What is a barista?
Following the example of a sommelier, a barista is a specialist in espresso-based coffees. He must recognize the complex flavours of different coffees, find the perfect combination of grind and temperature, and have the right technique to extract and exhale all the flavours.

The Canadian Barista Championship
Presented each year at the Canadian Coffee & Tea Show, the Canadian Barista Championship (canadianbaristaacademy.com/barista.htm) brings together the best baristas in the country. The challenge? Prepare 12 espresso-based drinks – four espressos, four cappuccinos and four creations – all in 15 minutes. The criteria by which they are evaluated include technique, workstation cleanliness, taste and presentation. The winner then goes on to the World Barista Championship. (worldbaristachampionship.com)

The best baristas in Canada
They have participated in various championships and have finished at the top. From east to west, here’s where to find them.

Ottawa
Cliff Hansen – Bridgehead
bridgehead.ca

Toronto
Momiji Kishi – Dark Horse Espresso Bar
darkhorseespresso.com

Sameer Mohamed – Sense Appeal Café
senseappeal.ca

Aerin Fogel – Mercury Espresso
mercuryespresso.com

Montreal
Anthony Benda and Alex Scott – Café Myriade
cafemyriade.com

Luke Spicer – Cafe Neve
cafeneve.com

Calgary
Benjamin Put, Jeremy Ho and Christopher Tellez – Phil and Sebastian Coffee Roasters
philsebastian.com

Joel May – Fratello Coffee
fratellocoffee.com

Edmonton
Josh Hockin – Transcend Coffee
transcendcoffee.com

Victoria
Rob Kettner – Fernwood Coffee
fernwoodcoffee.com

Logan Gray – Discovery Coffee
discoverycoffee.ca

Ian Sudbek-Reid – Habit Coffee
habitcoffee.com

Vancouver
Philip Hong and Cheryl Wright – Caffè Artigiano
caffeartigiano.com