Delicate art of the latte
Nobody put a lid on these milky masterpieces.
Baristas were frothing at the chance to treat a cup of coffee as a canvas and be deemed the top latte artist in town.
The Palmerston North Latte Art Throwdown was held at Brew Union on Wednesday night, giving 16 baristas the opportunity to show off their skill and flair.
Most were from Manawatu¯ , but the contest also attracted coffee-making maestros from Hamilton and Hawke’s Bay.
The competition started with eight head-to-head battles, then moved to semifinals and a grand final.
James Mckenzie, from Arrosta Coffee in Palmerston North, won the final against Ryan Huthnance, from Crazy Good in Napier.
Instead of attempting to pour a different pattern in each round, Mckenzie ‘‘stuck with the best pattern’’, a complex layered tulip, and focused on consistency.
He won $500 cash, an electric coffee grinder, tickets to the Central Districts Food and Wine Show and other prizes.
He has previously competed at a few ‘‘throwdowns’’ in Auckland. He’s made the semifinals before, but this is his first win.
The throwdown at Brew Union was the first of its kind in Palmerston North, but Mckenzie hoped it would not be the last.
The event challenged baristas to practise and improve their technique, he said.
‘‘I think we’ve started something that’s really good. It’s kind of exciting catching up to the bigger centres.’’
Three judges – Caffe L’affare head roaster Kerry Murray, Nathan Gillett, from Meadow Fresh, and Chris Innes, from Bean Addicted in Auckland – scored the contestants on design, the pour and the presentation of the coffee.
The event was hosted by Arrosta Coffee and Mouthwater Coffee.