11 May 2007
With 8 regional heats from Rotherham to St Austell, London to Lisburn the UKBC 2007 tour saw nearly 100 of the UK’s top baristas battling it out for the title of UK Barista Champion.
We were really happy to team up with The Clifton Coffee Company to co-host the first Bristol and Wales regional heat. In the past barista’s from the area would travel to either Cornwall or Wales so it was nice keep it ‘local’. The carbon neutral restaurant and bar Bordeaux Quay ( bordeaux-quay.co.uk) were kind enough to let us use their fantastic premises for the event which saw many first timers enter – all of whom said they really enjoyed the event, and would definitely enter again next year.
As you’re sure to know by now James Hoffman from La Spaziale managed to retain the title during the final at the IFE show, but not without some stiff competition from Se Gorman of Café Krem in Newry, N. Ireland who came in a close second only 29.50 points behind James’ 721 point winning score. Se impressed the judges with his general flair throughout the presentation and his signature drink using a combination of liquorice and coffee. We were really pleased to see Edmund Buston from The Clifton Coffee Company come in third place with 682 points with his Chai espresso. Possibly not as pleased as his wife Emma as their first baby is due the weekend of the WBC, so a first place and a trip to Japan may have caused some strife on the home front.
James will now go head to head with some of our barista friends around the world to compete at the WBC in Tokyo – all our best wishes to him…. and Silvia in Brazil, Facundo from Argentina, Lene from Denmark and Eleen in Singapore, Imma from Iceland, and the lovely Ciara from Spain to name but a few……………..
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