Jeff emerged on the coffee scene in the same way he pours latte art: Layering by starting slowly, the patterns starting to reveal themselves and finally finishing with a flourish! As a young guy from the South Coast of KZN, at first glance you’d think Jeff was looking for a surf contest rather than the competitive barista stage, with his blonde mop of hair and the south coast drawl. Yet, as he has proved time and time again, behind this laid back persona is a very hard working, extremely focused barista with a hunger to tell stories through his art. He works at TriBeCa, training up the next generation of baristas.
This interview was conducted after his 4th time at Worlds, he came out of a brief retirement to compete and win again in 2025. This year he has moved to the judging panel, so he'll still be on stage!
How has life changed since your last win?
My life has changed quite a bit since my last win earlier this year. I’ve decided to take a break from competing to focus on training the next world champion. I have to admit, it’s been a relief not having the intense preparation of competition on top of my daily work tasks, which can be incredibly stressful and exhausting.
Each time I’ve competed and returned from the world championships, I’ve come back with new skills and insights on how to elevate my performance. Now, I’m excited to pass on that knowledge to someone else, helping them reach their potential on the global stage.
What has competing meant for your professional career?
Competing on a world level and being the South African champion has truly motivated my baristas to give their best, and it’s allowed me to become a role model for them. Winning the competition has also opened many doors—I’m now part of the TriBeCa team, South Africa’s leading coffee company.
Attending these competitions has been invaluable for networking and connecting with other coffee professionals, allowing me to learn new skills and stay up-to-date on the latest innovations. Competing at the world championships has given me the incredible opportunity to learn from some of the best artists globally, whose insights have shaped my craft over the years.
What have been some of your highlights?
One of my main highlights from competing at the World Latte Art Championship over the years was in Copenhagen. This trip stood out not only because of the incredible experience of exploring the city, but also because of the strong presence of South Africans at the event, which made it even more special.
Competing on a new machine and pouring my first two designs with oat milk was a unique challenge, it was extremely difficult, but overcoming those hurdles made the experience even more rewarding. I was also blown away by the level of complexity in the latte art this year, some of the designs from the top competitors were truly on another level.
While it wasn’t my best performance (I’d say that was at the Taiwan Championship in 2023), Copenhagen was memorable for the creativity it inspired. I decided to think outside the box and base my presentation on South African currency, a way to highlight my creativity and showcase my South African heritage
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What do you hope for the future of coffee culture in South Africa?
As a latte artist, one of the things I look forward to most is seeing the skill level of latte art continue to rise. I genuinely believe we have the potential to produce world champions, it’s in our blood. While latte art isn’t as big here as it is in other parts of the world, I think that as our skills improve, it will become a standout event at coffee competitions in South Africa.
To me, latte art requires a unique blend of skill and focus; it’s more than a technique, it’s a talent. Beyond latte art, I’d love to see more growth in our industry, especially in skills development and barista training. There are so many baristas here with the potential to go far, and I hope to see more of the younger generation making their mark in the future.
It would be incredible to see South Africa become one of the top coffee destinations in the world. We’re South Africans, and we have a way of excelling in everything we do.
Competition History
2016 KZN Champion
2018 KZN Runner Up
2020 SA Champion
2022 SA Champion World Latte Art Champs (WLAC) Milan
2023 SA Champion, WLAC Taipei
2024 SA Champion, WLAC Copenhagen
2025 SA Champion, WLAC Geneva
