Aaron Dongsu Shin of Short Black Café won his first national title in front of hundreds of fans at MICE.
The Melbourne-based barista has enjoyed a successful 12 months, first winning the 2017 ASCA Southern Region Pura Latte Art Championship in September 2016, then the Veneziano Coffee Roasters Smackdown in October 2016.
Aaron won the national latte art title thanks to his original and creative designs, which included a Rockhopper Penguin for his first pour design, a Flying Peacock for his free pour pattern, and a Coffee Loving Squirrel for his designer latte – his personal favourite.
Shinsaku “Shin” Fukayama of St Ali was runner up, and Emily Coumbis of Piggy Back Café placed third in the national final.
“I was so happy to win, and very satisfied with my performance. When I finished my final routine, I knew I would be the champion. I just had this feeling,” Aaron says. “I watched all the other competitors and knew that my patterns were creative and stood out. The judges told me my patterns were very clever. Last year they said I didn’t make eye contact or smile throughout my routine, so this time I made sure I did.”
Aaron trained intensively in the lead up to the competition, at times training from 11am to 12am daily, he says. That practice time is set to intensify when Aaron begins his World Latte Art Championship (WLAC) preparation, taking place from 13 to 15 June in Budapest, Hungary.
“I can’t wait to represent Australia. It’s a real honour for me. It means a lot. I can’t describe my feelings in words, but I will work very hard and do my best at the [WLAC] to represent the country and all the other finalists,” Aaron says.
To celebrate his national win, Aaron spent time with his Korean friends post-MICE, but says the celebrations weren’t too outrageous.
“They all knew I would win so it wasn’t a huge surprise to them,” he said. “If I win the WLAC, it might be different.”
