Month: April 2009

Hello World! The number of international friends walking to and fro on the other side of the glass, from where I sit here in my blogging booth covering the WBC, is outstanding ”so many people […]

#35: BARISTA CHAMPION OF PANAMA ”AUSEL GADI DEL VALLE FRANKLIN Though Panama’s coffee has been regarded as some of the finest not only in the world at this moment, but in history, it’s strange to […]

#32: BARISTA CHAMPION OF THAILAND ”BENYAPA NAOWAN Benyapa Naowan tells us that her whole performance will be “sweet and charming, like I am,” and I have to agree. She’s wonderfully adorable but still maintains a […]

#28: BARISTA CHAMPION OF KENYA ”JOHN MAKAU John is the three-time Kenyan Barista Champion, and his experience shows immediately when he take the stage tday. He tells the judges that he is using coffee grown […]

#24: BARISTA CHAMPION OF MEXICO ”ALVARO CARRASCO I met Alvaro in Mexico at the natinal championship back in September. Mexico was the first country to put the new WBC rules and regulations into use, and […]

#20: BARISTA CHAMPION OF ITALY ”MICHELE PAULETIC Italy’s Michele Pauketic is ready to get the day off to a great start! He takes the stage with confidence and ease, welcoming the judges warmly before launching […]

Whoops ”unfortunately the photos of Iceland’s National Barista Champion, Palmer Thor Hlodversson, didn’t make it onto that last profile, so you can check him out here: It’s been a spectacular Day One of the WBC […]

#16: BARISTA CHAMPION OF RWANDA ”JEAN PIERRE NYAMABUMBA I was lucky enough to meet Jean Pierre ”or JP ”in Rwanda at the country’s first national barista championship, held last February in Kigali. JP is a […]

#13: BARISTA CHAMPION OF GERMANY ”STEPHANIE HEIDERMANN Stephanie begins her performance with “Namaste” and tells the judges that her entire performance has been inspired by a recent trip to India to visit the farm where […]