A sip of coffee can make or break one’s day. Nowadays, coffee is not only a mere source of our caffeine needs; it is a ritual, an experience most of us yearn for every day. It is a beverage that does not only quench our thirst but also inspires, invigorates and relaxes our mind and body.
But for coffee to be all those, it must be handcrafted to perfection, a skill that only a few possess and develop. True Global Coffee Masters understand that knowledge and passion can go a long way in making coffee. As they learn more about coffee making, they realize that coffee is sacred, therefore they must do everything to make it perfect.
Brewing coffee is both an art and science, involving hard work from growing and buying the highest quality beans to roasting them to the peak of its flavor and finally serving it to the customers in style. Through rigorous trainings, Starbucks Coffee Masters learn to marry the science and art of making different kinds of coffee.
They undergo intensive trainings to ensure that they serve you a superb cup of expertly roasted and richly brewed coffee every time. Aside from handcrafting each customer’s beverage, Coffee Masters share their coffee knowledge, passion and artistry with picture-worthy latte art.
This year, Starbucks Philippines once again honors its outstanding Coffee Masters through the Coffee Ambassador’s Cup 2015 on September 13 at the Colegio San Agustin Auditorium, Dasmariñas Village, Makati City.
“To prepare myself for this competition, I had to do a lot of coffee tastings tasting black coffees and identifying its flavor profile and basically where it originated almost every day. I studied anything and everything about coffee. And of course, I had to master the skill of finishing lattes with an art,” said 2013 Starbucks Coffee Ambassador Third Villaflor.
On its 9th year, the competition will now include a latte art and beverage preparation competition, in addition to the previous years’ challenges such as coffee quizzes and tastings. The best coffee master will be honored with the title, Starbucks Coffee Ambassador. With a mix of artistry, knowledge and beverage creation, the competition is now anyone’s game.
“Since 1999, Starbucks Philippines has been conducting these competitions as a way to recognize our outstanding partners (employees) who show excellent knowledge and passion for coffee. This competition provides a chance for us to nurture and inspire our partners to develop their skills in the coffee industry,” Joel Cruzado, Learning and Development Manager said.
As a part of the Starbucks Coffee International’s Coffee Master program, this competition aims to highlight partners’ knowledge and love for coffee. It originated when Starbucks Philippines held a friendly competition called Battle of the Beans among its partners in 1999.