I'M NOT A BARISTA: Voices of the Coffee World – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, we sit down with Charity Cheung, 1st France Brewer’s Cup’22&’24, to explore her fascinating journey from public policy to the heart of the coffee industry. Charity shares how an unexpected start led her to pursue a new passion in specialty coffee, and what it was like to transition from academia to entrepreneurship in France. We dive into her competition experiences, the importance of community in coffee, and why supporting coffee farmers matters now more than ever.

Charity’s story is a reminder of the powerful connections coffee creates—and the impact we can all make by valuing the people behind each cup. Whether you’re a coffee pro, a barista, or just a curious coffee drinker, you won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation with Charity Cheung!

• Follow Charity on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charitycheung_/?hl=en
• Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamnotabarista/?hl=en
• Read Charity's story here https://notabarista.org/charity-cheung/
• Support I'M NOT A BARISTA here https://notabarista.org/charity-cheung/

In this episode of the I'M NOT A BARISTA podcast, we sit down with Nikos Antzaras, a two-time Greek Barista Champion whose love for coffee transformed his life and career. Starting as a medical engineering student working as a barista to cover expenses, Nikos found his true calling in the world of coffee—a decision that led to both family tensions and remarkable personal growth.

"I really fell in love with coffee," Nikos recalls. Despite his parents' concerns—"What are you doing? Are you crazy? You studied... what coffee things are these?"—he pursued his passion relentlessly. 

Nikos shares valuable insights from his extensive experience in coffee competitions, emphasizing that "you never lose; you always win something." His journey took a profound turn during a trip to Colombia, where he helped save a coffee farmer's livelihood by challenging an incorrect defect evaluation.  

At his own establishment, Roast Warehouse in Athens, Nikos continues to inspire both customers and employees. "I always tell my employees, 'It doesn't matter where you work. If you love this job, you have to always give your 100 percent.'" With an open roastery concept, he invites everyone to witness the art and science behind every cup.

Join us as we explore Nikos's inspiring story—a testament to passion, perseverance, and the impact one individual can have on an entire community. Whether you're a coffee professional or an enthusiast, this episode offers valuable lessons and motivation for your own journey in the world of coffee.

www.notabarista.org

“Coffee paired with the right glass of water will dramatically change your experience…”

From tasting his first Ethiopian – washed coffee to placing second in 2019’s Australian Northern regional World Aeropress Championship, Darren Meachem’s journey through coffee goes deep.

If you're a coffee aficionado or simply curious about the fascinating world of water, this episode is not to be missed. Tune in now and discover the art of water tasting with Darren Meachem.

For more information about Darren and his work as a water sommelier, be sure to check out his Instagram. And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and subscribe to our podcast to stay up-to-date on all our latest content.

#water #coffeewater #watersommelier #sommelier #australia #aeropress #barista #specialtycoffee 

Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/

Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Oleksii Fedorovskyi, the Ukraine Brewers Cup champion in 2016 and 2020.

Even during times of war, Oleksii never wavered in his love for coffee. He and all of the 2023 Ukraine Brewers Cup competitors proudly hold the title of coffee enthusiast.

In this episode, we had the privilege of interviewing Oleksii about the current coffee scene in Kiev and his latest activities. We also delved into the topic of infused coffee and Oleksii generously shared his tips for identifying infused coffee at home based on his vast experience.

Have you had the pleasure of trying infused coffee? Are you a fan? Tune in to this episode to learn more about Oleksii and the world of infused coffee.

Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/

Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

In our latest episode, we interviewed Serafim Zoukas. He is a full-time psychologist, a father of a seven-year-old, and an independent Brewers Cup competitor who is passionate about homebrewing.

We were impressed by Serafim's dedication to his craft and his willingness to compete with coffee professionals. He serves as an excellent example to his daughter and to all of us.

Serafim's love for coffee goes beyond just drinking it. He has honed his brewing skills and competed in the Brewers Cup.

Despite being a full-time psychologist, Serafim has found the time to pursue his passion for brewing and has even achieved success in the competition circuit. He is an inspiration to anyone who has a passion outside of their day job.

During our interview, Serafim advised anyone looking to pursue their passions to "do what you love, and enjoy the process." This message reminds us to prioritize joy and fulfillment in our pursuits.

Overall, we were honored to have Serafim on our show and are grateful for the insight he provided on pursuing one's passions and stepping outside of one's comfort zone.

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/serafimzoukas/

Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/

Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

In this episode, we had James Harper with us. James is an Italian Australian with a British twang, James fell in love with coffee as a teenager in Italy.

He's worked across the coffee world but kept running against the same problem: nobody knew what was really happening. So he went off to uncover the reality and discovered uncomfortable, hidden truths.

Armed with these stories and a background in storytelling, James started Filter Stories to help coffee drinkers understand how their morning cup of coffee impacts tens of millions of people.

If you like coffee just like us, make sure the subscribe to James's podcast Filter Stories 

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/filterstoriespodcast/

Website
https://filterstories.org/

Read more coffee stories on
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Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Who is the most popular barista in 2023 so far?

No doubt, it is Mariam Erin Pinza, the 2023 UAE Barista Champion, who is also the @coffeewristbands angel in UAE, and the talented artist that you should start investing :)

In this episode, Mariam shared her experience preparing for a barista championship, and her recent competition performance proves that her method works. 

Listen to this episode, and get to know the Mariam behind the competition, get to know her art, her past, and why she always wears a bucket hat.

If you like reading, you can read Mariam's coffee story with the link below
https://notabarista.org/mariam-erin-pinza/

Follow Mariam on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/mariam.erin/

Get to know IMNAB's charity program COFFEE WRISTBANDS
https://notabarista.org/coffee-wristbands-charity-program/

Coffee Wristbands is an international fundraising program that brings coffee people together to give back to the coffee community. Every wristband purchased enacts a positive impact on the lives of those in the local coffee community.

Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/

Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

In the first episode of season 3 of the I'M NOT A BARISTA podcast, we talked to Elysia Tan, a coffee entrepreneur, and professional barista with multiple titles. She is the Singapore Brewers Cup Champion 2019 and 2022, and the World Brewers Cup 2022 2nd Runner up, and the co-founder of Homeground Coffee Roasters in Singapore.

After eight years in the coffee world, Elysia still finds her passion in coffee; what inspires her daily, and what is she like in real life? Listen to this episode and get to know the real Elysia.

If you travel to Singapore this year, Elysia has a list of great coffee shops you must visit.

If you like our podcast, subscribe and leave us a review. We interview coffee people from all over the world to empower people behind the cup.

Follow Elysia on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/elysiaholmes/

Visit our website for more coffee stories
https://notabarista.org/

Read more coffee stories on
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Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Hello guys, I'M NOT A BARISTA is back. 2023's first audio story is from Petros.

Last year, we interviewed Petros Malousis, the operational manager of Coffee Lab and he shared with us his spectacular journey from a barista to where he is now. We hope his story can give baristas some tips about their own careers.

Stepping into the coffee industry at 17 years old, Petros Malousis embarked on his coffee journey with a humble beginning. He spent years working as a barista trainer. Whenever he recalls his apprentice experience, the passion for the coffee always takes up most of his words. He barely complained about the dullness of repetitive training and the low wages in his early career. When people ask him why he choose this path, he just answers in the most honest way:

Read the full article here
https://notabarista.org/petros-malousis/

Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/iamnotabarista/

Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/

Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Paola Campana’s story is one of tradition, values, family, and passion. Slipping into the world of coffee by following in her parents’ footsteps, her story takes place along the Napolitan coast of Italy. A dreamy backdrop, we invite you to imagine the sounds of waves crashing and busy piazzas in summer as we share her story with you.

Read the full article here
https://notabarista.org/paola-campana/

Article by Virginia & Zoé

Support our 101 Coffee Stories project on Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iamnotabarista/101-coffee-stories-dedicated-to-the-people-behind-the-cup

Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/

Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/