18 May Summer Latte Art Throwdown at Pane e Dolci
Last May 16, coffee lovers and art enthusiasts witnessed some of Cagayan de Oro’s best baristas compete in the 2016 Summer Latte Art Throwdown at the Pane e Dolci Café at 8th and 21st Streets in Nazareth. The open category highlighted the battle of skills and artistic passion in Latte Art.
The 2016 Summer Latte Art Throwdown organized by the Jamaican Food and Beverage Training Center, Inc., spearheaded by Rey Sumania and Bryan Silvano, and in partnership with Pane e Dolci and Ailel Rose Barcelona of Cremolata, Dubai.
15 baristas from all over Cagayan de Oro competed and represented their respective coffee shops (except when going freelance) in order to present the best Latte Art in town:
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
- Calvin Hart Alvarez (Krispy Kreme)
- Michelle Galan (freelance)
- Samantha Zhar Banawan (Something Sweet by Ann along T. Chavez Street)
- Rolly Delacruz (Burrow Bar and Brew along Capistrano Street)
- Annalyn Labis (freelance)
- Jan Ralph Caballero (Krispy Kreme)
- Beverly Castrodes (Mai Crafts Café along Don A. Velez Street)
- Sherwin Wayan (Burrow Bar and Brew along Capistrano Street)
- CJ Tabanda (Krispy Kreme)
- Mark Anthony Sagut (Coffeeworks at Limketkai Center)
- Joseph Lino Vina (Krispy Kreme)
- Justin Paul Bayawa (Jamaican F&B student)
- Ellaine Orcerada (Jamaican Food and Beverage student)
- Paul Borres (Jamaican Food and Beverage student)
- Jaen Cristoria (Jamaican Food and Beverage student)
For the competition proper itself, the open category followed three rounds:
- Round 1 – Free style free pour latte art using 8oz cup.
- Round 2 – Free style latte art free pour using 6oz cup,
- Round 3 and Final round – Make your own 3 art designs in freestyle, pattern art and macchiato.
Here are some photos of the participants while competition was ongoing.
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
The criteria for judging follows the international system of judging based on:
The judges.
- Symmetry
- Color contrast
- Definition
- Aesthetic beauty
- Degree of difficulty
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
The coffee used for the competition is pure Arabica Coffee, while the given patterns to be followed for the Latte Art were Tulip, Corrugated Heart, Rosetta and Picasso Swan.
Four winners eventually emerged:
The winners. Image Source | Facebook: Famela Sumania
Champion – Jan Ralph Caballero (Krispy Kreme)
1st Runner-up – Calvin Hart Alvarez (Krispy Kreme)
2nd Runner-up – Mark Anthony Sagut (Coffeeworks)
3rd Runner-up – Beverly Osabel Castrodes (Mai Crafts Cafe)
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
– All winners received a trophy and cash prize.
Special Thanks to the owners of Pane e Dolci; Mr. Ruben Castor and Mr. Mark Anthony Lacuesta for inviting About Cagayan de Oro to cover the event.
What is Latte Art?
For those not familiar with Latte Art, it is simply a method of creating an art design by pouring steamed milk into a cup or mug of espresso or Arabica coffee and resulting in a pattern or design on the surface of the latte, hence the term, “latte art.” It can also be created or embellished by simply “drawing” on the top layer of the foam. However, in international Latte Art competitions, only the “free-pour” method using steamed milk is allowed, and so etching, after-pouring, or drawing using straws, toothpicks, and other methods are disallowed. Judging is usually reserved for the overall visual appearance of the Latte Art design and not the taste of the coffee.
Contestants are usually given two or three times of limited pouring for their design, or they are given a time limit of 5 minutes with unlimited pouring. Only espresso of Arabica coffee is used as a base for the Latte Art since other coffee mixes tend to spread out the milk pouring. Only dairy milk is used. No other additives are allowed to go into the dairy milk. Competition is also based on cup or mug size (the international standards are usually the 6 ounce and 8 ounce cups and the milk pitchers are provided so all milk pouring is standardized as well. Any overflows or messes will result in an obviously lower score.
How to Become a Barista?
Image Source | Facebook: Pane e Dolci
For those willing to go to school to become a barista or bartender, Jamaican Food and Beverage Training Center, Inc. in Cagayan de Oro is now a recognized international training center located at the ground floor of the Caballero-Briñas Building along J.V. Seriña Street in Carmen (beside the COA building). It is owned by Mr. Rey Sumania as TVET school administrator and Ms. Pamela Sumania as registrar. Cagayanons no longer have to travel as far as Cebu or Manila just to receive schooling on how to be a barista or bartender.
Image Source | Facebook: Jamaican Int’l Mixology
Jamaican Food and Beverage Training Center, Inc. was opened by Mr. Sumania back in May 15, 2007. Mr. Sumania himself was a former barista and bartender for 10 years in Manila and worked for several coffee shops and mentored by several internationally renowned baristas before deciding to open a school to accommodate Cagayanons and other Mindanaoans who want to become baristas or bartenders. One of his experiential grounds was the Timbuktu Café in Malate, owned by the late Rico Yan, Diether Ocampo, and Senator Migz Zubiri. Some of Mr. Sumania’s mentors included Philip Boe (Australian-American coffee expert, Hiroyuki Hojo (Japanese coffee expert), and Carlo Lamperte (Italian espresso expert from the Roncillo Company in Italy).
Image Source | Facebook: Rey Sumania
Mr. Rey Sumania is presently the president of the Northern Mindanao chapter of the Philippine Bartender’s League, founding member of the Philippine Bartending Academic Society, a member of the Barista Guild of the Philippines, and International Bartending Association. He also serves as a freelance barista and bartending consultant for various coffee shops and bars in Cagayan de Oro, Davao City, and Valencia City in Bukidnon.
Jamaican Food and Beverage Training Center, Inc. has already received fame and renown for fielding its students and graduates as winners in national and international barista, coffee, bartending, and flair tending competitions. One of its biggest winners is Mr. Lyndon A. Recera, hailing from Dipolog City, and one of its Barista Training graduates in 2011. He won first place in the 2011 National Barista Cup in Manila, and became the first barista from Mindanao to win the championship in the 2015 World Barista Cup held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He is currently employed at Espresso Lab 3rd Wave Coffee Shop in Dubai, UAE as head barista. He is also presently the administrator for the Latte Art Philippines.
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