Barista Profile

The UK Barista Championships are taking place at the end of February right here in the heart of the city at the One Church. With The Plant Room’s Kat Cockram taking part, she’ll be representing Brighton’s blossoming scene in the process. We decided to catch up with the local coffeehead to talk UKBCs, pre-show nerves, the local scene and plenty more…

Hi Kat, can you tell us about your background?
To put it simply, I’ve always worked in coffee – from my first paid job when I was 17 in London, to my current job as Head Barista of The Plant Room in Brighton at 21. I fell in love and I’ve been borderline obsessed with getting as much knowledge and perfecting my skills in all aspects of the industry since.

You mentioned your role at TPR, what are your responsibilities?
My current role as Head Barista involves me training our current staff to perfection, dialling in and sourcing delicious coffees and basically being a badass barista 9 to 5 – it’s an awesome job with an awesome crew.

So, you’re taking part in the UK Barista Championships this year, what stages did you have to go through to get to this stage?
Every competitor has to sign up for a heat, usually there’s about four of them dotted around the country. Within each heat, up to 13/14 competitors have to make two single shot espresso and two single shot milk beverages and serve it to two sensory judges (who will judge your actual service and drinks) whilst having two technical judges watch every move you make. You also have a Head Judge that watches what everyone else is doing and judges the judges and myself. Did I also mention you have to do this all in seven minutes?

If you’re lucky and score VERY well, you could make it into the top 14. These baristas go into the semi finals to compete for the top six spaces for the finals. I was one of the lucky ones and placed 12th in the UK, meaning I was placed in the semi finals for the UKBCs.

I hear this isn’t the first time competing at the UKBCs, what have you learnt from previous attempts?
Third times a charm, right? Practice, practice and practice and also to learn from mistakes and advice. Honestly, I’ve always believed criticism is a way to reflect and perfect, however it’s made me realise how to go for the top places and practice for my sets. Sometimes you might have missed a tiny piece of important information that would cost you 10 points during your set – it’s nearly happened to me multiple times!

What can you tell us about your preparations for the big day?
My set is focussed on sustainability and how we, as baristas, can focus on good coffee that’s good for the planet. I’ve got a really delicious coffee that I can’t wait to use

Do you have anything exciting planned that you can tell us about?
Well you better come and watch at One Church at 9:50am!

On a scale of 1-10, how nervous are you?
If I wanted to sound cool then a four, but in all honesty a solid eight. I have huge stage fright, plus I am against some of the best baristas in the country! It would be foolish not to be nervous.

What will the judges be looking for in the coffee and yourself?
Delicious and perfectly dialled-in espresso and for a role model within the coffee community. They want someone to compete for the United Kingdom at the World Barista Championships, so they want someone to represent what an amazing coffee culture we have. It’s big stuff.

Does the fact that it is taking place at One Church in Brighton add extra significance for you as a Brighton-based barista?
More than you think. It’s my home and I know for certain that a lot of my friends I love are going to come and see me. I want to be the one who’s crowned a champion in Brighton. *sighs* What a dream!

What do you enjoy most about the Brighton coffee scene and where do you see it heading?
It’s the next big scene for sure! There are so many good roasteries, cafes and baristas down here. To be perfectly honest, if I did or someone else did, win and be from Brighton, that would make the scene boom down here. I’m excited for the future!

Do you intend to enter further competitions this year?
Nah, I need a break. No matter how much I love competing, everyone knows I’m a ball of stress and anxiety near comp time. I’m going to hold off on any additional competitions until I’ve won a UKBC – hopefully!

What’s the strangest question a customer has ever asked you?
“Have I ever tried camel milk?” is definitely up there. To be honest I’ve lost count.

What’s your passion aside from coffee?
I love to cook. My boyfriend will tell you it’s probably like being in an episode of MasterChef, whenever I am in the kitchen at home. I like to go extra. Also have a massive love for music and yoga as well.

Do you have any advice for baristas just starting out?
Really jump for all the opportunities you can get! Do as much reading and studying and practicing as you can! Grab your Head Barista and stay after work to work on your tamping skills, read a blog post that Barista Hustle or Mat North wrote. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to be up front! 

If money was no object, what one piece of coffee equipment would you buy?
An Ikawa. No wait a Kees Van Der Western Spirit! No maybe the Ikawa. Actually could I get a kitted shop perhaps

Where can people find you?
Probably yodelling at some coffee bar, or stuffing my face with great food. Either way I’m around.

For more information on the UK Barista Championships and how you can attend, visit scauk.coffee

To follow Kat on her journey through the UKBCs, follow her at @katcockram

For more information on The Plant Room please visit tpr.coffee

All photography is by the incredible Sam Luck Photography and to see more of his work visit @luckysamphoto or @brewedinbrighton

Hi Chris, can you tell us about your background in coffee?

I started making coffee in 2008, working in a few cafes who didn’t really know what they were doing in terms of espresso. I had been making coffee for a few years before I could even pour latte art, let alone knowing what under-extraction meant! But then, sometime in 2012, I started working in Coffee at 33 and under the awesome guidance of Taras and Ame learnt what working in a cafe is about!

When did you set up Bond St. Coffee and what led to its creation?

I hit a strange place in my life around 2014 when I was juggling part time in Coffee at 33, part time roasting at Horsham Coffee Roasters, DJ’ing two nights a week, and trying to be in a band. The boys eventually found a more dedicated replacement for my role at 33, which was the kick I needed to realise I should stop juggling so many things and focus on one of them, which led to me and the team at Horsham opening Bond St. Coffee.

Bond St.’s ethos is more quality-driven than many other shops in the city, was that a conscious decision when you started, and how has that developed over time?

Absolutely, I was going to visit cafes in London, like Prufrock and the old Clerkenwell Workshop, and being blown away by their attention to detail. They weighed every shot in and out, everything was timed and the service was impeccable. These are all standard practices now but in 2014 it wasn’t the case. Back when I worked in 33 we only occasionally weighed and it was all about feel and experience. So when I set up Bond St. my only goal was quality. I didn’t have money for a big refurb, the shop is shaggy around the edges and the vintage furniture was as much for cost saving as it was style, and what little money we had we spent on our Synesso, which meant we had a great team of baristas with a quality focus.

What is your current role and what are your responsibilities when it comes to Bond St?

I’ve recently been back helping set up their bakery. Loz (Goozee) is now baking fresh banana breads and muffins in the shop, so I’ve spent a lot of time on that. But really I do very little in Bond St. these days, except get in the way! We have a fantastic shop manager and team of awesome coffee nerds. I usually only get calls if something breaks!

So, you started up Bond St. and then decided to open Brewed, a separate shop that serves incredible coffee as well. What was the thinking with this second shop?

It definitely wasn’t about quality. Me and Tom met working at 33 and often talked about our dream shop and in early 2016 an opportunity came up to start it! Again, we threw ourselves at a space with very little start up money. We had often talked about our own brewery/roastery, but with next to no money we decided to start with a cafe and go from there!

You’ve now begun roasting with Brewed. What has been the reception?

The plan has always been for us to roast our own, but we weren’t going to start till much later down the line! However, we were approached by Pharmacie who have opened up some spaces to slot roast at their site and the opportunity was too good to miss!

What’s your personal ethos when it comes to making and serving coffee?

I feel like it changes every other day! Sometimes I feel like precision and consistency is the most important thing, then other days I revert back to 33’s passion and knowledge. 1g over on your yield changes the flavour of your coffee dramatically, but where is the fun in consistency?! If you’re a good barista, a slight change to the recipe won’t make your coffee bad to a customer. Making them wait while you pull five wasted shots? Come on, serve it already, you’re not in a training room.

You’ve been in and around the Brighton coffee scene for a long time now, how has it changed during that time?

It’s pretty saturated these days. Just before I got a job at 33 I was about ready to stop working in cafes but remember saying “If I get another coffee job, it would have to be in a really good shop” and back in 2012 there were only three places I would have worked. 33, Marwoods, and Small Batch. Today, I could pop into somewhere on most roads in the Lanes and get a good enough espresso. I’d name names, but I’d be devastated if I accidentally missed someone off my list of good cafes, but there are so many now!

What direction do you see the Brighton coffee scene heading in?

I’m bored of seeing cafes opening with money. I’ve opened two cafes now and am constantly struggling to pay my bills, and from talking to my favourite cafes we are all in a similar boat. But there are cafes opening with all the toys and equipment and I can’t compete with their designs, however, I feel that most people in the world do care more about their Instagram feed then what’s in the cup. It would be nice to see some more baristas opening their own quality-focussed spaces! Me and Tom opened a cafe with £6k, you can do it too!

If money was no object, what one piece of coffee equipment would you buy and why?

There are lots of big shiny machines out there, but I really want to play with a DE1+. And a plastic V60 is still my preferred brew method, £4.

Where can people find you?

I’m on the bar at Brewed more or less full time at the moment!

brewedroasters.co.uk

Coffee and the creative. The two go hand in hand. Look at any coffee shop in the city and you’re bound to find a spread of artistic folk working in speciality coffee while balancing their creative venture on the side. Such is the case with Martyn Nash, manager at Twin Pines coffee shop in Kemptown.

A drummer with local three-piece Sick Joy, he manages to balance band practise, touring, social life as well as running one of the city’s most highly-respected artisan coffee shops: a coffee shop that in itself is a hub for creatives. With the ability to offer guest roasts on their espresso machine and brew bar as well as an ambience that induces feelings of freedom and relaxation, it is no wonder Martyn is the man in charge of such a thriving coffee and creative space.

We caught up with him to talk about his harmony between work and play and his ethos as a barista.

Hi Martyn, can you tell me a little bit about yourself…
Originally from Bolton, I moved down to Brighton in 2011 to study Politics. Of course this was a façade to play in bands, so I decided to stay here and make the most of a really creative and inspiring town. Coffee became a big interest of mine while still a student and it seemed like the perfect job to fit in with my lifestyle. So yeah, here we are!

What was your first job in coffee and how have you arrived at Twin Pines?
I had a few stints in smaller speciality coffee shops (Milk No Sugar being one of those) but my first proper position was at Small Batch. I worked for the company for a good couple of years before briefly moving to Manchester where I worked at a place called Foundation. Upon my return to Brighton in 2016 I got into the training side of things before taking my position at Twin Pines.

What is your current role at Twin Pines?
I’m the manager. Apart from the usual management responsibilities (rotas, ordering stock, machine maintenance etc) I oversee our guest roast programme which is always lots of fun as we have the freedom to get interesting coffees from wherever we fancy. Completing filter/espresso recipes for these coffees is a constant thing in Twin Pines which is something I really enjoy, it just keeps things interesting and new.

What is your ethos when it comes to making and serving coffee?
Care and attention (an awful lot has gone into those beans before they arrive, packaged up), try and make the drink quietly (I’m not really into loud banging sounds), play some good tunes and be nice.

It feels like you have more freedom at Twin Pines than most baristas in the city, does that ring true and why do you believe that is?
I believe that’s true. We’re really fortunate to not be tied to any particular roastery, which as I said, keeps things interesting. Of course we keep our mainstay from Cast Iron in the hopper. They do us our own blend and it’s delicious!

What do you enjoy most about the Brighton coffee scene?
The fact that there’s a handful of really good coffee shops, all with their own style of brewing and vibe. There’s also a pretty strong community of really good baristas, some of which have become good pals. It’s easier being in a smaller city to make good connections.

Where do you see Brighton coffee heading and what would you change about it?
More independent speciality shops always, keeping the culture alive. There’s not really a lot I would change other than trying to keep them all open, it can be a tricky industry sometimes.

What’s the most surprising comment you’ve received from a customer?
“7 shot mocha”

In Brighton we have a high turnover of baristas, with few seeing it as a long-term career, why do you think that is and how do you think that be changed?
A lot of baristas in Brighton have other creative outlets, it kind of goes with the territory. Also pay them properly and treat them well. Otherwise, they’ll quit…

Where can people find you?
I’m either in Twin Pines, Brighton Electric or the Black Dove. That’s pretty much it at the moment!

twinpinescoffee.com

From Brighton to Brisbane and back again, Megan Stimpson has been all across the globe in pursuit of great coffee. In each city she has grown and developed her repertoire as a barista, expanding her knowledge and understanding of speciality coffee scenes.

Head Barista at The Marwood Bar and Coffeehouse in Brighton for almost three years, she’s now using the skills she’s developed over her career to ensure the coffee offering is of a high level. She manages to do this amongst an extremely eclectic and dynamic DNA that pulses through the heart of The Marwood.

We sat down with the karate black belt to chat about her trip from the Sunshine Coast all the way to Brighton beach and what the future holds from here.

Hi Megan. Can you tell us about your background personally?

Hi!  I am a 21-year-old barista who works at The Marwood Bar and Coffeehouse. I was born in Brighton but moved to the Sunshine Coast, Australia when I was five where I spent 13 years. In those years I didn’t do much but one of my biggest accomplishments is getting my black belt in karate after almost ten years of training.

What was your first job in coffee and what path have you taken to arrive at Marwood?

My first job in coffee was when I was 16/17, in a cafe called San Churro. Which was mainly chocolate, churros and chocolate-based coffee drinks. From there I moved to Brisbane city where I found myself working in a fast-paced artisan cafe. Here I learnt a lot about cold drip coffee, espresso and single origins.

And that is when I moved to England. Aged 18. I found myself working In Cafe Coho for my first year in England and from there I was poached by the cafe next door. Being Marwoods. I had a lovely conversation with the owner Richard Grills where he said I sounded foreign and miserable. And now I have worked  there for over two years.

What is your current role at Marwood and what are your responsibilities?

I have been working at Marwoods for almost two and a half years and for the last year and a half my role has been head barista. My responsibilities include training new staff on coffee i.e. dailing  in espresso, filter, latte art. Taking pride in everything we do as a team. Keeping the vibes loud and happy (because if I am in a bad mood everyone is in a bad mood) and naturally making LOADS of coffee.

What is your ethos when it comes to making and serving coffee?

When it comes to making and serving coffee I like to do it to the best of my ability. I’d never serve anything that I wouldn’t drink. If this means pulling 100 shots and changing the grind 1,000 times, then that is exactly what I will do until I am happy with the end result.

I also like to think what makes a good cup of coffee is the interaction between customer and barista from till to cup. At Marwoods we have a large number of regular customers. All of which I have a level of friendship with. I have met most of my best friends through making their coffee over the years in England and Australia.

As a coffee shop, Marwood appears to offer a feeling of freedom and creativity and, as a barista, does this translate into your work?

Definitely. Marwoods is a free and creative place. We are like a family of crazy people and we like everyone else who enters to feel as comfortable as we do. Organised chaos I like to call it.  It’s fun and how I like to work as long as the job is getting done. Who says you can’t dance and sing while you’re making coffee, hmm?

What do you enjoy most about the Brighton coffee scene?

Okay, I’m going to put all coffee aside for just a second and tell you that the part I enjoy most about the coffee scene in Brighton, is that everyone seems to know everyone in a way. It’s a little community. Everyone is willing to help each other out. There’s no ‘my coffee is better than yours’ or ‘oh you shouldn’t go to that cafe’ it’s friendly and welcoming! And great fun to be a part of. Everyone just loves coffee so much here! Which makes me so happy.

Where do you see Brighton coffee heading and what would you change about it?

When I first moved back to Brighton I heard that it was the new up-and-coming Melbourne of the coffee world. And that is definitely where I see it heading; being associated with coffee of that level. People are experimenting more with different brewing techniques. They’re becoming more involved with what there is to offer. Even in the three and a half years that I have been here there has been a noticeable change in Brighton coffee.

I’ve never really thought about what I could change. But I guess one issue that everyone has is the amount of disposables used in cafes. Takeaway cups. Things like that. Let’s all get on the Keep Cup guys!  The last few weeks at Marwoods we have actually been trying out getting our milk delivered in glass bottles. To cut down on plastic waste.

What is it about Marwood that makes it so different to other shops?

What I think makes Marwood so different from other coffee shops is its personality and randomness. Where else can you go in Brighton, grab a coffee and sit down under a massive fake shark head? Where else can you go in Brighton and have Ellie, Siala, Jenna and myself singing Spice Girls to you at ten o’clock on a Monday morning!?

Marwoods is a home. It’s a safe place for everyone. What I enjoy most in a working day is the company. From colleagues to customers. Dogs to turtles (that someone brought in once). It’s all just good fun, good booze and great coffee at the end of the day!

What’s your passion aside from coffee?

My passion aside from coffee is martial arts and red wine. Gotta love a glass of dark rich red wine to wind down after a long hard day of having a great time making coffee. And karate as mentioned before is something I had done for many years. Getting my black belt is something no one can ever take away from me.

What’s the most surprising comment you’ve received from a customer?

Haha, well it wasn’t a surprising comment as such but I was very surprised when I made a coffee for Mark Williams (Ronald Weasly’s dad in Harry Potter) and he said my coffee was amazing!

Do you have any advice for baristas just starting out?

You will never stop learning about coffee. There is so much to take in and it will just keep coming at you. Take it and enjoy it!

What does the future hold for yourself?

The future holds for me a place I can call my own. Not too big, not too small. And that is as far as I have gotten with my future planning. But first I have a lot more of the world to see and a lot more experience to gain.

Where can people find you?

You can find me down a little alleyway at The Marwood Bar and Coffeehouse. 52 Ship Street. The South Lanes.

themarwood.com

We are blessed in Brighton with great coffee. From the quality of roasters in the local area to the vast quantity of high-end artisan coffeehouses opening every year right through to the passionate baristas in the city.

However, for Tash Murphy, manager and creative designer at Pharmacie Coffee Roasters, her focus is not on one specific area. Rather, her focus ranges from the sourcing and roasting of coffee to the creative design and recycling of packaging to running the coffee shop, creating incredible coffees and perfecting the community atmosphere so noticeable during their Saturday-only opening hours.

With over a decade of experience in the local coffee scene, there are few people more equipped to run and manage their own roastery and coffee shop, so we couldn’t resist visiting the cobbled streets of Hove to spend a morning trying some fantastic coffees and talking to Tash about her ethos, the local scene and how we can all make a positive impact.

Hi Tash, can you tell us about your background?

Every time I get asked how long I have worked in the specialty coffee industry I say 13 years, and then feel old, and then I realise it’s actually 14 years and I can’t quite believe it! I was lucky enough to work at the original Redroaster in Kemptown, taking a barista role from my mate Lottie who went back to Melbourne. It was proper old school. Amazing master roaster, Paul Stephens. Queues out the door. Filthy shop. Drunk customers. Well paid Antipodean baristas. I kinda miss it!

I guess my true specialty experience came from working at Ground Coffee House in Kemptown and then managing the branch in Hove. We had brew workshops, filter training at Square Mile and regular cuppings in-house. I feel like I have truly experienced the first/second and third waves of the specialty coffee industry!

What is your ethos when it comes to making and serving coffee?

There are definitely hard and fast rules. Number one is ‘Don’t be a snob’, that is behaviour that should happen at the buying green, and post-roast quality control stage, and not to your customers. No eye-rolling when someone orders sugar or one shot, or asks for milk with their Kenyan hand-brew. Humans are complex creatures and there are multiple reasons that they don’t want to drink their coffee delicate and black. Make them the best damn one shot oat milk latte they have ever had!

Number two is ‘Remember to experiment’ I don’t mean coffee brewing gimmicks with super expensive gadgets. I mean test your recipes, and question why you are doing what you do. Your brewing will improve exponentially with adjusted weights/times/agitation etc.

When did you start Pharmacie Coffee Roasters and what led to its inception?

It rose like a phoenix from the ashes of Ground Coffee House in Hove almost three years ago! Having worked with Rick Curtis, (the owner of Ground and director of Pharmacie) for years, we knew that we had the collective energy and shared ethics to start something new.

We spent a couple of months converting a dirty car mechanics into a roaster/coffeehouse nearly three years ago, and we are always inspiring each other to make Pharmacie an innovative and well-respected coffee roasters.

In your opinion, what separates Pharmacie from other roasters?

To be honest it’s ethics and also creativity. Our roasts seem to be really well-received and we have been chosen as a guest roaster all over the world in high-end establishments but, as you know, there are amazing micro-roasters all over the UK so great coffees are not enough to make you stand out.

My background is in the DIY punk scene so things like hand-stamping bags and finding creative solutions for things that a lot of people would outsource is kinda my jam. Recycling? We barter in exchange for coffee. Used coffee grounds? We make soap. I work my ass off to make Pharmacie the most eco-friendly roaster in Sussex if not further afield, all our packaging is post-consumer waste or fully recyclable or compostable.

Our coffee retail bags are reused five times and our wholesale customers get money back. The same with our cold brew bottles. Our retail bags are made in Europe and are carbon neutral. We deliver within the city by Recharge Cycle Couriers. I could bang on about waste in the coffee scene forever so I will stop here.

You’ve done work in cooperation with other local roasters, how do you believe this helps the local coffee industry?

Personally speaking it’s about not being a jerk. Cooperation and community is imperative to living a good life right? On a business level, it’s about sharing what we have (an expensive Giesen W15) and offering an affordable place for independent coffee professionals, like Chris and Tom from Brewed Roasters, to learn a new skill, expand their business and allow us to make use of Pharmacie when we don’t need it. We are excited to share our space with other passionate coffee nerds this year, so if that’s you reading this, and you want to learn to roast for your business, hit me up!

What do you enjoy most about the Brighton coffee scene and where do you see it heading?

Given that Brighton is allegedly a diverse city (erm…I guess if you are rich and white) it goes to follow that the coffee scene should be the same. I think that peak coffee is definitely something to worry about but the quality of coffeehouses opening in the last few years is incredible AND they are all doing it differently. I really dig that. It’s taken a few years but thankfully we can now get a decent filter in about six places in the city!

If you could change one thing about the way we consume coffee locally what would it be?

Drink more filter coffee so that coffeehouses serve more filter coffee. Let’s do this Brighton! Also….Watch this space, the Brighton indie coffee hive mind is meeting this week for important stratagem tackling takeaway coffee cup disposal… You read it here first.

What’s your morning coffee?

My morning coffee is usually quality controlling our roasts from the day before. With any luck there will be a test batch of filter profile to brew so I will cup it and then make either a pour-over or cleverdripper. Here is my/Pharmacie’s pour-over recipe:

20g delicious filter profile coffee beans. Ground for filter or medium/coarse sand-like particles. Rinse paper and pre-heat vessel. Level grounds in cone. Tare scales. You’re looking for a 300/320g brew in four minutes. I pour 98 degree filter water in increments of 60g, agitating after each pour. Leave the bloom for a full minute before continuing your pours. This will hopefully ensure the release of carbon dioxide from your coffee particles and a sweeter cup less prone to sourness. Spiralling water? Whatever works to be honest. If your grounds are wet and agitated evenly then you’ve got nothing to worry about.

What was the best coffee you’ve ever had and why?

I find this question is a bit like being asked your favourite band? If you only have one favourite band you need to find some imagination! Same with coffee right? I reckon it’s experiential, if I have forgotten my wallet and some kind barista has gifted me a brew, that’s gonna be the best coffee.

If we have struggled with a roast profile at work and finally we cup it and it’s delicious, that’s the best coffee. To be honest, you’ll know when I’ve had a sip of a fantastic coffee because I’ll be grinning with my eyebrows raised and for once I’ll be quiet as my mind is transported by flavours!

Where can people find you?

Pharmacie Coffee Roasters is down a cobbled street of dreams in central Hove. We only open Saturdays from 9am-4pm because we are annoyingly hip (this is not true, we are just busy roasting beans and sending out wholesale orders!) We have a vegan street food pop up on the first Saturday of every month by Vegan Earthlings and vegan treats every week to have with your coffee. We love making hand-brews so come let us make you a brew!

To find out more about Pharmacie Coffee Roasters, subscriptions, and wholesale visit www.pharmacie.coffee 

As the Barista Trainer at Small Batch Coffee Roasters, Max White gets to see the good, the bad and the ugly side of making coffee. From those just about to take their baby steps in the coffee industry, to those with an exceedingly high knowledge of the little bean.

Through all of this, Max has become one of Brighton’s most knowledgable baristas and decided to test his abilities at the Coffee Masters during this year’s London Coffee Festival.

The event saw 24 baristas go head-to-head, showcasing their skills across a broad range of different disciplines, with only one to be crowned champion. After the dust had settled, we caught up with Max to find out how he got on and what he enjoys most about working in the local coffee industry.

Hi Max, can you tell us about your background?

I was born and raised in Brighton but lived in Australia for brief stint after college when I was 18.  I actually first trained to be a chef which I loved, although the long anti-social hours make it hard to have a life outside the kitchen. So I decided to move to coffee. Cafes have better hours and are much more social!

What is your current role and what are your responsibilities?

My current role is Barista Trainer at Small Batch Coffee Roasters. My responsibilities range from training our own staff, wholesale clients, members of the public and the SCA Coffee Skills Programme. When I’m not in our training room situated in the basement of our Seven Dials cafe I am around one of our nine locations pulling shots, checking the QC or some grinder maintenance.

What is your ethos when it comes to making and serving coffee?

My ethos is to have an “open door” to anyone and everyone. Coffee first influenced our culture by bringing people together from all sorts of backgrounds, social classes and politics. I intend to keep that same culture. I am happy to geek out and talk single origin filter or serve a latte with two sugars. As long as we are forming community then that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day!

You took part in the Coffee Masters at this year’s London Coffee Festival, how did that come about and what did it involved?

The Coffee Masters is something I felt would be a really good challenge of my abilities and a good motivation to learn new skills. I really enjoyed the competition and learned a lot from the experience.

Where did you finish and can we expect to see you taking part again next year?

I finished 13th out of 24. Solid mid-table. I would love to take part again next year, although I think I will enter the UKBC next time. I like the idea of being able to choose the coffee you work with and present it in the absolute best way you can.

What do you enjoy most about the Brighton coffee scene and where do you see it heading?

I really enjoy the sense of community. As Brighton isn’t that big then it’s not hard to get to know others. I see the coffee scene in Brighton continue to grow and push speciality coffee more and more.

What’s your morning coffee?

My ideal coffee is a pourover. I really like light, delicate coffee with lots of fruity flavour. Ideal recipe 20g coffee, 335g water, 3 minute brew time.

What was the best coffee you’ve ever had and why?

That’s too hard to answer. However the Bolivia Natural from El Arcangel we have at the moment is up there for sure!

Where can people find you?

I am part of Emmanuel church which is a multisite church with four locations around Brighton and Hove. My wife and I serve on the leadership team of the Hove site, so when I’m not making coffee I’m usually doing something church-related.

Photography and videography by Nick Barlow

To check out the video for Max White’s signature drink entered into the 2018 Coffee Masters, just press play on the clip below: