Twenty-four-year-old, Michael Dennis was awarded the winner of the Piazza Doro/Yees Cold Storage 2018 Regional Barista Competition Coral Coast at Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort in Sigatoka yesterday.

The lad from Nasali Village in Rewa is an employee of Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort where he works as a bartender and barista for the past six years.

He will participate in the national competition later this year to represent his sector with more than 10 baristas across the country.

“I came third in the national’s last year so I am hoping to win this year’s national competition,” Mr Denis said.

“At first it was kind of tough for me because I am a bartender but then through perseverance and hard work I picked up the tactics of making coffee and made it my passion,” he added.

Mr Dennis said being a bartender and barista have come in handy working in a hotel.

“As much as they love their cocktails, tourists have so much love for their coffee and that’s why I always try to put my heart into it when making coffee for my customers.

“Now it’s time to prepare for the national’s and this will be quite a tough competition that I need to focus on,” he said.

Yees Cold Storage Sales and Training manager, Laite Cavalevu said the barista competition along the Coral Coast was always tough.

“It’s always intense here in the Coral Coast because the participants have so much passion in their coffee. They fight for what they stand for and that is who makes the best coffee.

“The standard of coffee here is high and the hotels have been very supportive towards their baristas,” she said.

The final regional competition  will be held at the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa in Nadi, today.

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