Costa Coffee has announced the winner of its prestigious Global Barista of the Year 2024 competition, held from July 2 to 3 at the Heathrow Sofitel Hotel in London, UK. Denila Kumar from Qatar claimed the top spot, outshining her peers with her exceptional coffee-making skills. Shogo Abe from Japan secured second place, while Abdin Subedi from the UK finished third.
The judging panel was composed of esteemed members from Costa Coffee, including Head Judge and Master of Coffee, Gennaro Pelliccia. He was supported by Sensory Judges Becky Craig, Head of Global Learning and Development, and Marco Magatti, Product Development Director.
“It was an absolute pleasure to witness the incredible talent and passion displayed by all the finalists in this year’s Global Barista of the Year competition,” Pelliccia remarked. “Denila Kumar’s performance stood out for her exceptional skills, creativity, and dedication to the craft of coffee making. Each round demonstrated her ability to innovate while maintaining the highest standards of quality and consistency. We are thrilled to crown Denila as Costa Coffee’s Global Barista of the Year and look forward to seeing how she will continue to elevate the coffee experience for Costa Coffee customers.”
During the two-day event, the 22-year-old Kumar participated in a series of rigorous challenges designed to test her skills, knowledge, and creativity in coffee-making. These included The Canvas round, where finalists were judged on their ability to create two identical flat whites and cortados/cortos, and The Detective round, which assessed their sensory skills in identifying a specific beverage from six sets of three drinks.
The competition culminated in The Special round, where finalists were tasked with creating and presenting their own innovative coffee drinks in both hot and iced formats. Kumar impressed the judges with her signature drink, Saffronilla.
“Being crowned Costa Coffee’s Global Barista of the Year is a dream come true,” Kumar expressed. “I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and thankful for the support of my team members, friends, and family who have been with me every step of the way. This competition has been an amazing journey of growth and learning, pushing me to explore new depths of creativity and innovation in the world of coffee, whilst competing alongside other amazing baristas from around the world. I’m proud to have represented Qatar in the competition, and I’m excited to continue sharing my love for coffee.”
Costa Coffee, founded in London in 1971 by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa, now operates in 50 countries. The brand boasts over 2,700 coffee shops in the UK and Ireland and more than 1,300 locations worldwide.