Emilee Bryant, the reigning Coffee Fest Latte Art Champion and a barista at Greenway Coffee in Houston, talks to us about her passion for latte art and her recent win in New York.
BY CHRIS RYAN
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Photos courtesy of Emilee Bryant
This March, at the Coffee Fest trade show in New York City, Emilee Bryant achieved a goal that was years in the making. The latte artist, who works as a barista at Houston’s Greenway Coffee, had been competing in the Coffee Fest Latte Art World Championship Open since 2017—taking part in six of the championships—but had yet to win the top prize. However, on this winter Sunday morning in March, that changed: She was able to win the tournament to become the first 2019 Coffee Fest Latte Art Champion.
It was a cathartic victory for Emilee, who went from studying art in college to working as a barista, with a particular focus on latte art. (She regularly posts her impressive latte art creations on her Instagram page.) We talked to Emilee about how she got into coffee, why she took to latte art, and her experience at this year’s successful run at Coffee Fest.
Chris Ryan: How did you come to work in coffee? What did you study in school and think you’d pursue professionally before you came to coffee? How long have you worked at Greenway, and what’s your role there?
Emilee Bryant: Believe or not, just prior to making coffee for people, I was living in the woods in a treehouse for three years making art and studying in college. My pursuits were in media studies; I was a huge fan of film and radio production. I still enjoy those parts of my life. However, the coffee bug bites deep.
I’ve been working for Greenway Coffee Roasters for two years. I’m part of a team of people who work at multiple shops around town. I suppose barista is our title, but our company allows us to act out so many more roles, and it can feel like you are part of the family in this family business. Everyone loves what they do equally, and it shows when you see how much they have dedicated to the shops—and how much Greenway has dedicated to us.
How did latte art enter the picture for you? What did you find interesting / appealing about it, and how did you go about getting so good at it?
The goal wasn’t so much to get better at latte art until later when I started competing. I really wanted my coffee to express just how much energy I put into it, and over time the trial-and-error process guided me to this place we are now. Funny how things happen and you might not have had plans for them at all. It was a year into learning coffee that I realized I was improving in latte art. I was pretty shy about the pours I could do and was too nervous to enter local throwdowns.
It felt like the shift happened for me overnight. I was at a shop volunteering, and the machine they used helped me click into a new way of thinking. I credit getting my milk texture dialed in for how I gained more control in latte art. I’ll never forget the machine—it was a Synesso Hydra, and the steam wands were very forgiving while I was learning and refining my technique. This allowed me to have more control in learning how to properly texture my milk, as great milk texture is truly a must-have for the kinds of designs we do at competition.
Can you describe your journey in competing at the Coffee Fest Latte Art World Championship Open? I understand you first competed three years ago? How many Coffee Fest championships did you take part in, and what drove you to keep competing?
There is a really strong community of latte artists both online through Instagram as well as in the Houston coffee scene. It’s funny, I haven’t seen another city—other than perhaps New York—that has as much talent for coffee art and enthusiasm as Houston does. Really strong peers that loved the craft helped lift and motivate me to enter my first competition in Chicago. I’ve since competed in six going on seven Coffee Fest latte art competitions. Competition shows you the things you need to work on … and it shows that to the rest of the world as well. My main drive other than wanting to win one was also making myself and the judges proud to judge the art I put down. I keep going back because of the large, diverse coffee family I’ve meet from these events—these are people I will know for the rest of my life.
What was the experience like this year of finally winning? Did it feel different going in, or do you feel like it just went your way this time?
This experience stood out from the rest in more ways than one. A lot of competition isn’t so much you against an opponent, but you against yourself. Head space is so vital to your performance, and an off day can ruin your run in the game. I went into New York feeling the happiest I have in my life and receiving so much love from friends and people who like what I do online. … It was starting to feel surreal at a point from how perfect this trip was, so much so it seemed like a movie, with maybe half the cheesy lines.
I’ve made it to the final day of the Coffee Fest competition multiple times, but something was very different this time around. I was surrounded by all these people I loved and felt love from. I felt that energy as those thoughts stayed in my mind; I put my headphones in and jumped around to music backstage getting into the legendary “zone.” Going against a good friend and competitor Matthew Bolchi helped set the tone. All of a sudden it was just being silly with my peers and making cute drinks, be it very competitively. I was in control of myself in body and mind. It felt like the culmination of all the effort I worked for being honored. In clips from that day you can see me not knowing what to do with my hands and legs after the judges announced the winners. I’m pacing around and even going back for a sec to clean the station before realizing I needed to stand up front and take photos. This Coffee Fest was the best game I’ve ever played with the best people.
I know from your Instagram posts that you’re outspoken about LGBTQ+ rights and your own experience as a trans woman. Can you share what your experience has been like being transparent about your identity? Have you found the coffee community a welcoming one?
Our culture is on its way to being more inclusive and accepting. There is a tough battle ahead, but I feel so much support, safety, and love from peers in the coffee world. I am vocal because being anyone I’m not is the direct opposite of who I am. It is so therapeutic to go out and yell, “This is me and I’m proud of that!” But I’m still just a regular barista. Our community is strong and we are the faces you see everyday in and out of these shops, roasteries, and farms. I hope that being the current title holder and being a member of that community will inspire others to do the same for themselves. I’m just a person, and I could name 10 people on my fingers in the community that deserve just as much praise for their strength. If you take away anything for yourself from this talk, please consider earthly love for all people.
Finally, what do you enjoy doing outside of coffee and latte art?
Oh, many things. I haven’t actualized this yet, but a goal is to learn glass blowing and neon sign creation. I enjoy some sculpting and puppet making. I still retain a love for film and radio. I mostly enjoy the company of my friends and making jokes and laughing. Humor gives me life.
