Piping hot win for Morningside barista
KZN’s top coffee talent and cafés were crowned at the Battle of the Beans, celebrating baristas, community and the province’s best brews.
AT a fun-filled, colourful affair last Friday, the Battle of the Beans awarded the best of the best of coffee royalty in KwaZulu-Natal.
Among awardees, Humble Coffee – Florida Road claimed victory as one of their baristas, Portia Sibiya, scooped the Best Barista accolade. She was closely followed by Joe Dlamini from Now Coffee, Glenashley.
In its second year, out of 330 coffee shops visited by judges throughout the length and breadth of the province, the Best Coffee Shop crown was bestowed upon Lineage Coffee, Hillcrest.
Sibiya attributed her win to the “wonderful” community she serves. “This award is not about me but the conversations I have held with our customers about my passion. It’s not about a cup of coffee but a moment to bond, create memories, and long-lasting networks.”
For her, showing love, care, and kindness to the people she serves beats any caffeine rush. She began her barista journey in 2023 and has never looked back.
Sibiya said a good barista is one with an open personality and mindset because “one gets to interact with different characters and deal with ever-changing scenarios. Sometimes things get tough, and that is when a prepared heart will come in handy”.
She intends to spend her R5000 winning prize by investing it in her start-up cinnamon roll business. “I have already started building a customer base, and this money will enable me to push my ambitions further. I hope one day I can create job opportunities for others just like my boss did for me a few years ago,” Sibiya beamed.
Sibiya admits that her passion for hospitality found her. “Being an introvert, I’ve always preferred to be in the background. This passion grew in me and opened my heart. Now the doors have opened.”
Other category winners include Best Coffee Shop: Now Coffee, Durban North, and Boston Brew, Morningside, in second and third place respectively.
In the newly introduced category, Best To-Go-Coffee, Coffee’kie, Uvongo, came up tops. Not to be outshone, through an aggressive social media campaign, Crane Flower Coffee, Kloof, was announced the Most Popular Coffee Shop.
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