Savoring Success: A Chat with Ajit Tamang, UAE National Cup Tasters Champion 2024

Dubai,12 March 2024 (QW): – In the intricate world of coffee, where flavors dance delicately on the palate, Ajit Tamang stands as a testament to passion, perseverance, and proficiency. From his humble beginnings as a barista in Costa Coffee to his current role as Quality Control at Refill Roastery, Ajit’s journey reflects dedication and a thirst for excellence. Recently crowned as the UAE National Cup Tasters Champion 2024, Ajit shares insights into his remarkable journey, preparation strategies, and aspirations for the future. Join us as we delve into the aromatic world of coffee with Ajit Tamang.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey into the world of coffee?

Hi it’s me Ajit Tamang Cup Taster Champion 2024. I have been in the coffee industry for around 7 years.I started my journey in the coffee industry from 25th July 2017 when I first came to the U.A.E as a barista in Costa Coffee.I worked with costa coffee for 2 years which helped me to grow as a commercial Cafe barista.But I wanted to grow more in specialty coffee as well so I decided to move. I got a chance to work in one of the well-known cafes in Alain but unfortunately, they could not provide me a visa even after working for 6 months so I had to look for another company again. So from one of my friends, I came to know that Refill Roastery was hiring a junior barista. I thought if I want to grow in specialty coffee, why not work in a specialty roastery itself? so, I asked his help to forward my CV to Refill and I was able to be hired as a Junior Barista. In the 4 years experience in Refill Roastery I was promoted to Senior Barista, Branch in Charge & now I am working as Quality Control

How did you feel when you first learned that you secured the 1st place in the UAE National Cup Tasters Competition?

I was astonished when I secured first place in the Cup taster Championship. I could not believe myself if I was hallucinating or was it real?

Can you walk us through your preparation process leading up to the competition?

Since my job is Quality Control, I used to check calibration in our cafe outlets daily and do cupping for the green beans our company used to receive as samples & Profiles which are having issues, try different types of coffees in different brewing methods. I think this helped me to train my palate.

Were there any specific challenges you faced during the competition, and how did you overcome them?

First of all, the Championship itself is a challenge but if you want to know a specific challenge for me. It was to make my timing shorter. As you noticed my timing was 5:05 in the first round, 3:10 in the semifinal & 2:57 in the final.

What are the key techniques you employed during the cup-tasting competition to distinguish flavors?

There are no key techniques specific but maintaining focus on the cup & following your instinct & guts as fast as possible
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How has your team at Refill Roastery supported you throughout this journey?

Yeah Refill is supporting me always not just only in this competition but has always been supporting. Refill Roastery or to be specific our C.E.O & C.O.O are too supportive to help us grow personally & professionally.

Is there a particular coffee that holds a special place in your heart, and why?

The memorable Coffee in my career so far is Ethiopia Shakiso as this was the first coffee I drank for my V60 and changed my mind & perception of coffee.

The coffee that holds a special place in my heart is Kenya Sangalai AB. This particular coffee was not expensive but still the clarity & sweetness of this coffee with the classic tasting notes was amazing.

What advice do you have for aspiring baristas who may want to participate in competitions like the Cup Tasters Competition?

The advice I would like to give to baristas or anyone who is willing to participate in any type of competitions is to have self confidence in yourself & do not forget you will be competing with the people who have more knowledge, experience & skills.

How important is continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends for a barista?

It is important to do continuous learning and keeping updated if you do not want to be left out. Because the coffee industry keeps on growing each & every day it is another competition to be updated.

What are your future goals in the world of coffee and barista competitions?

My future goal is to open up a Coffee Academy back in my home country that can provide updated knowledge & skills to the people who are willing to grow their career in the coffee industry.

How does it feel to be recognized as the UAE National Cup Tasters Champion, and how do you plan to celebrate this achievement?

Of course I feel very happy to be known as UAE National cup tasters Champion. I am planning to celebrate this achievement by getting Drivers license.

Are there any upcoming events or competitions that you are looking forward to participating in?

Yeah I am looking forward to the world stage but before that let’s hope I can get a US visa.