Weekend Cooking: Barista (documentary)

Do you drink coffee? Do you have a favorite local coffee shop and a favorite barista? Did you know there was such a thing as a barista competition?

I love coffee, though I drink most of my coffee at home. I didn't know about the competitive world of baristas until I saw the 2015 documentary Barista, written and directed by Rock Baijnauth (Filmic Entertainment).

The film follows five people--four men and one woman--on their quest to win the International Barista Competition. To qualify for the main contest, each of the baristas had to first put in a good showing at his or her district competition.

Although 1,000 baristas enter the regionals, only about 40 move on to the finals. To compete, the contestants must make three rounds of drinks (espresso, cappuccino, and a signature drink) for four tasting judges, who evaluate taste, appearance, foam and foam art, aroma, and so on. In addition, during their 15 minutes of competition, each barista must also tell a compelling story about themselves and the coffee they're making and serving.

Until watching Barista, I had no idea that it was so difficult to be the best in the barista profession. I found it interesting, but perhaps not surprising, that all five baristas mentioned that they often have to defend their chosen career. I liked getting to know the competitors and seeing them prepare for and compete in the finals.

On the other hand, there was a lack of tension in the documentary. I didn't develop a deeper fondness for one barista over the others, so I wasn't heavily invested in the results. In addition, Baijnauth made an effort to include the wives of two of the baristas in the movie, but instead of giving us more insight of the men's competitive spirit, the women ended up seeming more like props, which was a little disturbing.

Regardless, if you like coffee and are curious about competitive baristas, you'll enjoy Rock Baijnauth's  documentary Barista, which is available through streaming (currently via Amazon Prime).

BTW: I'm at a lace-making workshop most of today and tomorrow, so I'll be late visiting your links.

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