Barista takes notes after competition loss
Local barista learns from his mistakes after losing at the Barista Championships.
Local barista Dion Ndlovu (34) has returned to the drawing to board to fix his mistakes after failing to make it into the finals of the elite 2017 Barista Championships which were held at the Ticket Pro Dome in Northgate last week.
The espresso and latte specialist was placed 8th out of 36 baristas who fought to be in the top six in order to gain a position in the finals.
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The competition ran from 28 July to 30 July.
Ndlovu, who was not only representing himself but also Hoi Polloi Coffee Express, the coffee shop he works for in Clearwater Mall, told Roodepoort Northsider that he was impressed with his results as he participated for the time in the competition.
“I was happy with the results because it was my first time entering this competition,” he said, adding he looks forward to taking part again next year.
The Zimbabwean-born admitted that he needed to work on his confidence. “I need to come in looking more confident next time. This year I was very nervous – I ended up forgetting so many things I should have said in front of the judges,” he lamented.
Ndlovu shared his highlights at the event. “Baristas had to make three different beverages within 15 minutes. My first drink was an espresso, followed by a cappuccino and my signature drink which was a Burundi light to medium roast with a winery acidity and honey aroma flavour,” he explained.
Besides being an aspiring entrepreneur, with a dream of owning a coffee bar, Ndlovu mentioned that he looks to mentor young coffee enthusiasts. “My future plans besides starting my own coffee business is to open coffee classes and teach coffee enthusiasts about the history of coffee, the culture and of course the skill as there more business in this industry,” he concluded.
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