The Latte Art World Championship Is The Most Intense Competition You Never Knew Existed
To the everyday coffee drinker, latte art is something to be quickly Snapchatted before taking a gulp of coffee and moving on with the day. To the 64 competitors at Portland's Latte Art World Championship, it truly is a lifestyle.
Most of the competitors are full-time baristas or coffee shop managers, where they practice their art daily. But in the heat of the competition, it's a totally different story. With three minutes on the clock, there's no time to mess around. Each contestant has a slightly different way of doing things: Some compete with headphones in. One took his shoes off so as not to slip. But as each contestant carefully makes their way to the judges' table, cup in hand, you can see the same look of anticipation and emotion on their faces.
The pours aren't Ryan-Gosling's-face shocking; instead, they're the cleanest, most beautiful rosettas, leaves, and hearts you'll ever see. As one artist explains, there are three or four pours most competitors start with, but about a million variations from there. Competitors customize the shape, layers, and contrast within the cup to make each latte unique. This is art, not gimmick.
And while there's no doubt every competitor wants to win, they're also there to support one another. Throughout the competition, there are a surprising amount of hugs. Competitors record videos for each other's Instagrams and take photos of the final pours. They can tell you who's competed against each other at previous competitions and what the re-matches mean. Even Nicely Abel - a front-runner who disqualified on day two after showing up late - happily sat through the rest of the competition, cheering on his friends.
It may just be coffee and milk, but to these competitors, it's about a purpose and a family - and they've got the fist pumping, tears streaming, fall-to-the floor moments to prove it.
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