National Barista Awards Semifinals in Auckland

2005 Robert Harris National Barista Awards Semifinals in Auckland Today

Baristas from around the top of the North Island are gearing up this morning for the beginning of a barista showdown! The 2005 Robert Harris National Barista Awards kick off at the Logan Campbell Centre as part of the Culinary Fare at 11am today, for the Auckland Regional heat. Excitement is building as the best baristas from across the country prepare to contend with their peers in a bid to win the prestigious title of ‘2005 Robert Harris National Barista of the Year’. Two winners from each regional heat go into the Grand Final and the overall winner will go on to represent New Zealand at the World Barista Championships in Switzerland in 2006!

The World Barista Championships (WBC) will only accept the highest standard contestants and stipulate that to qualify; each Barista must have won an accredited National Barista Competition. In New Zealand, Robert Harris is the only WBC accredited Barista competition and incorporates the WBC format and standards for their regional heats and Grand final.

During the regional heats, each participant will be required to make four espressos, lattes and cappuccinos. Every aspect of their barista presentation is judged from set-up, efficiency, consistency to aromatic profile and technique by an elite panel of experienced judges. In 2005 this panel will include chief judge Michael Guy, publishing editor of Café magazine, Ben Simcox and Emma Markland-Webster, both previous WBC competitors, Chris White, Scott Peplar, David Burton and Mark Villela.

Four regional competitions are held in New Zealand with Auckland the final competition region. The heats began in Christchurch on July 18th then to Wellington on August 1st at Te Papa, and for the first time this year in Napier on August 8th and finally in Auckland today at the Culinary Fare. The top two baristas at each region will compete in the finals at the Wildbean Coffee Festival in Taupo on September 23rd.

As the most respected Barista Awards in the industry, the National Barista Awards are sponsored by a number of highly regarded companies and associations including; Robert Harris, Anchor, Faema, DaVinci, The Restaurant Association of New Zealand and the Hospitality Standards Institute.

The 2005 Robert Harris National Barista Awards recognises the best in the café scene and enables baristas from around the country to test their skills in a challenging and fun environment. These events are open to the public, so come and support our world-class baristas during the course of the championship.

For more information checkout www.nationalbaristaawards.co.nz

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