Winner of the First-ever Vietnam Barista Competition to compete against the best in Asia

Vietnam, 22 July 2009 – Know a barista that makes a divine cup of cappuccino?  Perhaps you have been delighting customers with intricate latte art on that special brew.  The opportunity has come for this person to flaunt his skills, showcase his coffee creations and be named the top coffee professional in the country.  The inaugural Vietnam Barista Competition will be held on 1 – 3 October 2009 to select the national champion, who will receive a cash prize and an all-expense-paid trip to Singapore to represent Vietnam at the Asia Barista Championship next year.

Interested baristas can find out more about the competition and obtain the application forms from www.foodnhotelvietnam.com. All submissions must reach the organisers by 31 August 2009.  A preliminary round of assessment will be conducted to shortlist the top 25 baristas for the competition.  The event will be held at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC) from 1 – 3 October 2009, during Food&HotelVietnam2009 (FHV2009).  FHV2009 is Vietnam’s leading biennial food and hospitality trade show, gathering over 300 exhibiting companies from 20 countries and regions to showcase the latest products and services from the global marketplace.

In line with the most prestigious international barista competitions, competitors in the Vietnam Barista Competition will have to prepare three sets of beverages – four cups of espressos, four cups of cappuccinos and four cups of their own blended signature coffee drink.  Competitors will not only be challenged technically, as they have to complete the sets of beverages within an allocated time, but will also have to fully express their inventiveness and imagination to produce a drink creation that distinguishes them from the rest of the field.

The event will see coffee industry experts and consultants from across the globe descend in Ho Chi Minh City and presents an opportunity for interaction and exchange that greatly benefit the development of the gourmet coffee industry and gives a boost to the barista profession.  The competition will be judged by an international panel of accredited judges, with the chief judge hailing from Australia and the technical and sensory judges coming from Indonesia, Italy, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. 

Coffee is big business in Vietnam, which is second only to Brazil in global coffee production.  The bean is set to be an even bigger contributor to the economy as substantial investments are made to develop the processing capacity locally.  With a strong domestic coffee culture and consumption growing steadily, gourmet coffee has a bright future to look forward to.

Organised by:		Supported by:
Sponsors: Coffee Beans: Syrups: Commercial Blenders:       Espresso Machines: Coffee Grinders:

~ Ends ~

About Food&HotelVietnam
Food&HotelVietnam, Vietnam’s premier food and hospitality sourcing and networking trade event, features at least 70 per cent of overseas exhibitors in all its editions. The event will bring industry professionals in Vietnam high quality equipment, services and solutions currently available in the global marketplace. FranchisingVietnam2009, Vietnam’s premier franchising trade event, will be held alongside Food&HotelVietnam2009 for the first time. The event is organised by Singapore Exhibition Services and co-organised by VCCI Exhibition Service Co Ltd. For more information about the events, please visit  www.foodnhotelvietnam.com.

VCCI Editorial Contact
Lan Anh
Deputy Manager
VCCI Exhibition Service
Tel: +84 8 3932 6339
Fax: +84 8 3932 5789
Mobile: +84 903 221 863
Email: media@vietcham-expo.com

SES Editorial Contact
June Seah
Senior PR Executive
Singapore Exhibition Services
Tel: +65 6233 6635
Fax: +65 6272 2962
Mobile: +65 9852 6756
Email: js@sesallworld.com