Meet Diana (Dee) Bespalova, a barista from the United Kingdom who knows her coffee beans so well that if you blindfolded her and handed her a coffee, she could tell you where they were grown just from how they taste.

Dee is a Starbucks Barista Champion, which means she’s a true coffee-making maestro – and she has the certificate to prove it. To celebrate International Barista Day, we sat down with Dee (over coffee, of course!) and asked her to spill the beans on life as a Barista Champion.

Q. What’s the best thing about being a barista at Starbucks?

A. I really love connecting with people. We have our regulars who come in all the time, like this one elderly couple who used to visit us three or four times a week. I knew their order off by heart and just how they liked it prepared – they always ordered two skinny lattes with a shot of espresso. Once we got to know them, we found out they were actually volunteering at the nearby soup kitchen. We were so inspired by what they were doing we decided to raise money for a charity called Changing Lives, which supports families with loved ones who are on palliative care. I even ran a half-marathon for the cause!

Before Starbucks I used to be really introverted. Honestly, if I was asked to choose between a crowd of people or just sitting at home knitting with my cat, I’d choose the latter every time! But now I love to chat with people. The job has really helped me to grow my confidence and I’m a completely different person to who I was when I first competed to become a Barista Champion.

Q. How did you brew your way to Barista Champion?

A. It all started when I was just about to go to university to study pharmacology. I’d been working as a bartender and was looking for a new job. I had a friend who worked at Starbucks as a barista. I saw how much she loved her job and I was really jealous of the fact that she could produce all this beautiful latte art. It started as a part-time job just to help get me through university, but as time went on I started making friends and learning so much about coffee that I realised I really loved it here.

It was my supervisor who inspired me to try and become a Barista Champ. He had previously been our district coffee master and had even judged the regional competition. He used to quiz me on my coffee knowledge all the time and that really sparked something inside of me.

Q. What does it mean to be a Barista Champion?

A. Barista Champs are tested on our coffee knowledge – like how well we know our beans and all the different brewing methods. We also need to know how Starbucks coffee is sourced – from how it’s grown to how it’s washed, bagged and transported. We need to be able to create intricate latte art and explain the history and science behind it. But beyond just the coffee, we should be confident talking about our store practices and Starbucks values.

But I’d say there’s no ‘right’ way to be a Barista Champ. Everyone I know has embodied the role differently with their own interpretation of what it means. From my perspective, I think a Barista Champ should be someone who inspires, nurtures and guides other baristas. We should try to encourage other partners to be as passionate and knowledgeable about Starbucks beans as we are.

Q: What makes coffee in the United Kingdom unique?

Brits tend to like a lighter roast – that’s why the Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast is really popular over here. If you go to your local coffeeshop they’ll typically offer you a lighter roast, whereas if you were to visit a coffeeshop in Italy, for example, you’d be offered a dark roast because they prefer coffee that is intense and bold. As someone who is a dark roast fan, I loved the coffee in Milan. But if you come over to the UK, you’ll find we’re not big on our bold flavours – we prefer something fruity, light and sweet. The Blonde Espresso Roast is a bit more acidic and zestier – it can give you that sweeter flavour without adding any extra syrups in.

Q. What excites you the most about working with coffee every day?

I really enjoy latte art. At Starbucks, we really value connection and bringing people together over coffee and I think latte art is such a great way to do that. I suppose it’s like how an artist feels when they create a painting. As a barista, you use your emotions and imagination to create this beautiful mini artwork in a cup and when you hand it over to the customer it’s a really nice moment of connection with them.

Q. What’s your coffee-making superpower?

A.I’d say my superpower is being able to tell you where a coffee bean has come from without even looking at it. When I was competing to become a Barista Champ, we had to do a blind coffee taste test where you were handed a French press (cafetiere) with a random coffee inside and you had to guess from the smell and taste what kind of roast it is and even what region it was grown in.

It was really scary when I got sick with COVID a few years ago because I lost my sense of taste and smell. When I first joined Starbucks, I was only just starting to regain my senses. Every time I sipped a coffee it was like I was relearning how to taste. While I was learning about coffee I was also on this healing journey at the same time. It’s made me even more grateful for my superpower!

Q. If you could only drink one coffee for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I really enjoy a dark roast for its richness and nuttiness. I will always choose a French press to prepare it. I know an AeroPress and siphon brewers may look cool but because I love a dark roast, I prefer the full-bodied taste you get with a French press. It’s so easy to use and is my go-to brewing method when I’m at home.

Q. What’s the most underrated item on the Starbucks menu?

My go-to in store has to be the Shaken Espresso. I recommend an Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso with some white mocha syrup and a dash of cream – it hits the spot every time. It’s just the right amount of coffee and it’s so delicious and creamy.