"Welcome to Five Senses Coffee"

Three local men are packing their bags and shining up their espresso machines as they prepare to represent WA at the 2009 Detpak Australian Barista Championships, being held at the Gold Coast Exhibition and Convention Centre from 30 January to 1 February.

Local boutique coffee roaster, 5 Senses Coffee, dominated the Western Australian heats, with three of their best taking home the title in each category. The competition covers various aspects of the professional barista’s world, and includes a Barista Championship, Latte Art Championship and Cupping Championship.

Mark Chandler, competing professionally for the first time, was the clear winner of the premiere category, the WA Barista Championship and is quietly confident of a strong performance on the national stage. His spectacular signature drink consists of a spiced blueberry pannacotta, with a shot of espresso and topped with a herb-infused foam. Mark has created outstanding espresso in many of Perth’s best restaurants and cafés and his many years experience will stand him in good stead as he competes against the country’s best.

The Latte Art Championship is always a crowd pleaser, with competitors awing both crowd and judges with their incredible designs and entertaining performances. Kim Godleman, winner of the 2009 WA Latte Art Championship, is keen to conquer the competition with his impeccable art and irreverent performance.

Ben Bicknell is one of Australia’s most passionate and knowledgeable coffee geeks, and confirmed his place as one of Australia’s foremost coffee connoisseurs with a convincing win in the Cupping Championship, where competitors battle it out against the clock and each other to identify the odd coffee out in eight groups of coffee. Ben is also the first Western Australian to qualify as an accredited World Barista Championship judge after two gruelling days of testing in Melbourne.

The winner of each category at the national competition will head to Atlanta, Georgia, to represent Australia at the world championship. With last year’s Australian representative, David Makin, coming a close second in the world final, the pressure will be on to up the ante and cement Australia’s place on the world coffee map.

For more information on the Australian Barista Championship visit the AustralAsian Specialty Coffee Association website or email vicepresident@aasca.com.

The World Barista Championship will be held in Atlanta, Georgia on 16 – 19 April 2009.