Huhtamaki NZ Barista Championships 2012

My first Barista Champs was a fantastic experience.  Not from the business side of the espresso machine, but the viewing side.  


It was a fantastically supportive environment with a small but very enthusiastic following.  What surprised me the most was the professionalism of all the baristas and judges.  Long gone are the days of scruffy kids turning up with torn shorts and their skateboards.  This is a serious business now.


Congratulations to all those involved running such a thoroughly entertaining and educational weekend.  All thirty competing baristas, thirty judges, sponsors, organisers, MCs David Burton & Carl Sara, forty volunteers and supporters.


Carl Sara has won the NZ Barista Championships four times and went onto being awarded the highest placing by any NZ competitor at the World Barista Champs - third place in 2002.


The Sponsors include naming rights to Huhtamaki, equipment sponsors Nuova Simonelli and Mahlkoenig, milk sponsor Meadow Fresh.  Natvia, Cafetto & DaVinci Gourmet.

Aymon McQuade

In a tense and closely fought battle for the title Aymon McQuade was named Huhtamaki NZ Barista Champion 2012.  Aymon is from member company Bell Tea & Coffee.  His coffee was sourced while on an origin tour in El Salvador & Colombia last year. 


Second place went to Chloe Zhou from Crafted Coffee in Christchurch. 

Chloe Zhou

Nick Clark from Flight Coffee/Memphis Belle Cafe in Wellington was third place. 

Nick Clark from Flight Coffee

Some of our favourite pics from the weekend:

The Renouf Foyer at the Michael Fowler Centre

The vivacious Claris Jones-White from Pomeroy's Coffee & Tea in Nelson

The stage set with Nuova Simonelli & Mahlkoenig equipment

Carl Sara keeps us informed throughout the competition.
You can see Masako Yamamoto's trolley waiting for setup in the foreground.

Brendon Neilson from Espresso Workshop, Auckland

Masako Yamamoto trolley complete with oranges for the zest oils to complement her coffee choice

Judging time

Just the right amount of pressure

Brendon Neilson from Espresso Workshop, Auckland

Masako Yamamoto's table presentation

Judges score

Water, the important partner to coffee

Smokey notes to highlight the coffees strengths

The Finals arena

Huhtamaki cups ready to keep the spectators happy

Happy Barista for the spectators

Ciocco Coco Café

Speaking of upper Willis Street (see my earlier post about Woodstock on Willis) and all its marvelous shopping, you will need to take a load off and reflect on your shopping buys.   A divine place to do this is Ciocco (pronounced 'Choco') Coco Café , who easily server the best mochaccino (or mocha, as The Locals call it) I’ve ever had.  My personal favourite is to have it made with chilli chocolate – which will give you a caffeine, chocolate and chilli kick.  Marvellous.  This will recharge your batteries and ensure you are ready for whatever the rest of the day has in stall for you.

For the uninitiated, Ciocco’s mocha is served in a 300ml cup with a 50ml double espresso shot, a big chocolate chunk of your choice of flavour (try the chilli) and 250ml of lightly textured hot milk.  The mocha also is served with a metal straw and spoon in one, so you can stir, slurp and scoop to your hearts content.

The chocolate used by Ciocco is Schoc chocolate, which is loving made in Greytown.

 Pure pleasure

 

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