Baristas Battle in Latte Art Throwdown
Photo credit Armin Lotfi
On Thursday night, it was very hard to find a decent cup of coffee in Orange County because our most talented baristas were in Irvine. Competing in the Latte Art Throwdown at Irvine’s KRISP Fresh Living, baristas went head to head to win cash and bragging rights for the best latte art. The event was the second of four organized by OCTNT (Orange County Thursday Night Throwdown), an organization that supports, educates, and encourages our barista community. The competition was fierce.
“We’re looking for contrast, symmetry, level of difficulty, and execution,” explained Megan Honomichl, a barista at Dripp in South Coast Plaza and one of the competition’s three judges. Rosa Verdugo of Boulon d’Amour in Los Angeles and KRISP manager Janice Lee rounded out the judging crew. Points were taken off for small errors, including spills, as contestants cautiously made their way from the espresso machine to the judges’ counter with their cups’ contents teetering over the edge.
OCTNT collected ten dollars from each participant and awarded the first place winner (Joonhyung Steve Kim) $200, the second place winner (Gabe Venegas) $75, and the third place winner (James Davalos) $10. But all participants received support from OCTNT’s founder and organizer, Jonathan Sepulveda.
“The baristas are the real starving artists,” said Sepulveda, who runs all-volunteer organization as a personal passion project. “They’re on the front lines.”
The event provides these talented drink makers with more than just a chance at some extra cash.
The winning late on the left, resembling a seahorse, was created by Joonhyung Steve Kim. Photo credit Jonathan Sepulveda/OCTNT
“The Thursday Night Throwdowns give them comradery and skill share,” explained Sepulveda. “The education helps us all grow.”
The winner of the event created a latte with a foam top resembling a sea horse. To see these epic designs from talented local artists, follow OCTNT on Instagram for details on the next Throwdown.