MIT hosts reigning NZ Barista Champion’s training ahead of World Barista Championship

07/03/24

MIT recently welcomed the Barista Champion of New Zealand 2024, Honoka Kawashima, as she prepared to compete in the World Barista Championship to be held on 1 May in Busan, South Korea.

MIT School of Hospitality along with David Huang, owner of Society Coffee, hosted the training session at the Grind, where Kawashima showcased her world-class coffee skills to a panel of judges, comprised of previous barista champions, coffee experts, and an audience of coffee enthusiasts.

A former MIT student and teacher himself, Huang was eager to bring Kawashima’s training to the place where his own coffee journey began.

"MIT holds a special place in my heart," he expressed. "It's where my coffee journey started and has played a significant role in my development within the industry."

As a long-serving, certified judge of the Championship, Huang emphasized the importance of candidates displaying not only a broad knowledge of coffee but also a deep understanding of their specific craft.

However, he highlighted humility as the most valued trait in a champion.

“At the end of the day, we are looking for ambassadors for barista as a profession.

“We are looking for ambassadors for coffee industry as a whole and we want that person to be a genuine person.”

Echoing the quality, Kawashima in her message to aspiring baristas talked about adopting humility, a continuous learning mindset, and connecting with people.

“It is important to be humble, and to learn, to have that curiosity,” she said. “Being a barista is about people, connecting to people.”

She emphasised that customers return not just for the coffee but for the connection they feel with the barista.

George Win, lecturer in MIT’s hospitality department said hosting such training sessions offered an enriching experience not just for the ākonga but also for the MIT kaimahi.

He said, “Learning about coffee from a champion barista can spark an interest in the art and science of coffee making. It encourages our students and staff to not just appreciate high-quality coffee and support local coffee businesses but also build community engagement by attracting members of the local community, creating opportunities for campus-community interaction and collaboration.”

The next Introduction to Barista course is scheduled for 15 March 2024.