Barista Magazine

JUN-JUL 2012

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cessful, healthy growth of the café retailer and barista segment of the specialty coffee industry worldwide. "Emma has been a true leading light in coffee, both here in New Zealand and abroad, " says Carl Sara, incoming Chair of the World Coffee Events organization, multi-time New Zealand Barista Cham- pion, and a close friend and colleague of Emma's. "She has been largely responsible for the surge in quality of baristas, barista competitions and events within New Zea- land over the past eight or so years. Her work is almost always unseen by most, but it is appreciated by many. "I realize I may be slightly biased, but I have been involved with a couple of com- petitions over the a few years and I know of many others who will support this com- ment, that New Zealand now has one of the best barista competitions in the World. It is amazingly organized, judged and executed almost flawlessly because of Emma's, and the team she has collected around her, tire- less work. "Emma is a special woman who works and lives to improve the lives of baristas," Carl continues. "She does it without saving a breath for herself. She has been a hugely positive influence in my career and I now count her amongst my closest friends." Personally, I met Emma for the first time in Trieste, Italy, where I had traveled to try for my World Barista Certification for the first time, in 2004. Emma was magnetic; I wanted to know her. Obviously one of the veterans already, she was far from preten- tious; in fact, she went out of her way to welcome the newcomers supporting the WBC; she understood the need for new blood on a consistent, year-after-year basis in order for the barista community to gain strength and momentum. Since the day I met her on the dock of Fiera Trieste, as we leaned over the edge to look out on the Adriatic Sea, I've looked forward to seeing Emma at coffee events year after year. Her humor coupled with her intelligence and astute perspective on the coffee industry are welcome at any par- ty, any workshop. So now we welcome you to the conversation with Emma yourself. Sarah Allen: Please tell us about how you got seriously involved in coffee, and how that led up to your participation in the New Zealand Barista Champion- ship leading to the 2002 WBC? www.baristamagazine.com 47

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