Battle for the most artistic latte pour
Print Edition
It was only two years ago that Li Qi from Jilin Province chose to become a barista, and yet in December, she achieved coffee maker stardom in Guangzhou when she became the champion at China’s 2016 World Latte Art Championship (WLAC).
As the winner in China, Li will represent her country at the final competition in March in Shanghai, where baristas from across the world battle over who pours the most intricate latte patterns.
Li and her fellow competitors had two months to prepare for the competition and hone their skills.
But instead of elbowing each other, the barista community was supportive of one another, offering advice and helpful input, Li said. “We practiced together and supported each other. It was my colleagues who helped me to perfect my design and my skills,” Li said humbled, and attributed her success to the strong team behind her, “Although it was me competing on the stage, I was not alone. It’s crucial to have such a great team here.”
In the weeks leading up to the competition, Li made at least 100 cups of coffee per day, often practiced until 2 or 3 am, and even developed a method that allows her to give her latte art a stronger contrast.
On stage, Li’s hearts, swans and roses amazed judges and the audience, but it was her design of two red-crowned crane birds flying in the sunset that secured her a spot as one of China’s top latte artists.
“I’ll go for the first place for the upcoming world competition,” Li said. “Of course, it’s my own expectation and goal. I wouldn’t say I am being too confident but I will strive for it,” she said.
The WLAC, along with the World Cup Taster’s Championship, World Coffee Roasting Championship, and World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship will be held at Hotelex at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, from 29 March to 1 April.
World Latte Art Championship
Since 2005, the World latte Art Championship has promoted barista art across the globe. In the preliminary round of the WLAC, baristas are required to produce a single creative latte pattern at the Art Bar, and then move to the Stage to create two identical free-pour lattes and two identical designer lattes.
Scores from the art bar and the stage are combined, and the top 6 competitors qualify for the final round, where they are asked to create two identical free-pour macchiato, two identical free-pour lattes, and two identical designer patterned lattes. The top-scoring competitor in the final round is declared the World Latte Art Champion. Baristas are judged based on visual attributes, creativity, identical patterns in the pairs, contrast in patterns, and overall performance.
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