From 11 to 14 of June 2024, 27 of the most talented Starbucks baristas from across Asia Pacific and Japan came together in Hong Kong to compete for the titles of Regional Barista Champion and Latte Art Champion. Now in its 8th year, the Asia Pacific Regional Barista Championships is a time-honored platform that celebrates the deep coffee passion, craft, and expertise of Starbucks partners.
This year, the competition spanned four days and saw the competitors showcase their coffee knowledge and creativity, as they fiercely represented the best of coffee craft from 14 markets across the region.
All the winners of 2024 Starbucks Regional Barista Championship.
Over the course of a 15-minute presentation, the finalists executed their Pour Over, Latte Art, and Signature Beverage while telling a story of what inspired their unique creations. And after a close competition, Gorgeous “George” Lord Emanuel from Starbucks Reserve Dewata Bali was named the runner-up winner of the 2024 Regional Barista Championship in front of a live crowd, as well as 30,000 coffee passionate partners who tuned in to watch the live broadcast.
“I was excited to share somethingthat changed my perspective of a barista in this progressive world of coffee in a huge embracement of automation. This fascinating phenomenon triggers me with a simple question, ‘What makes us irreplaceable as a barista?’ For almost 3 years I’ve been at Starbucks, I found the virtues that make us irreplaceable as a barista: sense of artistry, empathy, and novelty,” said George.
He added, “At the competition, I portrayed the sense of artistry through my swan latte art, empathy through a beautiful manual brew blend from Sumatra (70% Medium roast Indonesia Aceh, and 30% Light roast Reserve Indonesia Mount Leuser), and lastly, I showed the sense of novelty through my signature beverage, Suwarnadwipa, which means The Land of Gold, for a tribute to the beautiful land of Sumatra.”
George and Aldy bring victory for Starbucks Indonesia market – making Indonesia the only country who send their best baristas and excel in both category, Barista and Latte Art.
