Ten international baristas will compete in the third edition of reality TV show Barista & Farmer in Brazil.
From 3 – 13 May, the selected finalists will travel to San Paolo, Brazil, to experience life as a coffee farmer in one of the world’s most important coffee producing countries.
Three-time Italian Barista Champion Francesco Sanapo launched the international talent show in 2013 in collaboration with Rimini Fiera, Sigep, and the support of the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe.
The show, dedicated to the education of specialty coffee, will follow 10 selected baristas by camera, 24 hours a day, while completing coffee-themed challenges and educational activities.
The show will host the baristas at O’Coffee Company farm in Pedregulho, in the Alta Mogiana region. O’Coffee Company is one of the largest coffee producers in Brazil, and one of the first Brazilian companies to produce specialty coffee since its establishment in 1890.
More than 200 application entries were received for the 2016 edition of Barista & Farmer. The lucky baristas selected for their skill and talent include Guido Garavello from Italy, Miguel Angel Vera Fernandez from Venezuela, Jesslyn Evani from Indonesia, Nikolaos Kanakaris from Greece, Olga Kaplina from Russia, Amy Nake Manukyan from Armenia, Evgeni Pinchukov from Belarus, Daniel Rivera from the United States, and Agniesza Rojewska from Poland.
“The baristas have been chosen specifically with different personality profiles because we want to develop – even more than in previous editions of the show – this intercultural exchange in order to show how coffee is perceived in different areas of the world,” Francesco said.
The last contender to round off the 10 baristas travelling to Brazil will be an Australian, to be decided in the coming months. Details to follow soon.
In 2015 Melbourne barista Julian Dammanhayn of Genovese Coffee made his origin dream come true, becoming Australia’s first country representative in the show. Julian won his plane ticket to Honduras after beating 10 other finalists in a barista competition at Hawthorn Common.
As in previous years, Barista & Farmer 2016 finalists will have the opportunity to experience life working on a coffee farm. They will wake at sunrise, spend their morning picking coffee cherries, and in the afternoon attend classes at the Barista & Farmer Academy, a multidisciplinary school.
This year however, Francesco says the show’s format is more focused on education. Participants will learn the intricacies of the bean and understand coffee’s production chain. They will explore specific subjects such as botanics, agronomy, and applied chemistry. Coffee experts will also conduct classes about production methods, roasting, extraction methods, sensory evaluation, and tasting.
“Barista & Farmer has had only two editions so far, but it already established itself as a successful and innovative talent show,” said Patrizia Cecchi, Business Director of Rimini Fiera.
“Now, with the 2016 edition, which will take place in the quintessential land of coffee, which is Brazil, we believe that specialty and quality coffee may receive an additional boost from which the entire production chain will benefit.”
For more information on Barista & Farmer visit www.baristafarmer.com
