Baristas take a shot with the best

Two baristas from BP Bay View Wild Bean Cafe´ in Napier headed to Auckland last week to compete in BP Barista of the Year.

Although they didn’t take out the winning spot, Anita Bothwell and Mel Morris said it was an experience that they wouldn’t forget.

“It was such an awesome opportunity to compete with our peers and represent our region. It was interesting to see what techniques everyone used.

A lot of people brought their own equipment, something I had never thought to do, so next year I will make sure to pack my own equipment that I am familiar with using.

“Overall, I was happy with my performance and can’t wait to compete again next year,” Bothwell said.

They were joined at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland by 26 other talented baristas from regional finals.

Bothwell , 25, competed in BP’s Barista of the Year for the third year running, vying for BP’s Supreme Barista title. This year was the first that she’s become a finalist for the national competition, a huge personal achievement.

Morris, 29, was the other national finalist for this year’s BP Barista of the Year competition — her first year competing for the Rookie Barista title.

Morris said she didn’t expect to come this far, as she only managed to squeeze in time at the coffee machine for about half an hour each day — most of her time is usually on store management tasks.