A lot can happen over coffee and a 22-year-old Noida-based barista proved this as he brewed history on Friday. Cafe Coffee Day, Noida’s barista Naman Kohli became the youngest winner in the two-year history of the National Barista Championship, the finals of which were held here on Friday.
Naman’s signature brew ‘Pixel’, named after his pet dog, proved to be a gustatory delight, not only for the judges, but also veteran barista and World Barista Championship winner Vikram Khurana, who said, “The Pixel brew was nothing short of the magical brews of Rome and Milan, and could very well win the World Championship.”
Naman’s joys were compounded when Anil Kumar, Vice-Chairman, Coffee Board of India, announced that for the first time, the winner would be sent abroad to represent the country in the World Barista Championship. “I finally need to get a passport made,” said an ecstatic Naman.
The national championship commenced with the first round being held in New Delhi and Bengaluru, in which 12 of more than 55 baristas from the north and south regions were shortlisted to go neck-to-neck in the final round in the city. Each barista was given 15 minutes to brew four espressos, four cappuccinos and four signature brews of their choice.
