Phuti Mmotla won the Starbucks EMEA Barista Championship for 2022 in Italy, flying the South African flag high at the competition.
Milan, Italy (31 October 2022) – Coffee has become an art form supported by millions of people globally. Phuti Mmotla is the Starbucks EMEA Barista Champion of 2022, proving he is the best of the best.
The EMEA Barista Championship took place in Milan, Ottobrata in late October. Baristas from across the globe joined the event to compete for the top title. The top employees of the famous coffee company were invited to compete. Competitors came from stores based in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
In the end, South Africa’s Phuti went up against Fiona from the UAE and Veronika from Italy. He beat a total of 42 people for the final win and title of Barista Champion.
Each of the final three competitors were tasked with completing challenging coffee tasks to earn the winning title. They started by doing a coffee tasting and presentation, taking the judges through their favourite coffee, its tasting notes, origin, and what it means to them.
The second task, they then needed to do steamed milk art, making a beautiful image on the top of a crafted coffee. The final task was to make an original drink using coffee. Phuti chose a coconut biscuit cold brew, based on one of his favourite childhood memories.
The prize is an incredible one. Phuti will be travelling to Rwanda for the Starbucks Origin Experience. There he will get the chance to visit the coffee farms, meet producers, learn about sustainability, and discover how the beans are processed.
Well done Phuti. A well-deserved win indeed!
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