"Welcome to Five Senses Coffee"

Barista competitions can be extremely stressful. The only way a barista can prove their ability is by entering the competition, and therefore, everyone who makes it to the stage can be categorised as being in the top of the field. Competition preparation is daunting and the attention to detail is essential, which is why a competition barista will always be better in a café than one without competitive experience. With the lead up to the event being a bit of an emotional roller coaster, I’ve found that it’s crucial to be well-rehearsed and impeccably organised.

To prepare for the competition, I like to complete my preparation in a particular order. First on the list is the selection of a blend. This can also provide inspiration for my signature drink and a theme for my performance. In order to chose the blend, I taste all of the great coffee that I have on offer and pick a bean that has distinguishing characteristics and clear descriptors. Then, if required, I combine the initial bean with another bean that will allow the first to retain those characteristics while also adding balance.

Once the blend has been chosen it is on to the next task, which also happens to be the most daunting – creating the signature drink. Because I believe in the importance of aromatic appeal, I generally stick to the warm drinks. That’s not to say that a cold drink will never work, I just think that people tend to be more receptive to warm drinks.

After the blend and the signature drink have been established, it is time to select the table and glassware. The signature drink, depending on how it looks, will contribute a lot of inspiration to the table setting.

From here, developing the script is relatively simple. I recall why I chose my selected coffee, as well as signature drink. This year it was because I had an outstanding coffee in both espresso and cappuccino blends.

Once the logistics are complete, the rest comes down to practice. I need to make sure that everything runs smoothly and that I am picking up points where needed. I will only do run-throughs for the last couple of weeks before the competition as it is a seriously time consuming exercise!

Along with the run-throughs, it is important to make a checklist of the items I need to take with me to the competition on the day of the event. This is to ensure that nothing of importance is left behind. Unfortunately I learned this the hard way when I forgot my saucers at home during one of my first competitions!

Entering the barista competition is one of the most rewarding, albeit life consuming, experiences a barista can have, but with organised preparation, it certainly doesn’t have to be the most stressful.