IFE to host UK Barista Championships

Competitors will gather at ExCeL for the semi-finals and finals of the competition in a bid to be crowned the best barista in the country. The winner will then go on to compete against winners from 75 other countries in the World Barista Championships, held in Colombia. Christopher McCuin, IFE's event director, said: "We're clearly extremely excited about holding the final stages of the UK Barista Championships at the show – it's a really prestigious industry competition and the synergy with IFE is perfect. "We have a really strong foodservice element to the show so will be able to deliver significant exposure for the contestants as well as highlight the exceptional heights the UK coffee industry has reached over the last few years." In the competition each contestant is required to make four espressos, four cappuccinos and four versions of their own 'signature drink' in just 15 minutes. Points are deducted for every additional second after the clock has stopped and if one minute is exceeded, contestants are disqualified. The judging panel is made up of four sensory judges, two technical judges and a head judge. Sensory judges are there to judge the taste, smell, and presentation of the coffee as well as the contestant's knowledge, communication, product handling and hospitality skills. The semi-finals and finals of the UK Barista Championships will be held on Tuesday 15 March and Wednesday 16 March at IFE11, ExCeL, Royal Victoria Dock, London.