4.22.2009

Banana Dang at WBC 2009

The world's best baristas from 52 nations just competed for the crown at the 10th Annual World Barista Championship 2009 in Atlanta. #1 went to U.K.'s GWILYM DAVIES!!! #2 Canada's Sam Piccolo and #3 USA's Mike Phillips. It was an amazing performance by all, including Puerto Rico's Daniel Rivera.

WBC/SCAA Conference was a coffee geek fest—an excellent chance to network with friends and coffee professionals. Best part: rows (seemed like a mile long) of the best baristas in the world serving espressos, lattes and cappuccinos—all you can drink for the price of admission! To get in FREE, we volunteered to do dishes for 10 hours, but it was an unbeatable learning experience.

In front of a live crowd and countless cameras, baristas prepared 4 espressos, 4 cappuccinos and 4 signature drinks in the allotted time of 15 minutes. They were judged on everything—including cleanliness, technicality, speed, but most of all—the proof is in the cup.

Once again, it was an international mix of vendors associated with espresso machines, roasters, teas, baked goods, hardware, and chocolate (yum). We soaked in labs and lectures that taught latte art hosted by USA/World champ Heather Perry and #3 USBC 2009 winner Scott Lucey, cupping, roasting and biz management. And the parties lasted all night as coffee poured like chocolate from Willy Wonka's Factory.

Pix highlights include:
* Lee Jong Hoon: #6 WBC Finalist from Korea
* Phuong Tran: 2005 USBC winner and the only "other" Vietnamese in Specialty Coffee
* Matt Milletto: Bellisimo Coffee (coffee educator)

WBC gave us even more *spark* to present the best Puerto Rican coffees. With this knowledge, Banana Dang will offer our own Barista Training Certification Program. We look forward to serving you the best cup.

We also got to visit family in Atlanta—my cousin Phi Phi, husband Jae and their baby boy, BABY CALEB. In this picture, he is curiously checking out his second cousin! Ha ha.

Always Caffeinated,
T2 and Mario