When you watch Agnieszka Rojewska compete in the 2018 World Barista Championship, the first thing you notice is that she’s having fun. She’s smiling, she’s chatting, and she’s making her guests — the competition judges — feel like they’re seeing their favorite barista at the corner café.
That’s exactly her intention, she tells the judges: "What is the future of specialty coffee? For me, it's right back where we all started: when we're enjoying a cup of coffee in a specialty coffee shop. And this was enhanced by barista hospitality and customer service skills.”
Rojewska became the first Polish barista and the first-ever woman to win the prestigious championship. Hamilton Beach Commercial® interviewed Rojewska about her historic win and her unique approach.
Rojewska never intended to become the best barista in the world. “It was not a great passion at the beginning — it was just a job,” she says. Then, she discovered the world of latte art, and began practicing ever more complex designs. “It was like a snowball; I could not stop learning it,” she says. You can see some of her beautiful work on her Instagram, from roses and hearts to bewigged ladies and reindeer.
Then, the trainer at the coffee-shop chain where she worked entered her in a company contest. To her surprise, she won. While Rojewska describes herself as a shy person, she discovered an innate love of competition. She went on to rack up win after win in barista competitions around the world, all while training other baristas and furthering her own coffee knowledge.
In 2018, Rojewska competed against 54 other national champions in the World Barista Championship in Amsterdam. Competitors face a daunting task: They must flawlessly prepare four espressos, four milk drinks, and four original signature drinks in 15 minutes.
She practiced her routine for more than two months, all while working and traveling. “It was mainly just repeating the routine on and on... till you hate it,” she says. The standout was her signature coffee beverage, made with passionfruit and a rooibos cold-brew infusion.
“When you get your coffee and you know its main features, you just want to increase them,” Rojewska explains. The coffee she chose was full of tropical fruit flavors, with a creamy texture and some caramel notes, so she sought out ingredients that would play well with those flavors. Passionfruit syrup increased the tropical fruit notes and sweetness (She also tried peach and pineapple, “but those were too boring.”) She used milk without casein to increase the texture and rooibos for its gentle caramel notes. Then, “I decided to use the blender to connect them,” Rojewska says. “It aerated it a lot so the texture was like marshmallow, almost. Blending espresso does magic for texture.” Her creative flavor profiles, combined with her warm and approachable manner, won the championship.
Developing new techniques and new drinks is an endless pursuit: “I’m excited about looking for better and better consistency in brewing and espresso extraction — so more precise machines, more control of variables.” Rojewska has also been experimenting with the new AirWhip frothing jar from Hamilton Beach Commercial. “I'm amazed with the texture you are able to achieve with it, and how only using it can change a perception of flavor in some of the products,” she notes.
Rojewska’s best advice for baristas and coffee professionals: “Stay approachable and friendly to your customers. It is OK if they don't know everything about coffee. Be patient.”
Hamilton Beach Commercial is proud to sponsor the 2019 World Barista Championship in Boston this week. Can't make it to the competition? Discover Hamilton Beach Commercial’s innovative equipment solutions for coffee and tea shops.
