Editor’s note: Barista Magazine is thrilled to be sponsoring the Barista & Farmer Coffee Reality TV project happening right now in Puerto Rico. Publisher Ken Olson will travel to Puerto Rico on Wednesday to attend the event,which brings 15 Italian baristas together on Hacienda San Pedro to work the farm, learn from agronomists, and participate in challenges, and he’ll write about it here on the blog and in the December+January issue of Barista Magazine.
But you want to hear how things are going NOW, don’t you? Luckily, journalist Davide Agazzi, is on the ground in Puerto Rico, sharing stories from the event with us. Here is his first installment. And be sure to check out the video, too!
November 3, 2013
Milan, Italy to Jayuya, Puerto Rico
On November 3, the first edition of Barista & Farmer began. It is an experience that 15 baristas from all over Italy will share for the next 8 days. This format, created by Francesco Sanapo, Italian Barista Champion for 2013, is about the meeting between baristas and producers, putting in direct contact, probably for the first time, the entire chain production of this beloved beverage.
The adventure takes place on the island of Puerto Rico: the chosen location is Hacienda San Pedro, located around two hours from the capital, San Juan. The protagonists, chosen by Sanapo himself, were clearly excited from the very first moments of the trip. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a chance to grow personally and professionally, the possibility to finaly touch, first hand, what has always been studied (sadly) only on books.
This trip to coffee producing countries ”and the plural is important, considering that other countries are already looking forward to hosting their own Barista & Farmer events ”is not only a first encounter between the barista and the producer; it is, more than anything, a chance to go to origin themselves, something many of them have only dreamed of being able to do.
The willingness of the baristas to learn not only for themselves but for the benefit of consumers who will be watching the show when it airs on TV, proves that coffee consumption is going through a revolution, in Italy especially.
Like in most reality shows, Barista & Farmer features a series of challenges that the 15 participants will have to undertake: Angelo Segoni, from Pescara, was the winner of the first competition ”a tamper challenge. (Tampers were provided by IMS Filtri.) But this trip has only just begun, and the path to conquering the championship title of the first edition of Barista & Farmer is still a long ways off for these baristas. The prize for the winner is the participation in the next edition of this reality, this time as part of the staff team and co-conductor.
You can also be part of the show by following Barista & Farmer on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, and participating by voting for the competitors you feel are turning in the best performances in the challenges. The first of these challenges will end ”November 5 at midnight Italian time (5 a.m. Puerto Rico time): don’t miss the chance to vote for your favorite barista!
Event sponsored by: Hacienda San Pedro, Sigep, La Cimbali, Imperator, 9Bar, Pulycaff, Quarta Caffè, Caffè del Faro, Caffè Corsini, Pacorini, Brambati, Pascucci, Costadoro.
Media Partners: Barista Magazine & Comunicaffè.
Bravo!