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WORLD BARISTA CHAMPION By Sarah Allen 2011 World Barista Champion At Large When Alejandro earned the title of World Barista Champion last year, he changed all of that; he actually made history, and transformed our entire understanding of what is possible in specialty coffee. For that, the industry owes him a debt of gratitude. Alejandro takes that honor seriously, and he's spent the past year traveling the world telling his unique story to baristas everywhere. But he's also, at heart, just a fun-loving guy. Alejandro is friendly to all, and endlessly curious about coffee. He might be the big champ, but that doesn't mean he thinks he knows everything. A good day for Alejandro means opportunities to learn from and share ideas with fellow coffee professionals, make amazing espresso, laugh a lot and get to know people. It's been a big year for this 25-year-old from San Salvador. He's crisscrossed the globe, with stops in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Nicaragua, Russia, the U.S., Japan, Italy, Spain, Korea, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Singapore, Indonesia, France, and just recently, Austria, to attend the 2012 World ALEJANDRO mendez, el salvador Alejandro, experience in his year as champion. It's a tradition at Barista Magazine that we interview the Barista Championship, which was held in conjunction with the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe's World of Coffee conference and expo. In Vienna, Alejandro wore several hats: he closed out his championship year with grace and humility, stopping to chat with any and all baristas who wanted to meet him and shake his hand. I've traveled extensively with Alejandro this past year, and I can say with resolve that he has grown up a lot. He was a young and innocent champion, his international travel experience limited to the countries in which he represented El Salvador as the nation's barista champion. He was eager to absorb all he could from the opportunities he would get as the World Barista Champion, and he conducted himself with professionalism and a constantly developing maturity that was a joy to see unfold. As well as being the outgoing champion in Vienna, however, Alejandro was there to support his coworker at San Salvador's Viva Espresso café chain, Daniel Mendez (no relation to Alejandro). Daniel's performance, which had grit, substance, and creativity in spades, earned him a coveted spot in the semifinal round. Though he didn't make it on to the final round, Daniel has been bitten by the barista competition bug, much in part because of what he has witnessed his friend and colleague, outgoing World Barista Champion as he passes on his crown. It's always a pleasure to see how he has changed over the course of the year in which he was the most famous barista on the planet. Sarah Allen: What have you learned about people and coffee in your year as the WBC Champ? Alejandro Mendez: I learned that nothing is impossible; you just need passion and people who support you. About the great people of the coffee industry, I have learned a lot, and I'm "NOW IT IS TIME TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGES THAT FACE A BARISTA FROM A PRODUCING COUNTRY." still learning, not just about coffee but also about friendship, responsibility, passion, and bravery. Coffee is an awesome world. This year I have had the opportunity to be involved in all the processes of one farm, Finca Santa Petrona of El Salvador, and I discovered a treasure of information of how to grow a remarkable coffee and how to evaluate step by step the quality in every single facet. 60 barista magazine