Read all about our Barista’s who are up to compete: Check out their stage times here>
Vote for your favourite barista in “The People’s Champion”
We are inundated with family, friends, companies, and customers voting for their favourite Barista’s every year. We can only crown one winner, but they are all Champions to us!
Here is your chance to support them this year with “The People’s Champion” where you can be the judge! Voting is open now and the winner will be announced on Saturday 25 March before the announcement of the top six finalists.
We would love to hear from you about why you think they are amazing! Some of the comments have been inspiring and amazingly supportive of these special makers of coffee in our lives!!!
The winning Barista will receive a trophy, plenty of goodies, and bragging rights of course. Fill in this form ONCE and you could be in to win some sweet merch such as the Championship ceramic cup, a t-shirt, and maybe some other coffee treats. Baristas, get your campaign on now!
Good Luck to all competitors! Don’t forget to come on down and support your favourite Barista:
*donates first-time entrant
Lauren Dodson, La Panier Boulangerie, Christchurch *
Company Insta: N/A Personal Insta: N/A
What was your first introduction to coffee? An espresso shot with two sugars with my best friend at Te Papa café during a high school science trip. I’ve been hooked ever since.
What’s in your cup? Coffee?
Why do you want to compete? I wish to grow and improve as a barista to hopefully become the best in my field
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? Better coffee-making techniques and ideas.
What’s your favourite family recipe? Nan’s secret ANZAC biscuits. Super gooey and yum.
Person in coffee who inspires you: Nick Clark. His drive and dedication to coffee is what got me interested in the Barista competition 10 years ago. While living in Wellington I was a Memphis Belle regular as a appreciated the recycled nature of the café and his drive for transparency.
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Washed Technical or Sensory? Sensory KFC or BK? BK every day Catwoman or Batman? Batman Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla Home or office? Home Dairy or Plant-based? Dairy
Company Insta: @meebzcoffee
Personal Insta: @miketan_meebzcoffee
What was your first introduction to coffee? Getting thrown onto the espresso machine at a Sierra franchised cafe and slowly falling in love with coffee and the industry.
What’s in your cup? Espresso from Africa, Central America, or South America.
Why do you want to compete? The constant pursuit of chasing excellence and the ability to use my experience of coffee to craft into a 15-minute routine. This constant pursuit helps us to develop our knowledge and skills…I also heard the goodie bags are pretty good
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? Attention to detail and rhythmical routine.
What’s your favourite family recipe? Malaysian noodle dish.
Person in coffee who inspires you: Alan Zuo
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Washed Technical or Sensory? Sensory KFC or BK? neither Catwoman or Batman? Batman Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate Home or office? Office Dairy or Plant-based? Plant-based
Company: The Auction House Cafe & bar
Company Insta: N/A
Personal Insta: N/A
What was your first introduction to coffee? My Scout Jamboree 2001/2002 at Mystery Creek, Hamilton
What’s in your cup? 1 Teaspoon of coffee, hot water, and pour a little bit of milk
Why do you want to compete? So I can experience what it’s like to compete in the NZ Barista Championships, enjoy the occasion and give myself a stepping stone that I can use to improve long term because I always aim to want to get better
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? To have gotten better at my barista-making skills and my latte heart-shaped-making skills too.
What’s your favourite family recipe? I don’t have one
Person in coffee who inspires you: Barista Dritan Asela and Scot Rao
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Washed Technical or Sensory? Sensory KFC or BK? BK Catwoman or Batman? Batman Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate Home or office? Home Dairy or Plant-based? Dairy
Jenna Phillips, Sacred Grounds Ltd, Taupo *
Company Insta: @sacredgroundstauponz
Personal Insta: @jennnas_gram
What was your first introduction to coffee? Probably a single shot mocha with a ton of sugar. Horrific I know.
What’s in your cup? Some days it’s a long black, others it’s a cocktail
Why do you want to compete? I want to compete to broaden my coffee experience, but most importantly, have a bit of fun.
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? This is actually my first time competing in a coffee competition so I’m not too sure, but ill let ya know.
What’s your favourite family recipe? My mum makes a killer curry chicken.
Person in coffee who inspires you: My Dad. He’s been in the coffee industry since before I could walk, so if it wasn’t for him I probably would be something else like a brain surgeon or a lawyer… Thanks, Dad?
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Natural 100% Technical or Sensory? Technical KFC or BK? Oooo KFC! Catwoman or Batman? Catwoman Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla Home or office? Office because of free coffee, duh. Dairy or Plant-based? Dairy, I know, call me old-fashioned.
Chace Tian, Mavis & Co, Hamilton *
Company Insta: @mavisandco @mavisandcorototuna
Personal Insta: @Chace_T
What was your first introduction to coffee? Back the days when I grew up in China, blue mountain was popular
What’s in your cup? Panama Geisha
Why do you want to compete? I want to push myself to start somewhere. No matter what will happen, I need to start somewhere. Also, I have been inspired by many many people who have joined the competition before. Like Hanna. Great people.
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? I would love to make every cup of coffee to its best. Every cup I made will have to be up to standard.
What’s your favourite family recipe? My dad’s five-spice pork.
Person in coffee who inspires you: Hanna Teramoto
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Washed Technical or Sensory? Sensory KFC or BK? KFC Catwoman or Batman? Batman! Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate! Home or office? Office Dairy or Plant-based? Dairy
Jenny Kim, Atomic Coffee Roasters, Auckland *
Company Insta: @atomiccoffeeroasters
Personal Insta: @redoggy_coffee
What was your first introduction to coffee? A brown liquid that only adults can drink
What’s in your cup? Love and passion
Why do you want to compete? Get out of my comfort zone
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? Customers’ feedback, for example, good visual-looking cups and great taste.
What’s your favourite family recipe? Salt sugar fat
Person in coffee who inspires you: Young Jin Cha
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Both but everyday drink washed Technical or Sensory? Technical KFC or BK? KFC!!! Catwoman or Batman? Batman Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate Home or office? Home Dairy or Plant-based? Plant
Jason Moore, Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co, Dunedin
Company Insta: @vanguardcoffeeco
What’s in your cup? Juicy washed micro-lot from Peru from Margarita Pongo
Why do you want to compete? I believe in the cause. The challenges facing the specialty coffee industry are so real, and the disconnect between producers and consumers is massive. My company works to raise awareness and educate through only sourcing the highest grade, traceable coffees and roasting them to showcase the farmer’s work at origin. I usually stay away from the spotlight and let the coffees speak for themselves, but it’s my time to do my part to represent the industry and try to bring more people along for the journey.
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? The single-minded focus, the ability to refine one idea or concept to its fullest potential and push my own personal limits.
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Washed Technical or Sensory? Sensory KFC or BK? Fried chicken or burgers… cant pick one (sorry) Catwoman or Batman? Catwoman Chocolate or vanilla? coffee Home or office? Is there a difference? Dairy or Plant-based? Old school dairy, but non-dairy milks are getting much better, very quickly
Ted Zhang, Independent, Auckland *
Personal Insta: @gonnerted
What was your first introduction to coffee? A takeaway latte that almost gave me a heart attack!
What’s in your cup? Filter from Colombia
Why do you want to compete? To take a challenge. To have fun and also suffer
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? Be nice to each cup of coffee I make
What’s your favourite family recipe? Egg-wrapped pork dumpling
Person in coffee who inspires you: Eric
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Natural Technical or Sensory? Sensory KFC or BK? KFC Catwoman or Batman? Batman Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate Home or office? Home Dairy or Plant-based? Dairy
Honoka Kawashima, Frank’s Coffee, Wellington *
Company Insta: @franks_coffee
Personal Insta:@kwsmhnk
What’s in your cup? Full of Love, tears, and efforts
Why do you want to compete? To develop my skills, challenge myself, and share the beauty of coffee
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? technical skills (consistency and keeping the area tidy), share what I’m doing at the competition with my customers.
What’s your favourite family recipe? Hot pot. Easy and fun
Person in coffee who inspires you: Luise from Flight Coffee, Frank from Frank’s, Logan from Mojo/ Hammerstone Coffee, Morgan Eckroth from Morgandrinkscoffee
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Natural Technical or Sensory Sensory KFC or BK? KFC Catwoman or Batman? Catwoman Chocolate or Vanilla Vanilla Home or Office Home Dairy or Plant-based? Dairy
Nara Lee, Handpicked Coffee Roasters, Auckland
Company Insta: @handpickedcoffeenz
Personal Insta: @nara8735
What was your first introduction to coffee? Honey-processed filter coffee from current husband and past boyfriend. Surprisingly strong honey flavour in the cup made me change my whole idea about the coffee taste
What’s in your cup? Nice taste with caring about things. Such as effort for consistent taste, and make people relax with a good smile.
Why do you want to compete? I made one piece of equipment and didn’t have a chance to share it for three years now. I need to do it soon!
What’s something you take from competitions into your everyday work life? I want to serve nice coffee for every time, so I spend time thinking with my business partner/my coach/husband to make more consistent with sustainability. These things gave me some ideas so want to share them with others who care about similar things.
What’s your favourite family recipe? Housemade orange syrup 15g with 35g of shot and 250g steamed milk
Person in coffee who inspires you: my coach Hansol Kim
Quickfire questions: Washed or natural? Natural Technical or Sensory? Sensory KFC or BK? KF cCatwoman or Batman? Catwoman Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate Home or office? home Dairy or Plant-based? dairy