On October 7th 2024 one of the most memorable events for all Latte Art lovers took place – Latte Art Throwdown | DABOV x Slayer.
CHECK OUT THE EVENT HERE:
Some of the most talented baristas in Bulgaria gathered under our roof to showcase their skills in 15 intense clashes under the expert eye of the judges – Gabriele Limosani, certified barista trainer and representative for Slayer Espresso; Carmen Clemente, World Latte Art Champion for 2020 and 2022, and co-founder of the World Latte Art & Coffee Center in Milan; Manuela Fensore, World Latte Art Champion for 2019 and co-founder of the World Latte Art & Coffee Center; and Velimir Buchev, National Latte Art Champion, co-founder of Coffee Syndicate and inspiration for every Latte Art enthusiast in Bulgaria. And we can’t miss the unintentional star of the event – Lorenzo Compagnone, Cimbali Group representative for Eastern Europe.
Carmen and Manuela, have trained with the “Father of Latte Art” – Luigi Lupi and shared some of their knowledge and techniques in two demonstrations. The audience was captivated not only by the beauty of their work in the cup, but also by their willingness to share their secrets. They revealed techniques and tricks that every barista would dream to know.
Their smiles and sincere desire to help the young talents created warmth and inspiration among all present, and the tension before pointing out the better cup was palpable in the air, and the joy of the winner was unsurpassed.
This event wasn’t just a competition – it was a celebration of coffee culture. Emotions ranged from intense to fun as the competitors strived to perform their best. Every participant was worthy to be a winner, however only one could triumph – Plamen Manev, who won first place and a prize trip to Milan and a visit to the Cimbali Museum, as well as a Faema TOUCH&MATCH coffee grinder. His technique, artistry and precision surpassed even the precise skills of the runner-up – Robert Panowski, our head barista trainer.
Our youngest participant, Nico, is only 13, but stood fearlessly against the best.
It was a memorable evening thanks to every participant and every spectator who attended – whether live or online. A huge Thank you also to our sponsors, Slayer Espresso, Faema and Dryk who supported this event and helped create this exciting atmosphere.
For us, this Latte Art Throwdown will go down in history as one of the most inspiring events for the coffee community in Bulgaria. We look forward to the next meetings where we will continue to develop the art of coffee and inspire new talent!