Romeo Perello of EuroCoffee was named the UAE's barista champion at the International Coffee & Tea Festival in Dubai this month. Here, he talks about ditching hairdressing for latte art and what makes a great cup of joe.
What got you into coffee?
I am from the Philippines. I came to the UAE just for a visit. I was a hairstylist in my country. I changed when I came to the UAE because [here] men cut men's hair and I normally only cut [the] hair of women. I didn't want to go back to the Philippines, so I changed jobs and started working in a hotel [the Kempinski] as a waiter [and] serving coffee as a barista.
That's quite a change.
I had one training in the hotel in about 2007 and I saw some latte art. I directly went to YouTube to see how to make latte art and when I was on night shift, I decided to try it out. To be honest, for a month I was wasting milk of the hotel - though I did check the expiry date. So that was a good start for me. Here, people have a different way of drinking [coffee]. Most Asians, they like it too much sweet. Arabs, they like it too much hot. I check the client and if he's Arab, I burn up the milk to 200 degrees. But if you serve 200-degree coffee to a European, they will complain.
How did you wow the judges at the UAE championship?
I gave the right espresso for the judges, that's what I am thinking. You need to make a perfect espresso because it is the basic [drink]. You need to know about the characteristics of the coffee and how to brew it. In the championship, I used Brazilian coffee - its character is a more nutty flavour. I impressed the judges because of the way I brewed. And also for my presentation, as well as for my menu.
What have you got up your sleeve for the world championships?
The championship is in May in Melbourne, Australia, so I have a few months to prepare. I am thinking [about using coffee from] Nicaragua; this is the best. I'd love to go there and study the coffee at the farm [so I can explain] how they grow and process and roast the coffee.
Where do you work now?
I work for Eurocoffee - we are the suppliers for Lavazza coffee here in the UAE. We supply hotels, restaurants, coffee shops. I am a trainer as well for our clients.
Where do you want to go from here?
I want to be a better barista, that's all. Perhaps get into roasting, too.
Tell me, where do I get the best cup of coffee in the UAE?
I normally make my own coffee. In coffee shops, you don't know how the barista is - whether he has good knowledge and good training.
