Annemarie Tiemes and Merijn Gijsbers
In cooperation with the Amsterdam Coffee Festival, ESTA Beleux organised the Matcha Latte Art Battle for the third time.
Registrations sold out days before the show, reflecting the interest in matcha and matcha-based drinks in coffee/tea bars all over Europe.
It was inspiring to see so many talented baristas compete against each other. The energy was high, the pours were sharp, and the level of talent on that stage was incredible.
The judge panel consisted of Merijn Gijsbers, Maryam Ueyama and Naomi Doedelz
The judge panel: Maryam Ueyama, Naomi Doedelz and Merijn Gijsbers
Congratulations to Megan Virginia Brown Suarez, the winner of the competition, and Feyz Topal, the runner-up.
Megan Virginia Brown Suarez, the winner
A big thank you to all our sponsors
Oscar Woolley and Annemarie Tiemes
Oscar Woolley
With 14 participants showcasing skills, 14 ESTA members meeting and many visitors educated along the way this was a major success.
Oscar Woolley and Annemarie Tiemes represented ESTA at The Liquid Minds Stage at IFEX, The Irish Food Expo.
ESTA delivered two high energy competitions, two packed masterclasses including the hit “Pop Tea” with Genmaicha and collaborated with Liquid Minds and IFEX to put speciality tea front and centre.
Oscar Woolley with participans and ESTA members
Huge thanks to SUKI Tea Makers, Annemarie Tiemes (all the way from the Netherlands!), and all partners. And congratulations to Hanna Gulyas and Kyle Banikish!
ESTA was present at Horecava, the leading annual Dutch trade fair for the foodservice and hospitality industry, hosting the Dutch Tea Tasting Championships and the Dutch Matcha Latte Art Championships.
The Tea Tasting Championships was all about detecting the subtlest differences in tea, and a great mix of serious focus, fun and lots of energy.
Congratulations to the winners: Simone Bianchi claimed the win, Aissam finished second, and Alex Haak took home trophy number three.
The Matcha Latte Art Championships isn’t just about how beautiful the latte looks, the quality of the drink itself plays an essential role. That balance makes it fairer and brings it closer to a real café experience, where taste and presentation go hand in hand.
Jesse Fook took home first place - well done to him and to all who participated!
Huge thanks to our sponsors Brita Nederland, Hario Europe, Mount Everest Tea (Tea Tasting), Alpro (Matcha latte competition) and Kaori Taste of Japan (Matcha latte competition)
And everyone who took part
📸 Credit for all photos: Connor Houtman
