Malaysian baristas are ruling the world!

Malaysian Irvine Quek was crowned champion at the just concluded 2018 World Latte Art Championship in Brazil. Quek is a barista at 103 Coffee Workshop in Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur

Another Malaysian, Regine Wai of Page 2 Cafe in Bangsar Shopping Center, KL, also did the country proud by finishing 1st runners up at the World Brewers Cup, behind Emi Fukahori of Switzerland.

The World Latte Art Championship focuses on artistic expression in milk drinks, while the World Brewers Cup highlights the craft of filter coffee brewing by hand, promoting manual coffee brewing and service excellence.

The 20-year-old Quek beat five other finalists from Greece, China, Australia, Poland and South Korea to win the competition, held during the the 2018 Brazil International Coffee Week in the city of Minas Gerais.

 

Quek has been a barista for four years, and was representing Malaysia as the 2018 Malaysia Latte Art Champion, while Wai started her barista career as a part-time brewer/barista, eventually winning her first national title in 2015.

The 2018 Brazil World Coffee Championships saw more than 90 competitors taking part in the World Brewers Cup, World Latte Art Championship, World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship and World Cup tasters Championship from Nov 7-9.