Thats right, its coming up to that time of year again! However the 2010 comps look to be hotter than ever, with competitor spaces filled in what seems like record time from what the powers that be are commenting!

Starting of in the hot bed of Christchurch – always a good show there, as the previous 6 years the national winner has hailed from here. Then move on to the unofficial coffee capital Wellington, and the final heat in the big smoke Auckland!

The Finals this year will also be held in Auckland – Who will be crowned New Zealand Barista Champion 2010?

Details on the heats are:

Christchuch - Saturday 6th March 9am- 7pm at C4 Roastery Lichfield Street Christchurch

Wellington – Sunday 21st March 9am- 7pm at Caffe L’affare Wellington.

Auckland – Sunday 28th March 9am-7pm Bell Tea and Coffee Auckland.

National Final – Saturday 17th April at Allpress Roastery in Auckland

For more info on the competition, its sponsors and the coffee roasters association check out:  http://www.nzcra.org.nz/barista_champs.php?id=18

Are you coming to support your favourite Barista?

Catch ya there!

Coffeeman

After being inspired by a few pics of some naked portafilter photos from various sources, i have been wanting to try capturing some good photo shots of a coffee extraction thru a naked Portafilter – but havent been happy with my results.
In Step a good mate of mine Frank! He among other talents loves capturing moments in a still shot!
With myself making coffee, and Frank on the Camera we managed to have a fair bit of fun. Franks ability to get the right balance on his camera, we were fairly impressed with the results.

The Shots Frank took where taken on a Canon 500D D-SLR, and the coffee machine that the coffee was made on was a “Rocket”.

Frank (made2serve) has uploaded the best of the shots on his Flickr account – where you can also see some of his other amazing shots.

Check out the “Espresso Porn” we shot here!

Coffeeman

P.S the term porn is in this instance not refering to the human variety, but to the subject of naked coffee – just the way we like it!

Tags: andrew feldon, coffeeman, frank ritchie, latte art, portafilter, rocket espresso machine

I have been a bit slow in writing this post with the results of the local Manawatu Hospitaity Awards for 2009.
The awards took place last sunday – the 11th October 2009. It was a great night Emcee’d by Comedian Dai Henwood, very professional MC – and kept everyone entertained! (altho – i now see why he gets all the short jokes on the tv show “7 days” – i am 6′7″ and i felt like i was towering over him! – sorry Dai!) Anyway needless to say i was very impressed by Dai!

Anyway the awards…

The Finalists and Winners were as follows:(Winners of each Category is bold)

Toops Restaurant of the Year: The establishment offers a fine menu, service and welcoming ambience. It has ease of access and professional, well-tuned waiting staff.

Aberdeen Steakhouse & Bar
Bethany’s Restaurant & Café
Bella’s Café
Nero Café & Bar
The Gallery Restaurant
Zoe’s at the Kingsgate
Lone Star Café & Bar
La Patio at Hotel Coachman

Toops Ethnic Restaurant of the Year: The establishment offers a fine menu, service and welcoming ambience
and reflects authentic national cuisine. It has ease of access and professional, well-tuned waiting staff.

Monsoon Asian
Yatai Japanese Isakaya Restaurant
Hana Mizu Ki Japanese Restaurant
Bangkok Thai Restaurant
Mr India
Chada Thai
Thai Orchid Restaurant
China Inn Restaurant & Bar

Davis Trading Café of the Year: The café offers vibrancy, with personable staff. It’s in tune with current café trends and expectations. The coffee is superb with great food and slick service.

Café Cuba
Barista The Espresso Bar
The Elm Café
The Herb Farm Café
Café Express
The Stage Door Café
Moxies Café
Aqaba

M&P Young Caterer of the Year: An individual or company which provides quality food and beverage menus served by professional staff with consummate decorum. They heed all requirements of the event and anticipate every contingency.

Not Now James Catering
Hester Guy Catering
The Verdict Café
Wharerata Function Centre
Café Express
Kingsgate Hotel
Focal Point Cinema Coffee & Wine Bar
Creative Catering

Davis Trading Takeaway of the Year: The takeaway provides quality fast food along with exceptional customer service. Offers value and variety.

Annie’s Takeaways
Stads Takeaways
Spice Kitchen
Burger Fuel
Fishtown Takeaways
Pompeii Pizza
Fish King (Feilding)
Star of India Authentic Takeaway

The Breweries Pub/Tavern of the Year: Friendly, comfortable surrounds. Good food and beverage and service
with a smile.

The Celtic Inn
The Grand Beer Café
The Speights Ale House
The Brewers Apprentice
Rose & Crown Olde English Pub
Rosie O’Grady’s
The Drovers Return Bar & Café
The Office

Pernod Ricard Bar/nightclub of the Year: Great atmosphere and music with a broad selection of drinks. Trendy, fashionable night spot. The place to be seen.

High Flyers Bar & Café
The Fish Cocktail & Wine Bar
Uno Basement Bar
The Brewers Apprentice
Mao Bar
Malbas Bar & Nightclub
Cobb & Co

Manawatu Standard Supplier of the Year: Consistent and prompt product delivery. Committed to top quality
and innovative products. Demonstrates customer loyalty.

Village Wine Trader
Davis Trading
M&P Young
Toops
Bidvest Food Service
Riverlea Hydroponics
Breadworks
Chefs Choice

Tootill Electrical Accommodation Provider of the Year: This establishment offers the full package. The place you would recommend to visitors to stay in the Manawatu.

Bentley’s Motor Inn
Travelodge
Quest
Hacienda Motor Lodge
Kingsgate Hotel
Arena Lodge
Hotel Coachman
Fitzherbert Regency

NZ Restaurant Association Hospitality Personality of the Year: An award for an individual, who over an extended period of time, has shown outstanding commitment to the betterment of Manawatu’s hospitality industry. The winner will be a well known personality through their continued involvement in the marketplace and will be respected industry-wide for business achievements.

Chetan Pangam (Kingsgate Hotel)
Reuben Leung-Wai (Bethany’s Restaurant)
Fay McSweeney (Davis Trading)
Sean Kereama (Wharerata Function Centre)
Sharon Mann (UCOL)
Anne Maree Jeffries (Spostato Restaurant)
Caro Reynolds (Aqaba)
Michelle Callum (The Grand Beer Café)

Bidvest Chef of the Year: An inspiration in all aspects of cooking. Creates great food and runs a superb,
consistent kitchen.

Trevor Salang (The Gallery)
Scott Kennedy (Nero Café & Bar)
Mark Harman (La Patio)
Chetan Pangam (Zoe’s at the Kingsgate)
Anna Morris (The Elm Café)
Reuben Leung-Wai (Bethany’s & Rendezvous)

Kingsgate Barista of the Year: Professional and passionate about coffee making. Evaluates coffee making to a true art form.

Abi Purshan (Barista)
Juanita Trow (Café Soskeys)
Eamon Gilbert (The Stage Door Café)
Richie Higham (The Stage Door Café)
Chris Monk (Café Cuba)
Andrew Feldon (Streetwise Coffee)

Bidvest Ethnic Chef of the Year: A quality culinary ambassador for their national cuisine.

Amit Kumar (Spice Kitchen)
Atsushi Taniyama (Yatai)
Hamit Gultekin (Halikarnas)
Yashwant Singh (Mirrch Masala)
Virender (Mr India)
King Lun Kan (Ken’s Kitchen)

UCOL Commis Chef of the Year: A person showing the potential to become an outstanding chef. Shows great work ethic, attitude and is passionate about cooking.

Jelena Mills (Nero Café & Bar)
Maria Calderon (Kingsgate Hotel)
Ryan Marshall (Aberdeen Steakhouse & Bar)
Jessie Bird (The Elm Café)
Alisa Carmichael (Café Cuba)
Michael Brill (Rendezvous Restaurant & Bar)

Crombie Lockwood Maitre d’ of the Year: Demonstrates pace with grace and a totally unflappable nature.
This genuine ‘personality’ simply and consistently delivers the very best.

Fiona Helson (Mao Bar)
Lenny Ross (Barista The Espresso Bar)
Yvette Kennedy (Neros)
Anne-Maree Jefferies (Spostato)
Alastair Pearson (Bella’s Café)
Barbara Taniyama (Yatai)

HSI Food Service Person of the Year: Has full knowledge of food and beverage products. Uses initiative, is
perceptive, tactful and has a great personality. Good sales ability and sound skills. Always well groomed and a team player.

Regan Steer (Mao Bar)
Kate Mandry-Gilliford (Aberdeen Restaurant)
Hayden Temperly (Bella’s Café)
Victoria Hartley (Nero Café & Bar)
Linton Wallace (Kingsgate)
Ashleigh Henderson (Bethany’s Restaurant)

The Breweries Bartender of the Year: Superb product knowledge, amiable and discrete, with a unique personal style. Must possess excellent memory skills and sense of humour.

Richie Higham (The Fish Cocktail & Wine Bar)
Susan Warner (Wally’s Bar)
Maxine McKeage (The Grand Beer Café)
Kim Ross (Kingsgate Hotel)
Jacqui Haitana (The Celtic Inn)
Joe Seah (Mao Bar)

Also, i’d personally like to just say thanks to the many people whom have supported me in being able to retain the Manawatu Barista of the year! the local support has been incredible! Thank you to all our regular customers! You really do help me enjoy serving you, and striving to make you the best possible coffee i can!

Thanks!

Coffeeman

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago the workshops for the NZ Barista competition were about to start making thier way around the country!
I was lucky enough to attend the Wellington one last weekend. It was great to have Carl Sara giving his advice on how to approach the competition to get the best out of it. He has a wealth of knowledge about the coffee he chooses and why he chooses it. Also between Carl and Emma Markland-Webster (and a few other experienced competitors and Judges) explaining the rules inside out and what they look for, it helps us to be better prepared when approaching the competitions!

And Judging by the enthusiasm of the people that attended, Next years competitions could be exciting with alot of fantastic coffees being put forward!

So, if the roadshow is coming to your neck of the woods soon and your thinking about the competitions, i would recommend attending – maybe even take a notebook, the simplest tip might gain you some points come competition day!

For details about the competition workshops near you, check out www.nzcra.org.nz

They also have a forum where you can discuss ideas, and ask questions on the NZ Coffee Roasters Association Website!

Enjoy!

Coffeeman

While i think of it, i’d like to let anyone whos interested in entering the 2010 NZ Barista Championship about the Roadshows which will be happening very soon!

Let Carl Sara, four time NZ Barista Champion, and Emma Markland Webster, our first NZ Champion and World Barista Championship accredited judge, share their insights and tips with you.

The primary goal of the workshop is to clearly communicate expectations of the competitor. Some of the questions that will be answered are:

“What is a signature beverage and how do I develop one for competition?”

“How do I ensure the beverage has ‘a dominant taste of espresso’?”

There will also be time for specific difficulties that potential competitors struggle with.

This is a very unique opportunity. Carl and Emma, as well as many others have volunteered their time in order to encourage more great baristas to enter and compete.

TOP THREE TO TRAVEL TO LONDON 2010

The ROADSHOW is a must for those that want to do well in the NZ Barista Championship events that are beginning March 2010.

Roadshow!

Free event. Spaces are limited. Places allotted to those most committed to entering.
Date: Sunday, 04 October 2009
Time: 11:00 – 13:30
Location: Mojo HQ. Shed 13. Kumutoto Plaza.
Street: 37 Customhouse Quay.
Town/City: Wellington, New Zealand

Date: Monday, 12 October 2009
Time: 17:00 – 19:30
Location: Atomic Coffee Roasters.
Street: 420c NEW NORTH ROAD, Kingsland
Town/City: Auckland, New Zealand

Thursday, 15 October 2009
Time: 18:00 – 21:00
Location: Coffee Supreme HQ
Street: 218 a Madras Street
Town/City: Christchurch, New Zealand

Date: Monday, 19 October 2009
Time: 17:00 – 19:10
Location: Mojo Coffee
Street: 329 Princes Street
Town/City: Dunedin, New Zealand

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Emma MW. If you dont know who she is, you soon will! – you can leave a a message here to RSVP, and i will ensure she gets it!
Check out www.nzcra.org.nz for further details.

Whos going?
I know i will be at the Wellington one!

Coffeeman

Its obvious, i havent posted for a while.
Not for a matter of not wanting to.
I just have been wanting to get some more “meaty” topics to talk about on here. Still i havent posted any for quite some time. And during that time i have had much time to think about what to do with my site and blog. Do i keep it going? do i can it and use the domain for other ideas i have.

What i have decided, is to try and keep the blog going. hopefully more regularly – as alot of the regular blogs i read and learn from have gone quiet as well. So hopefully, i can spark some topics with the help of others, that will help me learn, and maybe we can share our news in the greater coffee world.

I wont make promises that it will always be meaty topics. but will try to keep it regular… even if it is short an sweet!

Hope all is well with you all!

Coffeeman

A friend of mine just pointed me to a story on a couple of guys on motorcycles stopped going 211km per hour. Their reason? to get Coffee in Kaikoura – check out the story here! http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10566972

Which coffee shop were they headin? Wonder if it was the Streetwise Coffee shop down there?

Tags: Coffee General

streaming live today online.. from 12pm NZST we are also showing the New Zealand Barista Champs finals.. right here!
or check out more details on: www.nzcra.org.nz
I am judging so will post regarding the finals later on after the event! Enjoy!!!

The finals are now only one week away. Christchurch is ready and waiting to host it, the competitors are gearing up, and polishing their cups and routines!

The Competitors are as follows:

Wellington Finalists:

1st Richard Legg – Sage Cafe Feilding

2nd Frank Hsu – Mojo Coffee Wellington

Auckland Finalists:

1st David Huang – Espresso Workshop

2nd Robert Hulse – Planet Espresso

Christchurch Finalists:

1st Carl Sara- Muffin Break

2nd Hideyuki Kono – Vivace Espresso

And Wildcards (Judges choose up to 3 competitors who may have missed out on getting 1st and 2nd, but whom they think have potential to go further based on their preformance in their heats)

Nik Bruce-Smith – Muffin Break

Nick Clark – Mojo Coffee

So the Running order has now been thrown into a randomiser program, and the following order and times is the order for the day! So come out and support the Baristas @ THE Showdown at C4 Coffee Lichfield Street, Christchurch 12 noon start Sat 28th Feb..

See you there..

Coffeeman

I have a wee bit busy the last few weeks, but finally am updating the site, with info about the Auckland and Christchurch heats, and who placed where.

The Auckland heat was hosted by Allpress Coffee in Auckland, in their purpose built roastery and training factory! very cool. Thumbs up to them for welcoming in the Competitors and supporters into their space!

On the day there were some fantastic preformances by some very passionate baristas! and great to see them take their skills and passion and put it on display for us all to see.

Old hat in competitons David Huang managed to secure a place in the finals by placing first, and also Robert Hulse from Planet Espresso coming 2nd. Well done gents!

Moving onto Christchurch heats..

Unfortunatly i wasnt able to make it down there for the heats, but from all reports it was another fantastic heat. With many very talented Barista’s coming out for the occasion.

One of the favourites going into this years comp, is Carl Sara, and from all accounts he did not disappoint! Turning up with his Modified grinder – raised a few eyebrows i’m sure!

Another one who was keenly watched, was Hideyuki Kono (Hide) from Vivace Espresso, he too looked very polished and smooth.

With Carl and Hide taking out 1st and 2nd respectivly they both move on to the Finals!

Well done to all who gave it a go! i know personally how hard it is to get up there and put it all on the line to show your stuff, but that time can also be an amazing opportunity to learn, both your own weaknesses and strengths – but also from other fellow baristas. These events can be an amazing chance to meet others other help to one another, and have fun!

Will post again soon with info regarding the New Zealand Barista Championship Finals!

Til then, have a great coffee!

Coffeeman:)