Held during the Gulfhost 2018, 16 coffee professionals competed for the title.
In association with World Coffee Events, the Specialty Coffee Association UAE Chapter (SCA/UAE) is delighted to announce the winner of the 2018 UAE National Barista Championship.
Taking place at GulfHost 2018, 16 coffee professionals competed for industry acclaim, preparing four espressos, four milk drinks, and four original signature drinks to exacting standards in a 15-minute performance set to music.
The championship concluded in thrilling fashion on Thursday night, with Michaela Ruazol of Rise Fitness Boutique taking home gold.
Ruazol will go on to represent the UAE at the 2018 World Barista Championship in Boston, USA in 2019.
Second place was taken by Ma Encarnation Eson of The Espresso Lab and third place by Armiel Alkuino of La Marquise International LLC.
All three will receive a full week of brewing and sensory training at MUMAC Academy in Milan, Italy – one of the best coffee training academies in the world, with return flights and accommodation provided by Gruppo Cimbali.
Khalid Al Mulla, National Coordinator of the SCA/UAE, says “Congratulations to Michaela Ruazol on her incredible performance. We look forward to supporting her on her journey to the 2018 World Barista Championship in Boston in the coming months. This year’s championship was definitely the most exciting yet, and we have the UAE barista community to thank for that, and of course - the wonderful sponsors of the Championship – as it would not have taken place without their support.”
About the World Barista Championship
The competition focuses on promoting excellence in coffee, advancing the barista profession, and engaging a worldwide audience with an annual championship event that serves as the culmination of local and regional events around the globe.
Each year, more than 50 champion competitors each prepare 4 espressos, 4 milk drinks, and 4 original signature drinks to exacting standards in a 15-minute performance set to music.
WCE Certified Judges from around the world evaluate each performance on the taste of beverages served, cleanliness, creativity, technical skill, and overall presentation.
The ever-popular signature beverage allows baristas to stretch their imagination and the judges’ palates to incorporate a wealth of coffee knowledge into an expression of their individual tastes and experiences.
The top 15 highest-scoring competitors from the first round, plus wild-card winner from the Team Competition, advance to a semi-final round. The top 6 competitors in the semi-final round advance to the finals round, from which one winner is named World Barista Champion!
About Specialty Coffee Association UAE Chapter (SCA/UAE)
The Specialty Coffee Association United Arab Emirates Chapter represents the UAE coffee community by producing world-class events such as the UAE National Barista Championship that feeds into the World Championships. The Chapter also works towards promoting cutting edge education, research, and raising the coffee standards in the UAE to the highest level possible across the entire coffee value chain. The UAE Chapter’s goal is that of bringing together the UAE coffee community and promoting best practices and professionalism in an atmosphere that is inclusive and enjoyable for all involved.
About World Coffee Events
World Coffee Events is a subsidiary of the Specialty Coffee Association, dedicated to increasing access to specialty coffee programming and community by producing the World Coffee Championships and other events. For the championships, WCE works with host partners to deliver engaging live experiences that are streamed to a global internet audience.
About SCA UAE Educational Program
This program aims to develop the UAE Specialty Coffee Community to the highest standards possible through a slate of UAE based Authorized SCA Trainers (AST) and coffee professionals who use their knowledge and training skills to deliver SCA courses and assess participants via written and practical examinations, passage of which is required prior to each candidate being awarded official SCA Certification for each module.
About Our Sponsors
The SCA/UAE has partnered with incredible and renowned international and local brands to work towards making the 2018 UAE National Barista Championship a success.
The incredible slate of sponsors includes brands such as:
Dubai World Trade Centre
The epicenter for business tourism in the region, Dubai World Trade Centre have been connecting people through the events they host, as well as by playing a major role within Dubai’s economy, attracting revenue for the city’s sights, restaurants and hotels.
La Cimbali
An iconic made-in-Italy brand of excellence, renowned for its expertise as a designer of commercial machines for preparing espresso and milk based coffee beverages.
Faema
A long standing brand with a lengthy record as a pioneering designer, manufacturer and distributor of espresso machines with attractive design and innovative technology.
La Marquise International
One of the leading distributor companies in Professional Equipment, F&B Products and Ingredients for Pastry, Bakery and Gelato in the UAE. La Marquise International represents over 20 prestigious brands from Italy, France, Germany, Ireland and the USA, with ambitious plans for future expansion.
Mokha 1450 Coffee Lounge
Located on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, Mokha 1450 Coffee lounge engages in Direct Trade with women-owned and operated coffee cooperatives to offer unique support for women who are involved in 90% of the coffee value chain but represent less than 10% of ownership and management globally. The Lounge offers a few worlds’ first and unique specialty coffee experiences such as highly scored coffees that are available nowhere else in the world prepared via the most well known coffee brewing methods, at the customer’s table via a portable bar.
The company also debuted the concept of a specialty coffee lounge that is a coffee shop by day with a lounge type atmosphere at night with coffee inspired non-alcoholic mocktails and exquisite desserts alongside traditional coffee offerings.
Coffee Museum
The only one of its kind in the UAE, the Dubai Coffee Museum is located in one of Dubai’s heritage hubs. Dubai Coffee Museum is a platform to know more about coffee, coffee history and traditional coffee drinking culture.
SF Chocolates
A family-owned company with deep European traditions, producing the finest artisan Belgian Chocolate that is free of preservatives or artificial colorant at their well equipped and certified chocolate facility in Dubai.
London Dairy
London Dairy is the premium ice cream experience beloved by dessert aficionados across the GCC, South Asia and North Africa. Using the finest ingredients sourced from across the wide world, London Dairy has developed a range of deliciously enjoyable flavours, from classics such as Pralines & Cream to signature creations like Chocolate Brownie Delight.
Al Khayyat Investment
Al Khayyat Investments is a family-owned company with a family spirit. From the many people who have been with the company for 20 years or more, to the most recently recruited, all share a common ethos of co-operation in pursuit of a single entrepreneurial vision. It is this ethos that binds together a multi-cultural group of over 5000 people from more than 160 countries.
Golden Paper Cups Manufacturing Co. LLC
Supplier of high quality products ranging from cups for hot and cold beverages, bags, gloves, straws, and an assortment of food packaging, Golden Paper Cups Manufacturing Co. LLC have gained recognition from the most valued institutions such as SGS, TUV, and Bureau Veritas.
French Bakery
Redefining the concept of Boulangerie Patisserie, French Bakery was set up in 1997 as part of the renowned La Marquise Group. Today, French Bakery has numerous outlets in landmark locations across Dubai that celebrates the French Café tradition.
Karam Coffee
Takes pride in working closely with growers from all corners of the world; passion for perfecting our craft, and always exploring new ways of making great coffee; and joy in sharing our coffee experiences with family and friends, old and new.
BREW BAR SPONSORS
Brewing Gadgets
A Dubai-based company with humble beginnings in the year 2011. Brewing gadgets provides their customers with the newest innovations and the best equipment, tools and supplies available.
RAW Coffee Company
A long-standing pillar of the coffee community in Dubai, RAW Coffee Company is a boutique Roastery supplying restaurants, businesses and homes with premium 100% organic, 100% Fair Trade coffee.
Coffee Planet
Coffee Planet was born in Arabia and their goal is to help more people experience the finest global Arabica coffee that has been roasted, here on the peninsula, for over 500 years.
Seven Fortunes Coffee Roasters
A locally owned Specialty Coffee Roastery based in the industrial area of Al Quoz. Seven Fortunes is a homegrown concept providing specialty coffee.
El Matador
Is a specialty coffee roaster, owned by an Emirati who also roast their coffee. El matador is passionate about quality and strives is to bring customers the finest specialty coffee. We commit to source the best green beans in the most direct way possible to bring you unique flavors of the highest standards.
The Roasting House
Is proud to be one of the first certified Saudi Arabian specialty coffee roasters, established in 2013 with a vision of spreading Specialty Coffee through Excellence in providing fully traceable, community support, and sustainable Specialty Coffee beans and brewing equipment. The Roasting House is the official distributor of strong international brands including HARIO, Commandante, and Cafflano
Earth Roastery
In 2016, Earth Roastery officially expanded and was established as a local company; and one of the roaster in Kuwait focusing on specialty coffee. Because of Earth Roastery’s genuine passion for producing the finest coffee, many new cafes sought eagerly to stock Earth Roastery’s products.
London Dairy Cafe
London Dairy is the premium ice cream experience beloved by dessert aficionados across the GCC, South Asia and North Africa. Using the finest ingredients sourced from across the wide world, we’ve developed a range of deliciously enjoyable flavours, from classics such as Pralines & Cream to signature creations like Chocolate Brownie Delight.
Cascara Coffee Trading LLC
Cascara Coffee trading is an exclusive distributor of Taf™ coffee beans providing the highest quality coffee beans available in the UAE. They are proud to be able To offer 100% pure, single-Estate, Arabica coffee beans sourced via Taf™.
Baristas’ Corner
Baristas’ Corner is a purveyor of specialty coffees founded in Dubai. The brainchild of an Emirati entrepreneur, the specialty coffee company and coffeehouses were a result of having to chase a consistently exceptional cup of coffee that remained elusive.
95 degrees
95 Degrees is a home grown, specialty coffee concept with a high commitment in adding value to the specialty coffee community in our beautiful country. Our concept is driven by high quality green beans that were selected carefully and roasted locally by one of the oldest roaster in Dubai. The Human Resources behind the 95 Degrees is certified by the SCA, that keeps us with a passion to continue the journey in developing the culture of specialty coffee throughout the country.
Zero Four Specialty Coffee
co-founded by 4 lifelong Emirati friends from Dubai, where the area code is 04. Starting with third wave café space, offering a carefully curated and often changing selection of coffee beans. We trust we'll continue to support roasters working directly where possible with coffee producers, to support and reward the farmers working hard to continually enhance the quality of coffee.
Meraki
Meraki pledges to make their coffee with soul, creativity and love.
Mohamed ALMarasy
Kuwait City, Kuwait