Cape Town - In a (caffeine) rush against the clock, champion barista Winston Thomas from Strand needs a final push in his fund-raising campaign to participate in the World Barista Championship in Melbourne, Australia, later this year.
Thomas, owner of Winston Douglas Coffee and current 2020 South African Barista Champion, has his sights set on the top spot at the prestigious competition set to take place at the end of September.
In his GoGetFunding campaign, Thomas describes the competition as the “Olympics of coffee, and the World Barista Championships is the main event – the 100m sprint!”
“I have participated in this event twice before. In 2017 finishing 41st in the world, and in 2018 finishing 32nd in the world – a South African has never made it past the first round and on to the semi-finals and finals.
“On my third attempt I am older, wiser and understand what it takes to do better. The only challenge is that I do not have the financial backing given to competitors each year due to Covid-19-related challenges, thus the fund-raising campaign,” said Thomas.
He explained that his participation in the international competition was postponed by two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but he was ready to brew up a storm in Melbourne later this year despite a large portion of funding for the competition having to come from his own pocket.
With a goal of US$4 500 (about R75 000), Thomas aims to get the final push for funding over the next few days.
Thomas said that at the competition he had to choose one coffee, four espresso drinks, four milk drinks and four signature beverages without alcohol, and serve them to four sensory judges.
“I have to explain my coffee, explain my theme and serve it to them in a manner that is very hospitable. I will also have a technical judge following me around, judging my working ability. I need to do all of this in 15 minutes, and I need to get a very special coffee and tell the judges why this coffee is also very special,” said Thomas.
He will go head to head against about 80 competitors.
“I’m hoping that this year, I can make it not just to the second round, but all the way to the finals and bring the title home,” said Thomas.
To donate towards Thomas’s fund-raising campaign, visit: https://bit.ly/3Q1njH7.
Cape Times