Coffee craft leads to champs

Onekawa Bay Espresso manager David Hancox creates a phoenix on a coffee in preparation for the Latte Art Championships this weekend. Photo/Duncan Brown

A decorative swirl on top of your coffee is more than a happy coincidence - it's a skill which shows your barista has gone the extra mile.

Bay Espresso Onekawa manager David Hancox should know, he's been perfecting the craft for the past six years and is brushing up on some complex designs in preparation for this weekend's national Latte Art Championships in Auckland.

"For me it's a passion, I believe anybody can make a good coffee, you can go to a lot of different cafes in Hawke's Bay and get a good cup, but the barista who puts a pretty pattern on top, just loves it that little bit more."

Mr Hancox was the sole Hawke's Bay entrant to take up this unique challenge, which will be judged on visual attributes, creativity, identical patterns in pairs, contrasting patterns, and overall performance.

"Everybody gets up and does a cup of coffee, then they will choose the top six, they get sent to a final where they have to present two lattes free pour, and they have to be identical, we also have to do two identical designer lattes" he said.

"I find it hard to get two the same but I have a struggle and grow mentality - if you're not struggling, you're not growing."

If he overcomes that fear and wins there will be an opportunity to compete at the World Latte Championships in Melbourne.

While Mr Hancox had heard of some contestants going for themes such as "dragons", he wanted to put a uniquely Hawke's Bay spin on his entry.

"It will probably be 'winging it' because everything in Hawke's Bay is about wings - the Magpies, the gannets - so I'll be doing phoenix's and swans."

In his day job the dedicated barista tried to make everyone's day a little brighter with some latte art, unless, of course, there were lines of people waiting for a caffeine hit.

"Obviously we are too busy sometimes but it's pretty easy to do and the response is just awesome."