SCAE shines at sell-out Caffè Culture show

26th May 2008

With every exhibitor stand taken, wall-to-wall visitors and a stunning theatre location for the SCAE, the 2008 edition of the Caffè Culture show at Olympia in London set a standard that will be hard to beat!

The brainchild of UK National Coordinator Steve Penk and show organiser Upper Street Events director Elliot Gard, the SCAE theatre was packed daily during the show in late May for our new competitions: Latte Art, Coffee in Good Spirits and Cup Tasting.

It was a pleasure to welcome Søren Stiller Markusson—NC for Denmark and Danish National Barista Champion—both as a demonstrator for latte art and as a judge for the competitions. Also joining our UK judges team was Christopher Salierno of La Cimbali, Italy.

Dairy products supplier Cravendale sponsored the Latte Art championship, with Paul Meikle Janney giving a lecture updating the development work going on in the company's research laboratories to establish the optimum product for baristi use.

Philip Gervaux of Origin Coffee, Cornwall was the worthy winner of the Latte Art Championship.

A very closely contested competition saw Emma Chapman of The Bottle Kiln in Derbyshire crowned as our new Coffee in Good Spirits Champion. Her certificate was presented by Andrew Tucker of San Remo, which provided the espresso machines that much admired by all contestants!

The Cup Tasting Championship drew a maximum crowd and our six contestants battled with some difficult tasting options set up by John Sherwood, using superb coffees roasted by the Has Bean Coffee Company and equipment organised by Keith Collins of Bunn-O-Matic.

And, like all serious baristi, James Hoffman of Square Mile Coffee (and current World Barista Champion), proved he knows his origins by coming out on top! It has to be said, however, that Guy Wilmot (of Blue Mountain Europe), who has only been in the coffee business for a year, got the same number right—but James was quicker!

Over in the workshop complex, experts from all aspects of the trade drew a large number of participants, and some disciplines were completely sold out. It is clear that there is a real hunger for knowledge and, from the comments made, it is gratifying to note that the SCAE education programmes are leading the way in publicising the latest techniques and equipment.—Pauline Sherwood

To see a gallery of images from Caffè Culture, with photographs by John Sherwood, click here.