Rafael Miguel Bautista from Starbucks Venice Grand Canal won the grand prize and the bragging rights of being the 2017 Starbucks Coffee Ambassador in the 1st Philippine Barista Championship. Miguel, together with 1st runner-up Ces Martin Ranillo from Starbucks Philcom as his assistant, will represent the Philippines in the Starbucks Regional Barista Championship to be held in Taiwan on March 27, 2017.
To celebrate and recognise the artistry and craftsmanship of its baristas, Starbucks Philippines recently help its first ever Philippine Barista Championship at the Colegio de San Agustin Auditorium in Makati.
Six Starbucks Global Coffee Masters showcased their passion for coffee while engaging the audience in an approachable and inspiring way during the championship round. Emanuel Bagan, Rafael Bautista, Camille Cuyugan, Carmina Fernandez, Ana Mendoza and cues Ranillo celebrated coffee artistry and stood out among 300 Global Coffee Masters after a series of elimination rounds.
During the competition, each of them were given 20 minutes to present their knowledge on coffee through 3 tasks: Pour Over Cone coffee tasting; demonstrating Rosetta and freestyle latte art; and a chance to showcase their creativity as they prepare their signature beverage.
"Our partners understand that brewing coffee is both an art and a science which involves hard work and dedication. We are proud that they are doing their best not only to perfectly handcraft beverages but also to consistently deliver the Starbucks Experience to each and every customer in our stores," said Angela Cole, operations director for Starbucks Philippines.
All photos taken with a Smart iPhone 7 Plus. :)
