Leaf Cafe & Co - Latte Art Barista Competition 2024 Championship. A NIGHT OF BURGERS, BEERS & BARISTA BATTLES!
TICKETS GO ON SALE 25 OCT 2024
Welcome back to the Leaf Café & Co annual Latte Art Smackdown 2024! 🏆
With 32 competitors and prizes to be won! Enjoy a night of beers, burgers & barista battles. Plus, spectators get a chance at our lucky dip throughout the evening, so make sure to stick around.✨
In this years' Smackdown, competitors will face off against 31 other competitors in a mix-style Latte Art tournament.
Compete in your chance to win 1st (Espresso Machine valued at $2500 - courtesy from our sponsor, The Alternative Dairy Co.), 2nd or 3rd places all receive cash prizes, and eternal glory! Well, maybe not eternal, but at least until next year’s Smackdown 😉 ! The competitor with the best latte art, as determined by our talented judges, will move on to the next round. Last barista standing wins 1st place! 🥇
There’s only 32 competitor spots, and 60 spectator spots available so grab a ticket while you can! 🎟 We can't wait to see you there! Till then, get practicing and let the good vibes keep on.
COMPETITOR TICKET/SPOT — $25 + booking fee
SPECTATOR TICKET/SPOT — FREE.
This is a ticketed event, attendees must a have a ticket for venue capacity safety.
// CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS //
COMPETITION FORMAT
6PM — COMPETITORS ARRIVE
- Competitors must check in and register their name in order to compete. Arrive with your purchased ticket to show organisers. A polaroid photo will be taken of the competitor to place on the Competitor Table, and advance throughout Table as the competitor advances.
7PM — COMPETITION COMMENCES
ROUND 1 – SPINNING WHEEL TO KICK THINGS OFF
- Two baristas will go head to head per spin of the wheel (spun by our MC Jess). Possible chance outcomes are Full Cream (supplied by Riverina), Oat and Almond Milk (supplied by Alternative Dairy Co); while the chance outcomes for patterns include rosetta, tulip, heart, swan, animal, and free pour.
- Shots will be pulled by the Leaf Cafe & Co Coffee Station Master Jun, who also deliver the coffee to the Judges' table.
ROUND 2 – SPINNING WHEEL TO KNOCKOUT 8
- A second round of the Spinning Wheel to knockout 8 competitors.
Milk type: determined by the all knowing wheel
Latte art: refer to the all knowing wheel
Jugs: one
Drinkware type: ceramic mug
ROUND 3 — THE FUTURE IS ALT DAIRY!
- Alternative milks are the future, so let's see how you navigate the alt milk world by pouring your latte art using either oat or almond milk.
Milk type: almond or oat
Latte art: free choice
Jugs: one
Drinkware type: ceramic mug
ROUND 4 — THE PERFECT POUR
- Pour three coffees using one jug: latte, cappuccino, piccolo.
- Baristas are really put to the test here, and we're asking you to perfectly pour a small latte, small cappuccino, piccolo using one jug, with a second jug allowed to split the milk.
- This round will be judged 50% on the right amount of foam and 50% on (basic) latte art.
Milk type: full cream
Latte art: free choice
Jugs: one jug to steam, an extra jug to split milk
Drinkware type: small latte glass, piccolo glass, small ceramic cup.
ROUND 5 — BATTLE FOR THIRD PLACE
- We're down to the last stages of this comp and we're asking our semi -finalists to show off their best pour. Whether you're a master of swans, stacking tulips, unicorns, rosetta, etc, this round is judged on clean and balanced latte art with a high level of execution.
- We find out third and fourth place.
Milk type: free choice
Latte art: free choice
Jugs: one
Drinkware type: ceramic mug
ROUND 6 — LATTE ART CHAMP FOR ETERNAL GLORY
- It's the moment we've all been waiting for, and you don't want to spill the milk on this round! Our two finalists pour their best to impress our judges. What are we looking for? Clean and balanced latte art with a knockout execution.
Milk type: free choice
Latte art: free choice
Jugs: one
Drinkware type: ceramic mug
TERMS & CONDITIONS
General
Competitors must register through Eventbrite. Competitors agree to the terms and conditions laid out in this document. All competitors are required to read and understand the competition rules and format.
Competition Format
The latte art competition format has been laid out above. Judges’ decisions are final, there are no appeals or protests eligible to competitors.
Machinery, Accessories & Raw Materials
Espresso machines, grinders, handles and raw materials will be provided by the venue. Milk will be provided by Riverina Fresh full cream milk, Alternative milk rounds will be provided by The Alternative Dairy Co.(ADC), ADC Oat milk and ADC almond milk. Coffee shots will be pulled by an assistant from Leaf Café & Co for each Competitor, and each shot will be a double ristretto, expect for Round 4 which will be a single ristretto (Competitors are not allowed interfere with the shots). For each round, competitors will use Large ceramic mugs at 275ml; except for Round 4, which will be three cups per competitor: Piccolo glass 100ml, Small latte glass 200ml, Small ceramic cup 175ml.
Judging Parameters
The latte art designs on the Wheel of Fortune include the rosetta, tulip, swan, and free pour.
In the free pour category, competitors may create any latte art design of their choosing, including original designs. Etching is only allowed in the free pour category.
In the third round, judges will be looking for 50% on the right amount of foam and 50% on (basic) latte art.
Competitors may opt to bring their own milk pitchers. Judges will be looking for clean and balanced latte art with a high level of execution. Latte art must fit the assigned category. All decisions will be made at the Judges’ discretion and no discussion will be entered into.
Prizes
Entrants release the prize sponsor/supplier from all liability in connection with the acceptance, delivery, and use of the prize(s). In the event of any machine repairs or maintenance of prize product(s), entrants must contact the relevant manufacturer(s) directly and the prize sponsor/supplier shall bear no responsibility.
MC
Hosted by the charismatic Jess, whose energy and enthusiasm kept the crowd engaged and entertained throughout the competition.
Generous Sponsors
The Alternative Dairy Co., Heaps Normal, Sonoma Bakery and Zoom Optics.
Esteemed Judges Panel
We are honoured to have a panel of distinguished judges:
Paul Asquith, Lili from The Alternative Dairy Co, and Secret Judge to be announced soon.
Contact Information:
For questions or more information about the competition, please contact us on [email protected] .