April 07, 2015
Dmitriy Griekhov, Head Barista at Café Rider, a specialty coffee bar in Al Quoz (Dubai), will represent the UAE at the World Barista Championship 2015, which is set to take place from April 9 to 12, 2015 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, United States. Griekhov emerged as the winner among 28 competitors whose skills were put to the test at the 6th National UAE Barista Championship. The Championship was held from November 12 to 14, 2014 at the International Coffee & Tea Festival (ICTF), the only dedicated trade event for the specialty coffee and tea industry in the Arab World and is organised by International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E) the Licenced National Body for World Coffee Events.
The UAE Barista Championship highlighted the skills and knowledge of the country’s finest baristas. During the competition, each barista prepared and served four espressos, four cappuccinos, and four original espresso-based signature beverages to a panel of international and UAE-based judges in a 15-minute performance.
Two panels consisting of four international sensory judges, two technical judges and a head judge who, through a series of stringent criteria and scoring, evaluated the performances of all the top UAE Baristas. These judges awarded points based on technical capability, coffee knowledge, craftsmanship, communication skills, service skills, exceptional coffee quality and overall passion for the Barista profession.
The contenders had to introduce their coffee to the judges, provide reason for their choice in coffee and then systematically work their way through the 3 rounds of beverages, while interacting and serving the 4 sensory judges.
Ryan Godinho, Coffee Education and Championships Coordinator for the Organisers of the ICTF, said: “With each passing year, we see a substantial increase in the level of the professionalism, skills and overall performance of the Baristas. This is further evident with the ranking of UAE’s Champion Baristas as they advance to the next stage, being the annual World Barista Championship.”
The intense action will return to the 7th National UAE Barista Championship at the ICTF 2015. It will offer the most prestigious platform for the UAE’s best coffee professionals to display their knowledge, talent and skills while showcasing the vast differences between average coffee and specialty coffee. The battle for the title of the 7th Barista Champion will run from November 10 to 13, 2015.
Godinho added: “The UAE is gradually positioning itself as a major global market for specialty coffee, with a positive and consistent growth in its local Barista culture. With the advancing knowledge of specialty coffee, trade expertise as well as industry recognition of these skilled professionals, the level of service and quality of coffee is bound to improve, much to the benefit of the consumer. The objective of this competition is integral and aligned with the mission behind the ICTF as a whole, whereby it contributes to elevating the art of coffee preparation and specialty coffee appreciation. We congratulate Dmitriy Griekhov and wish him success as he proudly represents the UAE at the World Barista Championship 2015.”
Supported by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and World Coffee Events (WCE), ICTF will be held from November 11 to 13, 2015 at The Meydan Gallery and Convention Center in Dubai. It is the UAE’s only dedicated exhibition that showcases specialty coffee and tea products from around the world and attracts industry professionals from across the GCC, the MENA region, and the Indian sub-continent.
For more information on the coffee training, log on to: http://www.coffeeteafest.com/index.php/championships.