Filipina barista to compete in Costa Coffee's Champion of Champions
Gwyneth Gabay has been recognised as one of the Costa Coffee’s most-skilled coffee makers in the Middle East and Asia region after winning third place in company’s Barista of the Year MEA Final 2017-18. She will go on to compete for the crown of Barista of the Year 2017-18 at the global Champion of Champions finals in London, England.
The 25-year old, who hails from Quirino Province and is currently stationed at Costa Coffee Cyber Sigma Building in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, competed with a full-range of hand-crafted coffee based drinks. This included the Flat White and her own speciality drink, the Ice Shaken Café Rosa, an espresso-based drink complementing rose and cinnamon flavours. The speciality drink was inspired by the Flower Festival of Baguio City where she studied.
Gwyneth receives award from Matt Kenly, Costa Coffee Business Development Manager for Asia.
“When my name was announced, it felt very surreal. The competition was intense and I was a bit nervous. But I did my best and just enjoyed the competition, thinking I was on duty and serving quality coffee to our guests,” she shared.
Clair Preston-Beer, Managing Director of Costa Coffee’s Middle East Asia Region said:
“We have over 3000 baristas in the Middle East Asia region, working across more than 525 stores, so for Gwyneth to be crowned in the top three in Middle East Asia is a huge achievement and something she should feel incredibly proud of. Her passion for coffee craft and love of the Costa Coffee brand is clear. I can’t wait to be joining Gwyneth in London, England, the home of Costa Coffee to see if they can be named the best Costa Coffee barista in the world”.
The Costa Coffee Barista of the Year competition first launched in the UK in 2006. It operates on a global scale where contestants from all of Costa’s 30 international markets can compete for the ‘Champion of Champions’ title.
The Champion of Champions final will be held at The Roastery in London in January 2018, marking the 12th anniversary of the prestigious competition. The winner receives a ten-day trip for two to any country of their choice within the Costa Coffee network.