The Soul Origin National Barista Competition

The Soul Origin National Barista Competition

It’s here… the biggest event in the Soul Origin calendar. Our Highly Decorated Coffee Team have started visiting Soul Origin stores nationwide, to find the BEST Barista in Australia. With over 50 Teams and 80 Individual Competitors, it is our biggest competition to date... If you’ve ever had a coffee from Soul Origin, you know the competition will be tough. With each State Round, contestants will be tested on their impeccable coffee skills, with a focus on the technical and sensory aspects of coffee. Each State Round Winner will then be flown to Sydney for their chance to win the National Barista Title. Only one Barista can win…

 

Individual Barista Competition

With a time limit of only 15 minutes, each individual competitor must make 4 espressos, 4 milk-based beverages (8oz cups) and 4 signature beverages. If this wasn’t tough enough, for every 30 seconds over 15 minutes, the competitor will lose a point.

 

This is not just a test of speed. Competitors will also need to describe why they have selected a particular coffee (House Blend, Decaf or Single Origin). For the espresso round, the Competitor must describe in detail the taste, flavour, texture, and the recipe they used to the Judges.

 

The next round focusing on milk-based beverages requires immense coffee knowledge. With competitors judged on how the milk they have heated compliments their coffee choice. While this task may sound simple, the competitors must decide on how much to fill the 8oz cup to ensure the flavour is balanced and harmonious. A stunning coffee should be a well-balanced mix of sweet, salty, and acidic flavours.

 

To tap into the creative side of our competitors, our Judges implemented the Signature Beverage round. Each Signature Beverage must highlight the flavours of the coffee they have chosen and not overpower it. Competitors can draw inspiration from a range of areas- cocktails, desserts etc. The aim of this round is to determine how a competitor can elevate the espresso using their ingredients to make a delicious signature beverage.

 

Team Barista Competition

The Team Rounds focus on execution, teamwork and consistency. The teams are made up of 3 Soul Origin Team Members become a well-oiled machine during the rounds. The Judges will hand the team a card with 15 random beverages on it- this may include syrups, alternative milks and can be anything on the Soul Origin menu.

 

The teams will be judged on their speed and efficiency, quality of coffees served, communication skills and creativity/flair. Our Judges have been absolutely blown away by the Team performances so far, with the Teams showcasing so many of the Soul Origin values including inclusive, human, reliable, energetic, and fresh.

 

National Barista Competition Finals

Our Regional Round Winners have the opportunity to battle it out at the Soul Origin National Barista Competition, held in Sydney. Our Individual Competitors will again make 4 espresso, 4 milk-based beverages (8oz cups) and 4 signature beverages, this time facing the best of the best for the ultimate battle.

 

While our Teams again will need to step it up to impress our Judges, nailing all 15 beverages (of course under a time constraint) to take out the title of the National Team Barista Champions.

 

Regional Round Winners:

 

WA:

WA Individual: Evan

WA Team: Team Cockburn (Milan, Sanjay and Arjun)

 

SA/NT:

SA/NT Individual: Raj

SA/NT Team: Team Rundle Mall (Bek, Judy and Molly)

 

QLD:

QLD Individual: Chloe

QLD Team: Myer Centre (Andy, Emily and Chiara)

 

NSW/ACT:

NSW/ACT Individuals: Kane, Wilson, Jirimate and Kristina

NSW/ACT Teams: Team Lake Haven and Team Macarthur

 

Victoria:

Vic Individual: Resham, Timmy and Loki

Vic Teams: Team Melbourne Galleria and Team Airport West

 

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