Winning Ways at Opposite Café
Raise
a coffee cup and toast the VQ’s Opposite Café Manager Howard Barwick,
who has just gained third place in the prestigious 2012 UK Barista*
Championship final. In the world of coffee making, this is the
equivalent to an athlete winning a bronze medal at the Olympics! Howard
earned a place in the semi final and then the UK final after winning one
of the competition heats held in the Midlands in March. The SCAE
(Speciality Coffee Association of Europe) UK Chapter held both
the semi-final and final rounds of the UK Barista Championship at The
London Coffee Festival on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 April 2012. The
event saw the 20 top scoring Baristas from 6 regional heats, perform
their routines in front of 4 Sensory Judges, 2 Technical Judges, 1 Head
Judge, a packed spectator arena, and an international audience via the
live video stream. To evaluate all 20 competitors in one day, 2 teams
of judges were in rotation. During their performance the competitors had
to prepare and serve 4 espressos, 4 cappuccinos and 4 non-alcoholic
espresso-based signature drinks. With a requirement to take at least 2
sips of each drink type placed before them. Each judge certainly
consumed a large amount of coffee!!! The VQ’s Howard Barwick was one of
just six to reach the emotionally charged final. His winning routine in
front of a well-calibrated team, which included 3 World Coffee Events
certified judges was an impressive one. “The preparation in the months
leading up to the competition was extremely hard work. Then backstage
getting everything ready for the final was pretty nerve-wracking, but
actually being on stage during the event was a lot of fun and I really
enjoyed it,” enthuses Opposite Café Manager and competition finalist
Howard Barwick. “To be announced as third in the UK Barista Championship
was just amazing and a great honour.” So it’s huge congratulations to
Howard and of course, if you fancy an award-winning cup of coffee, The
VQ’s the place to be……………. Opposite Cafe Upper Gazebo, Queen Victoria
Street, The Victoria Quarter, Leeds w: www.oppositecafe.co.uk
