Name: Romeo O. Chimunya
Age: 31
Region and Position: Western Cape - 6th place
Company and Position: Bean There Coffee Company - Cape Town Roastery Manager
Coffee used at Regionals: DR Congo Virunga
When did you start making coffee? 2009
Who do you most look up to in the coffee industry? Cuth Bland
Where is your dream coffee destination? Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee
Why do you compete in these coffee competitions? To show the world that it is not just coffee. It is a skill and art topped up with passion.
What's your favourite food? Pap & Beef Stew
And your favourite beverage other than coffee? Beer, of course
Name: ALEX SIBUSISO MABALEKA
Age: 28
Region and Position:
EASTERN CAPE, BEST SIGNATURE DRINK AND 4TH PLACEMENT
Company and Position:
SEATTLE COFFEE COMPANY (PE), HEAD BARISTA
Coffee used at Regionals:
USED THE SEATTLE SIGNATURE BLEND, A BLEND THAT WE USE IN OUT STORES AND IT’S MADE OF 4 DIFFERENT TYPES OF SINGLE ORIGINS WHICH ARE COSTA RICA, EL SALVADO, RWANDA AND INDONESIAN SUMATRA
When did you start making coffee?
I JOINED THE COFFEE MAKING INDUSTRY IN SEPTEMBER 2011 IN PLETTENBERG BAY IN A COFFEE SHOP CALLED HOLA CAFÉ.
Who do you most look up to in the coffee industry?
IN THIS COFFEE INDUSTRY I LOOK UP TO A FEW PEOPLE WHO MADE MY JOURNEY AS A BARISTA POSSIBLE AND THEY ARE JOSEPH TEWU A MAN WHO GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A BARISTA, SHAUN AUPIAIS WHO IS MY COACH AND WE COME A LONG WAY MYSELF AND HIM AND ALSO MY BOSS BILLY BOTHA HE BELIEVED IN M AND TO PROVE IT HE MADE IF POSSIBLE FOR ME TO COMPETE IN THE REGIONALS
Where is your dream coffee destination?
NO SPECIFIC DESTINATION BUT MY DREAM IS FOR ME TO ONE DAY BE ABLE TO TRAIN OTHER PEOPLE TO BECOME BARISTAS LIKE MYSELF AND ALSO TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT COFFEE.
Why do you compete in these coffee competitions?
I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT COFFEE AND MY CUSTOMERS ALWAYS ENCOURAGE ME TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD IN THE COFFEE INDUSTRY. SO I HAD TO COMPETE FOR MYSELF AND MY CUSTOMERS
What's your favourite food?
A PLATE OF PAP AND BEEF STEW OR CHICKEN STEW
And your favourite beverage other than coffee?
I HAVE A FEW TO CHOOSE FROM BUT I ALWAYS DRINK GINGER ALE MORE THAN OTHERS
Name: Wency Masawi
Age: 22
Region and Position: KZN- latte art runner up and top 6 barista champ finalist
Company and Position: Ninos- KZN barista trainer
Coffee used at Regionals: Blacksmith Unity Blend
When did you start making coffee? 2010
Who do you most look up to in the coffee industry? Bernard Muneri SA ,Pete Lecata USA
Where is your dream coffee destination? Seattle
Why do you compete in these coffee competitions? To showcase my talent and mainly passion.
What's your favourite food? Pap and any type of nyama
And your favourite beverage other than coffee? Mixology- lipotonic
Name: ZELDRICO HANSEN
Age: 22 YEARS OLD
Region and Position:
EASTERN CAPE, 5TH PLACE
Company and Position:
SEATTLE COFFEE CO (PE) BARISTA
Coffee used at Regionals:
THE SEATTLE SIGNATURE BLEND
When did you start making coffee?
NOVEMBER 2014
Who do you most look up to in the coffee industry?
SHAUN AUPIAIS
Where is your dream coffee destination?
TO HAVE MY OWN COFFEE SHOP AND TRAINING CENTRE TO HELP YOUNG MEN FINDING JOBS IN THE COFFEE INDUSTRY
Why do you compete in these coffee competitions?
THIS YEAR WAS MY FIRST TIME COMPETING, SO I SEE IT AS A BIG OPPORTUNITY OF RECOGNITION
What's your favourite food?
SALADS AND PIZZA
And your favourite beverage other than coffee?
ORANGE JUICE AND MY SIGNATURE DRINK
Full name: Bilbo Steyn
Age: 30
Region and position: WC- 4th
Company and position: TriBeCa- Regional Beverage Manager
Coffee used at Regionals: Panama Palmyra
When did you start making coffee: I started making coffee mid 2007
Who do you most look up to in the coffee industry: I love the work of Lovejoy Chirambasukwa and Mike MacDonald and how technical Mike can get and how LJ has a 6th sense for it. I admire Sa'ad Lahri for his passion even though he doesn't work with coffee for a living yet always shares his coffee from all over the world with us. The Carlson family are my Coffee Heroes, I worry about them and think of their battle often. Joanne Berry is my ultimate coffee crush because I just love her work and how generously she shares her knowledge. Plus, she is the world's most verocious coffee debater!!
Where is your dream coffee destination? I would love to visit Ethiopia and Bolivia one day.
Why do you compete in these coffee competitions? I want to use Arno's answer, because I'm a sadist! Truth be told, standing on the outside looking in, I get terrible FOMO. I love making coffee and onstage is just another way of doing it, except you have to watch your language and hopefully impress the socks off your judges.
What's your favourite food? I'll settle for my mom's braaied snoek and my sister's caramelized sweet potatoes any day.
What's your favourite drink other than coffee? Gin, including all versions and derivatives of it :)
