Yes, there is such thing and they are called World Barista Championship (WBC), Coffee Masters, World Latte Art Championship and many more…
You name it, we’ve got it. These are events that gather coffee enthusiasts from all over world and explore the world of coffee.
Many baristas are interested in competing in these international coffee events, but have doubt in their mind whether to enter or not.
Let me get this straight:
You’re not obligated to compete nor to win.
Best way to understand these events is through volunteer works, a great way to participate without all the stress and preparation that comes with competing in general. ALSO, it is still a great way to meet people, be able to go behind the scene, learn the tricks of competition and see how it is all done. Depending on the way position you volunteer to be, the level of participation and things for learning can varies.
Let me take a runner/dishwasher for instance, it might seems to be a really labour intensive job with no skills. However, often runners/dishwashers have much gaps between each competitors and it is a great way to wash dishes and trolley them around while striking a conversation with the person next to you. Let it be professional networking purpose or not, it is always great to meet another volunteer and carry out an in depth conversation. From personal experience, I have seen job being offered, extraction recipe exchange, gossips of industry and yes, the spark of romance... well... you name it .
So even if you have a slight interested in competition, you should definitely sign up as a volunteer in such events so you understand what are the buzz all about.
To potential competitors out there, you have to remember that you’re not obligated to win. This is something that many competitors forget in the early days through their journey. Just cause you didn’t win the WBC of 2018, it should not stop you to try again!
YOU are not obligate to win it is the competition that is obligated to choose someone to win.
If you have taken the step to enter, you have already concurred yourself to push coffee industry another step further. There is nothing that says you have to win, but there is nothing better in life than stepping out of your comfort zone and letting others understand coffee is more than just a ritual but its whole journey are there to be appreciated. Think of the effort, the learning and the rewards that may bring for the future. All the merrier!
Naturally, there are many good reasons to enter a competition. You can use the opportunity to find out how your skills sits compare to an local/international stage, and even get direct feedback from those who judges you. Many competition are sponsored by industry related business and often there are money or gift pack for grabs. But at the end of the day, there is nothing comparing to the feeling of being able to hold up your medal/trophy and say: “I made it in the competition, my effort has paid off and now being recognise by a bigger crowd!!” So, noble sentiments aside, if you're entering a competition, you should work as hard as possible to win. Because whatever you ended up learning & taking away from the journey of competition. It is all yours and yours only.
Let us know if these blog posts are helping you to understand more about the coffee industry.
