Barista Magazine

AUG-SEP 2013

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PETE LICATA OF THE UNITED STATES 2013 WORLD BARISTA CHAMPION BY KENNETH R. OLSON THE LAST TIME I INTERVIEWED Pete Licata for a feature in Barista Magazine,* a few things were different. He lived in Hawaii, for starters. He was the Western Regional Barista Champ. He'd also finished second at the World Barista Championship (WBC) in Bogotá, Colombia, and he said he had no intention on competing again. Well, I guess that last part's the same. Pete's now living back near his family in the Midwest, where he grew up. He works in Kansas City, Mo., at Parisi Artisan Coffee, part of the city's growing specialty-coffee scene. He's the reigning South Central Regional Champion, a two-time United States Barista Champion, and he's also the new World Barista Champion, winning the title in May in Melbourne. But this time, for sure, he says he has no intention of competing again. Judging barista competitions, however, might be on the horizon. In fact, Pete is already judging. He's one of the premier judges for the America's Best Coffeehouse competitions at this year's three regional Coffee Fest events. I had a chance to catch up with Pete in June, when he was judging the competition at Coffee Fest Chicago. It was surprising to me that when he walked into the event space a mere fortnight since winning the WBC title he wasn't immediately mobbed by baristas, as he was in Australia beginning the second after he was announced the victor. In Chicago, I saw him watching the Latte Art Competition from the periphery, and though he seemed happy to chat with whomever said hello and stepped up to shake his hand, mostly he was just the same unassuming, laid-back Pete he'd always been. It's just the shaved head and beard that make him look so fierce. * Pete Licata appeared on the cover of Barista Magazine's December+January 2012 issue. 56 barista magazine

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