ALEJANDRO ESCOBAR VAZQUEZ
BARISTA CHAMPION OF MEXICO
Barista Mag: Before coffee, did you work in a different job or industry, or what did you study in school?
Alejandro: I was playing for the national team of table tennis in Mexico. I also box trained for 3 years and had nine fights. And I worked in an office for 6 months
BMag: How did you get started in coffee?
Alejandro: I started in a coffee shop where they were known for having good techniques for preparing coffee. I helped service the computers, and I prepared a menu of food daily. A friend invited me to work in a coffee bar, where I currently work and that’s when I started to learn and discover the great world of coffee. Then I started to compete and take courses to prepare better.
BMag: What was your first amazing experience with coffee?
Alejandro: When I was given an espresso and the flavors were described to me that I was going to find. It was very different and enjoyable for me. And I started to prepare espressos myself with the finesse, elegance, and care that it takes to make good coffee.
BMag: Who has been your greatest influence in coffee? Why?
Alejandro: Arturo Hernandez, my boss, and the barista champions that emerged during my first years as a barista.
BMag: What would you like to see change about the coffee industry/community?
Alejandro: I would like there to be more facilities with coffee available around the world. and I would like to re-educate consumers to appreciate all the hard work it takes to make a single cup of coffee.
BMag: Name a coffee luminary (famous person) you would like to meet, and why:
Alejandro: Michael Phillips. I think he is a champion who is still and will continue to be a big influence on the coffee skills of baristas all over the world.
BMag: Name a barista you admire, and why:
Alejandro: James Hoffmann. He is always thinking of the what, how, when, and why, of brewed coffee. And his personality is very nice.
BMag: Do you have a favorite customer? If so, tell us about him or her.
Alejandro: A customer who is eager to learn to taste good coffee, who can give me good reviews of my service, and who pays a fair price for a coffee of excellence.
BMag: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Alejandro: With my own school for coffee.
BMag: Is there anyone you would like to thank or who helped you prepare for the WBC?
My wife, of course, and my little daughter. My friend Hector Bautista. My boss Arturo Hernandez. Federico Bolanos. Fritz Storm. Kentaro Maruyama. And all the people involved in my training.
