Johanna Harakis named first ever Owens Coffee Barista Champion

Owens Coffee, one of the region’s leading coffee roasters, hosted its first ever Barista Championship on Thursday 13 October. The new competition, which set out to find the best espresso-maker, saw baristas from across the region compete for the title at its headquarters. Johanna Harakis, of The Guardhouse Café, Brixham, was named this year’s champion.

Jenny McDonough, head of training and talent at Owens Coffee, said there was a serious side to the new competition: “I’ve been in the hospitality industry for a long time in the South West and the feeling that you are just a waiter or just someone serving coffee is something I’d like to see the end of - because it is a career, a profession. We want people who are working in the industry to know there’s a lot more out there if they want it - and we want them to know they are respected in the profession. It is important to encourage talent and professional ability, which is something that we champion at Owens’.

“There are different brew ratios and there are guidelines on how to make the perfect espresso,” Jenny explained. “The competition tested the barista’s knowledge and their interpretation of those guidelines. Competitors chose one of our coffees for the espresso and two milk-based drinks and then told the judges how to set up the calibration of the espresso machine to make the perfect cup.”

Winner of the Owens Coffee Barista Championship 2022, Johanna Harakis said: “This is my first ever barista competition so I’ve been a bit nervous. You’ve got to make sure the coffee comes out at the right speed - about 22 to 25 seconds - and the weight of the coffee is around 16 to 18 grams. If it’s too quick it comes out bitter and acidic - if you get it right it’s smooth and it’s lush and you get a really good hit.”

Runner-up was 17-year-old Oliver Taylor, of the Bay Tree Café, Newton Abbot: “I am very passionate about this - I am young but I love my coffee. This is my first barista competition and it is quite daunting but they’ve made us feel comfortable. I get annoyed when people say - it’s just coffee. But when you look at where it is grown and how it's made there’s so much more to it.”

Also taking part in the competition were Jenny Cheung, of the South Sands Hotel, Salcombe, Daisy Craner Watts and Tilly Cox of the Market Street Kitchen, Appledore and Luna Moretti, also of The Guardhouse Café, Brixham. 

Lorraine Bridden, founder of Owens Coffee, said: “We take a huge amount of pride in sourcing our coffee beans and roasting them to perfection - but you can make or break a cup of coffee if the calibration in the machine isn’t right. It’s about getting the flavours right and presenting the coffee. 

“A good cup has to taste right and be well presented. But the competition is not just about the coffee - it is about enthusiasm and passion too. This is about showcasing good barista skills across the region and because of this, our first competition has been a great success - hopefully, we will make it bigger in the future.”

Guest judge Esther-Hope Gibbs, added: “This has been a great event for baristas across the South West. There hasn’t been a competition like this for a long time in the region. These baristas have showcased their skills, have had an opportunity to meet and chat with other industry professionals (who are as passionate about coffee as they are), and a chance to learn more from each other too.

“The prizes were fab, too!” said Esther. “I’d encourage any barista offered the opportunity to take part in the Owens Coffee Barista Championship to keep an eye out for the next one - step up and take part!” 

1st Prize - Ottomatic Chemex Coffeemaker (left) | 2nd Prize - Eversfield Organic Veg Box, Coffee Art Book T-shirt from Hope Espresso (right) [Photo credit: Paul Slater Images Ltd]

First prize included an Ottomatic CHEMEX Coffeemaker from Marco Beverages Systems worth over £300. There were also prizes from Eversfield Organic, Flapjackery, Boo Chi Kombucha, Luscombe Drinks and Bar Buoy Cocktails.

Owens Coffee range is 100% certified Fairtrade and organic and is available to buy online from owenscoffee.com. It includes; ‘Gara’, winner of ‘Best Organic Coffee at the Soil Association’s BOOM Awards in 2019, a bold and fruity, medium-dark roasted blend from Central America; ‘Bantham’, winner of a 2019 Great Taste Award, a smooth and chocolatey, medium roasted blend from South America and Indonesia; ‘Dart’, winner of a 2020 Great Taste Award, a mellow and sweet, darker roasted blend from South America and Africa; and ‘Decaf’, commended at the Taste of the West Awards 2019, refined and chemical-free, darker roasted blend from Latin America, decaffeinated using the Swiss Water® method. 

To find out more about Owens Coffee please visit owenscoffee.com or call 01752 897124.