Cape Town’s Willem Pienaar (Origin Coffee Roasting) and Ishan Natalie (Woolworths Café) have scooped first and runner-up prizes respectively at the finals of South Africa’s first national Barista Championships held at the Good Food and Wine Show in Cape Town.
Pienaar and Natalie will both be jetting off to Tokyo to the World Barista Championships (WBC), courtesy of Swiss International Air Lines, with Pienaar representing South Africa.
This is the first time South Africa will compete in the World Championships. Both Pienaar and Natalie will receive training and mentorship in Tokyo by John Sanders, current Technical Judge WBC, and his team, prior to the competition. In addition, Pienaar and Natalie, received 300 US dollars and 150 US dollars respectively. Sprada, silver sponsor, of the SA Barista Championship gave the winners R5000 spending money for their trip.
The second runner-up, and only female finalist Lindy ‘Beans’ George (Origin Coffee Roasting), was awarded 100 US Dollars
Ex-chairman of the WBC and 2007 SA National Barista Championship judge, Samuel Zenger, feels that the first South African Barista Championships was of the highest standard in terms of organisation and presentation. Zenger, together with John Sanders (current Technical Judge WBC) confirmed that the Good Food & Wine Show will host the All Africa Barista Championships in 2008.
The six finalist who competed in the final were:
Willem Pienaar, Origin Coffee Roasting, (CPT)
Gift Pafupi, The Goatshed Restaurant, (CPT)
Charles Boult, Woolworths Café (Jhb)
José Vilandy, Origin Coffee Roasting, (CPT)
Lindy George, Origin Coffee Roasting, (CPT)
Ishan Natalie, Woolworths Café (CPT)