From March 5-8, the Oregon Convention Center in Portland is hosting the United States Barista Championship. Leading up to the USBC, Food GPS is showcasing baristas who placed in the Top 6 in their respective region and decided to compete for greater glory. Here’s a contender for the American coffee crown:

Jesse Bladyka
Coal Creek Coffee Company – Laramie, WY
Mountain Regional Barista Competition Finalist

1. Did anything surprise you about your regional competition?
This was my first competition, so I was surprised all around. It’s so much fun to get together with everyone in the region who loves specialty coffee. The most exciting part of the competition that I found was the sense of camaraderie. We’re all on the same team in so many ways and it’s just a blast to get to know some people in the region.

2. Will adjust your approach for the United States Barista Championship? If so, how?
Approach? Not much, I’ll try to talk a little less and work a little more, but it’s just about telling my story and serving my coffee and trusting that everyone is going to love it.

3. What is your goal at the USBC?
I want to put Coal Creek Coffee on the map. They’ve been doing such an awesome job for so long, I just want to draw attention to the fact that we can make some world class coffee at 7200 feet of elevation and in the middle of America. I want to make friends, I want to come back to Wyoming and tell my customers how wonderful and gracious all the competitors were and how many great people I met. Of course I want to do well, but that’s personal.

4. What did you learn by competing at your regional?
Like I said, it was my first competition so I learned a ton about how these things work. I also learned a fair amount about the coffee in the region and had some wonderful and interesting chats with Gianni about the Aurelia machine.

5. What’s your training schedule like until the USBC?
I’m headed to Coffeefest in Chicago and I’m bringing my Spro. I’m excited to play on machines down at sea level, it’s been a long time since I was a barista down there, everything is entirely different. Until and after that, every day, every night.

6. What’s a coffeehouse you didn’t know about before your regional competition that you now plan to visit?
OZO Coffee. Greg Lefcourt (MRBC Winner) and Justin Hartman are such great guys. They were a highlight of the social end of the competition for me and I can’t wait to get down and check out what they do day to day.

7. What’s your approach in choosing the music that plays during your performance?
It was mellow and instrumental, I used three songs by Tin Hat Trio, but I think I’m going to need something a little more upbeat for Portland. I don’t want to overthink it.

Related Posts

1. USBC Competitor Robin Crosby (Coal Creek Coffee)
2. USBC Competitor Scott Lucey (Alterra Coffee)
3. USBC Competitor Greg Lefcourt (Ozo Coffee Co.)
4. USBC Competitor Jesse Crouse (Intelligentsia)
5. USBC Competitor Colin Whitcomb (Alterra Coffee)

1. Pingback: PhilChar Blog » Food GPS » Blog Archive » USBC Contender Jesse Bladyka (Coal Creek … on February 19, 2009

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