Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/139019
NINE BARS by Chris Ryan CHRIS RYAN Newly crowned Pete Licata breaks down his WBC victory WINNING MIX: Pete Licata's signature drink featured espresso, bitters and simple syrup made with palm sugar. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA—Pete Licata didn't get to have much fun in the days leading up to the World Barista Championship. He was all business upon arriving in Melbourne, pulling shots and practicing his routine before moving to the big stage, where he methodically took down the competition to nab the title of the world's top barista. With the work out of the way, though, Licata could finally relax. Less than 48 hours after the WBC announcement, I met up with him as he toured Melbourne cafés with his coach and longtime friend, Holly Bastin. As we sat at Brother Baba Budan—a cozy shop with the memorable decoration of wooden chairs suspended from the ceiling—the conversation was loose and ranging but inevitably circled back to barista competitions, a realm where Licata has now achieved the highest status. He's been competing since 2005 and came close to becoming the world's best in 2011, when he placed second at the WBC in Bogota with a routine in which he picked, processed and roasted Hawaiian coffee himself. This year the theme of his presentation was highlighting the many hands that touch a coffee from seed to cup, and his 48 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com spotlighted coffee was a 2011 Cup of Excellence winner from Finca La Primavera in Colombia's Huila department. The 35-year-old Licata currently works as quality assurance manager for Kansas City, Mo.-based roaster Parisi Artisan Coffee, but the next year will see him traveling the world as an ambassador for specialty coffee. Clad in a black Barista Guild of America jacket, Licata talked about how he dealt with the second-place finish, what was special about this year's routine and how the world of barista competition is evolving. Q:A: What was it like to finish second in Bogota? There were a lot of mixed emotions. I was disappointed that I didn't win, but at the same time I'd had some really great chances to interact and talk with [winner] Alejandro [Mendez of El Salvador]. We ended up sharing a training space before the WBC; we practiced two days in a row pulling shots, making drinks and tasting each other's coffee. He's a really great guy and I was extremely happy for him. And I actually had said, while I was out picking coffee in the fields, that if this year