiosity that never really turns off.

What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?

There’s a lot of confusion and polarised opinions around coffee processing and flavour. After more than two decades in the specialty coffee scene, I truly believe it’s time to let the producers take centre stage. We should create space for their stories and efforts, and approach these topics with more openness and less judgment, especially since many of us don’t fully understand the complexities of coffee farming.

What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?

One of the trends I really appreciate is the push to bring better coffee to the consumer. I’m all for anything that supports that goal – frozen coffee menus, single-dose grinders, smaller, data-driven roasting machines, and offering hand-brewed options. When I started out, the average quality of both green and roasted coffee was much lower than it is today. But we’ve come a long way, and I believe we can go even further.

Today, we have a much deeper understanding of brewing, roasting, and farming practices. I’ve seen it firsthand—10 years ago, we started with basic espresso blends, then moved to high-quality, vacuum-packed Brazilian beans, and today, we’re proudly serving single-origin African coffees as our house option. That kind of progress is exciting, and it’s exactly the kind of trend I want to see continue and grow.

You have some amazing achievements in championships. Can you tell us more about them?

I’ve competed twice in the Brewers Cup, earning a 2nd place and then a 1st place in the Greek Nationals, which allowed me to represent Greece at the World Brewers Cup, where I placed 19th out of 50 competitors. Beyond competing myself, I’ve also been involved as a team member and coach, supporting other competitors in Greece and Italy. We’ve had some great results across various competitions – Brewers Cup, AeroPress, Ibrik, and more. It’s always rewarding to be part of that journey, whether on stage or behind the scenes.

How did it feel to compete on the World Stage? What message and impact did you want to have with your Open Service?

Competing on the world stage was one of the most meaningful experiences of my career. I truly loved and appreciated every moment of it. In my Open Service, I focused on my personal approach to perfecting a coffee experience—asking questions like: What does it take? Where do you begin? What are the small, crucial steps that elevate the cup? Along the way, I made it a point to highlight the work of Diego Bermudez, a producer I deeply admire. He’s often misunderstood in the coffee world, but in my eyes, he’s a true pioneer. I wanted to share not just a coffee, but a story—about intention, innovation, and the people behind the product.

What are the next championships you’d like to compete in?

I’ll most likely compete in the upcoming Brewers Cup again. It’s the competition that feels the most pure when it comes to focusing on coffee and its characteristics. It’s also the most detail-oriented, which is exactly what draws me to it. That level of precision and intention really resonates with how I approach coffee.

What is in your opinion the most important thing to have in mind when you start to compete in coffee championships?

You need to be ready to commit a lot of unpaid hours, usually on top of your regular job. If you’re not truly passionate about it, it’s going to be really hard to push through. That kind of dedication can’t be faked. And honestly, what’s both surprising and inspiring is how many people are out there doing exactly that – putting in the time, the energy, and the heart just for the love of coffee.

If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?

The coffee beans and the brewing water make up about 90% of the cup’s flavour. So instead of chasing the perfect equipment, focus your investment on sourcing great-quality coffee. It’s honestly disappointing to see home baristas using a La Marzocco or cafés with a three-group Slayer, only to serve poorly roasted or old beans. Great coffee starts with great raw materials – everything else comes second.

What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?

I do like all things related to flavour and gastronomy. Wine, food, baking, etc. I really like movies, and I am a sports fan too.

What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?

Sorry, nothing finalised just yet. I have a couple of projects in the works, but nothing solid to share at the moment. Stay tuned!

Quick Fire Questions for Giorgos Papantoniou:

Filter coffee or espresso-based?

Filter coffee.

Milk coffee or black coffee?

Black.

The most underrated coffee drink?

Ibrik.

The most underrated coffee brewer?

Ibrik.

Favourite piece of barista equipment?

Next Level Pulsar.

The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?

Too many right now!

Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?

Copenhagen.

The post Barista Stories: Giorgos Papantoniou of Foyer Espresso Bar, Athens appeared first on European Coffee Trip.

As the founder of coffee catering Dvakratdva and co-owner of Au Lait Espresso Bar, Jan blends travel, service, and craft into his daily routine. Whether he’s roasting or packing gear for an event, he stays focused on offering simple, thoughtful coffee – no fuss, no ego.

Jan’s story is less about chasing trends and more about making space for good conversations, better brews, and meaningful connections. His work reflects that philosophy, one well-extracted cup at a time!

Jan, what is your first memory with coffee? 

I don’t think it’s anything special or unusual—just my grandparents sipping their ´turek´ (steeped coffee) after lunch, pure 100% robusta. But my first real specialty coffee was a Kenyan espresso at my uncle’s place, made with a Sage coffee machine and a little bit of maple syrup.

You have quite a diverse background – how did you go from law to coffee? Was there a defining moment that made you leap?

There are quite a few similarities between the two – both involve working and talking with people. In coffee, though, you get to do the fun and pleasant parts. Most of the time.

But seriously—back in 2017, my mom used to buy roasted beans from one of the oldest roastery-and-café concepts in Brno called Caffé del Saggio. The café is styled like something from the Czechoslovak Republic, and she thought a gentleman like me would fit in perfectly. So she asked the owner if he was looking for a new, totally inexperienced barista. And he said yes. Little did my mother know that move would ruin my legal career for good.

Tell us a bit about your coffee projects.

I’ve always loved travelling, and when I discovered coffee, it struck me as a great idea to combine the two – doing coffee catering means you travel and make coffee. Back then, we used beans from MOK Coffee Roastery in Belgium, which seemed irrational to some people, especially here in the Czech Republic, where we have dozens (maybe hundreds) of great roasteries. But I had a great relationship with MOK after using their coffee at a national barista competition, and their unique flavour profile helped us stand out from other coffee caterers.

Over time, we realised we wanted to have more control over the roasting process. So I bought a second-hand coffee roaster and slowly started to learn the craft. The next year, we began using our own beans at events. No one complained, so we made a full switch. That naturally led to opening our own small space where we could share our coffee with a wider audience.

What was your vision when you decided to open Au Lait?

Small and cosy places, fully focused on one product, were always a thing for me. My girlfriend Veru and I used to work at Monogram Espresso Bar, which is exactly that kind of place. We missed the feeling of one big shared table, a friendly atmosphere, and regulars who eventually become like family—all things that are hard to maintain when you’re constantly on the road doing catering.

In the meantime, we ran two five-month-long summer pop-ups called Tyjátr with our friends, where we served specialty coffee and natural wine. The first one was at Špilberk Castle—probably the most touristy spot in Brno – and the second was at UMPRUM, an artsy museum with a stunning terrace. At the end of the last Tyjátr, we were at a crossroads: do we wanna look for another pop-up place or open something more permanent? And that’s how the idea for Au Lait Espresso Bar was born.

What kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they visit your place?

We want them to feel genuinely welcome, not overwhelmed with coffee-nerd information, but still able to enjoy a thoughtful and complete experience. We placed one big table in the centre of the café to create a community-oriented, family-like vibe, which fits perfectly with the neighbourhood where Au Lait is located.

Coffee catering is an interesting niche – what made you pursue it alongside opening a brick-and-mortar shop?

Coffee catering has been our main business – we’ve gained a lot of regular clients over the past four years. I also love the variety it brings. One day I’m roasting, the next I might be across the country serving coffee at an event. On other days, I’m packing coffee or standing behind the bar at Au Lait. No two days are the same, and that’s exactly what I need to avoid burnout.

What are some unexpected challenges in running a coffee catering business compared to a traditional café?

I’m not sure if they’re unexpected, but every venue and every client is different. In the end, it all comes down to your attitude and your approach to customers. After all, it’s a service. One thing I never really thought about before I started: 70% of catering is moving stuff and sitting in a car, 20% is laptop work, and only 10% is actually making coffee (hopefully that adds up to 100%—math has never been my strong suit).

You opened next to a Natural Wine Shop – was that a strategic decision? Do you see a crossover between natural wine lovers and specialty coffee enthusiasts?

Our friends Tom and Lucie, who run the Natural Wine Shop, were also our partners in the Tyjátr pop-ups. Tom was looking for a bigger space and found one that was basically two rooms, each with its own entrance from the street and connected inside by a doorframe. From the beginning, we knew this was perfect for what we wanted to create. Tom and Lucie are also co-owners of Au Lait. It’s been six months since we opened, and I’d say we share a lot of the same customers. Some originally came for coffee and discovered natural wine, and some came the other way around.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?

I definitely had a super-nerdy phase, but doing catering helped me see that it’s not just about chasing perfection—it’s about finding the balance between quality and great service.

Moving from being a barista to roasting, sourcing green coffee, and handling the entrepreneurial side keeps things from getting routine. There’s still so much to learn. And also, staying humble is really important to me.

If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?

If it’s sour, it’s not the end.

What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?

This might sound like a cliché again, but I love travelling with my girlfriend and our two dogs in a van across Europe. Besides that, I’m a pretty clumsy repairman—I love taking things apart and trying to put them back together, especially coffee machines. Not always successfully.

What kind of community do you hope to build around your cafe, and how do you plan to foster that sense of community?

The neighbourhood around Au Lait is very community-oriented. From day one, we wanted guests to feel like they were walking into a warm, homely space—somewhere they could meet old friends or make new ones. I hope we offer a welcoming and friendly vibe while still maintaining the quality of what we serve.

We heard you love long drives. If you could take a road trip to visit any coffee destination in the world, where would you go and why?

I’d love to explore Japan and their cosy cafés. Or visit a producing country like Colombia, Peru, or Ecuador—that would be amazing too.

What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?

Every new green coffee we buy is a challenge. Last year, we moved into a bigger roastery because we needed more space for both production and catering equipment.

It’s a shared space with Adam Neubauer from Monogram, who also roasts coffee. I deeply respect Adam—not just for what he’s achieved in the coffee world, but because he’s simply a great human being. Sharing experience, knowledge, and just a little bit of gossip is something I absolutely love about our collaboration.

Every January, I tell myself that the upcoming year will be calmer and more focused on stabilising what we do, but it never turns out that way.

Quick Fire Questions for Jan Židů:

Filter coffee or espresso-based?

Cappuccino in the morning, filter for the rest of the day.

Milk coffee or black coffee?

It depends on what beans you are offering.

The most underrated coffee drink?

Lungo

The most underrated coffee brewer?

It is the Chemex, for a good reason!

Favourite piece of barista equipment?

Humbleness.

The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?

Tim Wendelboe’s Espresso Bar, Oslo.

Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?

Warsaw – it was love at first sight for me, but still trying to figure out why…

The post Barista Stories: Jan Židů of Dvakratdva Coffee & Au Lait Espresso Bar, Brno appeared first on European Coffee Trip.