{"id":69761,"date":"2025-03-07T12:50:25","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T12:50:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/emea\/?p=69761"},"modified":"2025-03-11T12:53:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T12:53:41","slug":"barista-champs-tales-of-coffee-and-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/stories\/2025\/barista-champs-tales-of-coffee-and-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Barista Champs: Tales of Coffee and Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"sbx-page-header-featured alignfull has-large-flow-space requires-no-top-page-spacing\">\n\t<div class=\"sbx-page-header-featured__inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"sbx-page-header-featured__content\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<h1\t\t\t\tclass=\"sbx-page-header-featured__title is-style-display-sm\"\n\t\t\t\titemprop=\"headline\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\tBarista Champs: Tales of Coffee and Culture\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sbx-page-header-featured__bottom-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sbux-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sbux-meta__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\titemprop=\"datePublished\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdatetime=\"2025-03-07T12:50:25+00:00\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMarch 7, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/time>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sbx-page-header-featured__media\"\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"--x: 0.5; --y: 0.5\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1101\" height=\"736\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee1.jpg\" class=\"sbx-page-header-featured__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" itemprop=\"image\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 300px, (max-width: 586px) 480px, (max-width: 864px) 768px, 1280px\" loading=\"eager\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee1.jpg 1101w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee1-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee1-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee1-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee1-480x321.jpg 480w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee1-320x214.jpg 320w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee1-160x107.jpg 160w\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<!-- endif -->\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"sbux-post-meta-container content-flow--narrow alignleft\">\n\t\n<ul class=\"sbux-share-post\">\n\t\n\t\t\t<li class=\"sbux-share-post__item\">\n\t\t\t<a\tclass=\"sbux-icon-button sbux-site-header__action\"\n\ttarget=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/stories\/2025\/barista-champs-tales-of-coffee-and-culture\/\">\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__circle\">\n\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon-container\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\taria-hidden=\"true\"\n\tfill=\"none\"\n\tfocusable=\"false\"\n\theight=\"24\"\n\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\twidth=\"24\"\n\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n>\n\t<path\n\t\td=\"M9.2 13.52V21h4.07v-7.48h3.04l.63-3.44h-3.67V8.87c0-1.82.71-2.52 2.56-2.52.57 0 1.03.02 1.3.05V3.28c-.5-.14-1.74-.28-2.45-.28C10.93 3 9.2 4.78 9.2 8.6v1.48H6.87v3.44H9.2Z\"\n\t\tfill=\"currentColor\"\n\t\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\taria-hidden=\"true\"\n\tfill=\"none\"\n\tfocusable=\"false\"\n\theight=\"24\"\n\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\twidth=\"24\"\n\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n>\n\t<path\n\t\td=\"M9.2 13.52V21h4.07v-7.48h3.04l.63-3.44h-3.67V8.87c0-1.82.71-2.52 2.56-2.52.57 0 1.03.02 1.3.05V3.28c-.5-.14-1.74-.28-2.45-.28C10.93 3 9.2 4.78 9.2 8.6v1.48H6.87v3.44H9.2Z\"\n\t\tfill=\"currentColor\"\n\t\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__label visually-hidden\">Share this post on Facebook<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__backdrop\"><\/span>\n<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\n\t\t\t<li class=\"sbux-share-post__item\">\n\t\t\t<a\tclass=\"sbux-icon-button sbux-site-header__action\"\n\ttarget=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.net\/intent\/post?text=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\u2019s a true coffee-making maestro \u2013 and [&hellip;]&amp;url=https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/stories\/2025\/barista-champs-tales-of-coffee-and-culture\/\">\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__circle\">\n\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon-container\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\taria-hidden=\"true\"\n\tfill=\"none\"\n\tfocusable=\"false\"\n\theight=\"24\"\n\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\twidth=\"24\"\n\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n>\n\t<path\n\t\td=\"m16.07 11.24.23.1a4.6 4.6 0 0 1 2.32 2.3c.59 1.37.64 3.6-1.14 5.37-1.35 1.36-3 1.97-5.34 1.99h-.01c-2.64-.02-4.66-.9-6.02-2.63-1.2-1.54-1.83-3.68-1.85-6.36V12c.01-2.69.64-4.83 1.85-6.37C7.47 3.9 9.49 3.02 12.13 3c2.64.02 4.69.9 6.1 2.62.68.85 1.2 1.88 1.51 3.06l-1.51.4a6.59 6.59 0 0 0-1.2-2.44c-1.1-1.35-2.74-2.04-4.9-2.05-2.14.02-3.75.7-4.8 2.04C6.33 7.88 5.82 9.68 5.8 12c.02 2.31.53 4.12 1.51 5.37 1.05 1.34 2.67 2.02 4.8 2.04 1.94-.01 3.21-.47 4.27-1.53a3.27 3.27 0 0 0 .8-3.6 2.86 2.86 0 0 0-1.2-1.3c-.13 1-.43 1.8-.92 2.42a3.53 3.53 0 0 1-2.72 1.33 3.98 3.98 0 0 1-2.4-.6 2.8 2.8 0 0 1-1.28-2.23c-.1-1.8 1.33-3.1 3.56-3.24.8-.04 1.54 0 2.22.1-.09-.55-.27-.99-.54-1.31-.38-.44-.96-.66-1.74-.67h-.02c-.62 0-1.46.17-2 .99l-1.29-.89a3.8 3.8 0 0 1 3.3-1.69h.02c2.35.02 3.75 1.48 3.89 4.04Zm-5.85 2.58c.05.94 1.06 1.38 2.04 1.32.96-.05 2.05-.43 2.24-2.74a7.62 7.62 0 0 0-2.17-.15c-1.61.09-2.15.87-2.1 1.56h-.01Z\"\n\t\tfill=\"currentColor\"\n\t\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\taria-hidden=\"true\"\n\tfill=\"none\"\n\tfocusable=\"false\"\n\theight=\"24\"\n\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\twidth=\"24\"\n\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n>\n\t<path\n\t\td=\"m16.07 11.24.23.1a4.6 4.6 0 0 1 2.32 2.3c.59 1.37.64 3.6-1.14 5.37-1.35 1.36-3 1.97-5.34 1.99h-.01c-2.64-.02-4.66-.9-6.02-2.63-1.2-1.54-1.83-3.68-1.85-6.36V12c.01-2.69.64-4.83 1.85-6.37C7.47 3.9 9.49 3.02 12.13 3c2.64.02 4.69.9 6.1 2.62.68.85 1.2 1.88 1.51 3.06l-1.51.4a6.59 6.59 0 0 0-1.2-2.44c-1.1-1.35-2.74-2.04-4.9-2.05-2.14.02-3.75.7-4.8 2.04C6.33 7.88 5.82 9.68 5.8 12c.02 2.31.53 4.12 1.51 5.37 1.05 1.34 2.67 2.02 4.8 2.04 1.94-.01 3.21-.47 4.27-1.53a3.27 3.27 0 0 0 .8-3.6 2.86 2.86 0 0 0-1.2-1.3c-.13 1-.43 1.8-.92 2.42a3.53 3.53 0 0 1-2.72 1.33 3.98 3.98 0 0 1-2.4-.6 2.8 2.8 0 0 1-1.28-2.23c-.1-1.8 1.33-3.1 3.56-3.24.8-.04 1.54 0 2.22.1-.09-.55-.27-.99-.54-1.31-.38-.44-.96-.66-1.74-.67h-.02c-.62 0-1.46.17-2 .99l-1.29-.89a3.8 3.8 0 0 1 3.3-1.69h.02c2.35.02 3.75 1.48 3.89 4.04Zm-5.85 2.58c.05.94 1.06 1.38 2.04 1.32.96-.05 2.05-.43 2.24-2.74a7.62 7.62 0 0 0-2.17-.15c-1.61.09-2.15.87-2.1 1.56h-.01Z\"\n\t\tfill=\"currentColor\"\n\t\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__label visually-hidden\">Share this post on Threads<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__backdrop\"><\/span>\n<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\n\t\t\t<li class=\"sbux-share-post__item\">\n\t\t\t<a\tclass=\"sbux-icon-button sbux-site-header__action\"\n\ttarget=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;summary=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\u2019s a true coffee-making maestro \u2013 and [&hellip;]&amp;title=Barista Champs: Tales of Coffee and Culture&amp;url=https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/stories\/2025\/barista-champs-tales-of-coffee-and-culture\/\">\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__circle\">\n\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon-container\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\taria-hidden=\"true\"\n\tfill=\"none\"\n\tfocusable=\"false\"\n\theight=\"24\"\n\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\twidth=\"24\"\n\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n>\n\t<path\n\t\td=\"M3 5.161a2.162 2.162 0 0 1 4.323 0c0 1.194-.968 2.182-2.162 2.182C3.969 7.343 3 6.355 3 5.161ZM20.995 21H21v-6.602c0-3.23-.695-5.718-4.47-5.718-1.816 0-3.034.996-3.531 1.94h-.053V8.983h-3.58v12.017h3.728v-5.95c0-1.567.297-3.082 2.237-3.082 1.912 0 1.94 1.788 1.94 3.182V21h3.724ZM3.297 8.983h3.732V21H3.297V8.983Z\"\n\t\tfill=\"currentColor\"\n\t\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\taria-hidden=\"true\"\n\tfill=\"none\"\n\tfocusable=\"false\"\n\theight=\"24\"\n\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\twidth=\"24\"\n\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n>\n\t<path\n\t\td=\"M3 5.161a2.162 2.162 0 0 1 4.323 0c0 1.194-.968 2.182-2.162 2.182C3.969 7.343 3 6.355 3 5.161ZM20.995 21H21v-6.602c0-3.23-.695-5.718-4.47-5.718-1.816 0-3.034.996-3.531 1.94h-.053V8.983h-3.58v12.017h3.728v-5.95c0-1.567.297-3.082 2.237-3.082 1.912 0 1.94 1.788 1.94 3.182V21h3.724ZM3.297 8.983h3.732V21H3.297V8.983Z\"\n\t\tfill=\"currentColor\"\n\t\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__label visually-hidden\">Share this post on LinkedIn<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__backdrop\"><\/span>\n<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\n\t<li class=\"sbux-share-post__item\">\n\t\t<button\tclass=\"sbux-icon-button sbux-site-header__action\"\n\tdata-copy-to-clipboard=\"1\">\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__circle\">\n\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon-container\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\taria-hidden=\"true\"\n\tfill=\"none\"\n\tfocusable=\"false\"\n\theight=\"24\"\n\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\twidth=\"24\"\n\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n>\n\t<path\n\t\td=\"M17 7c1.39 0 2.56.48 3.54 1.46A4.83 4.83 0 0 1 22 12c0 1.38-.48 2.56-1.46 3.54A4.83 4.83 0 0 1 17 17h-3.5a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5H17a3.5 3.5 0 1 0-.03-7H13.5a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5H17ZM4.52 14.47A3.5 3.5 0 0 1 7 8.5h3.5a.75.75 0 0 0 0-1.5H7c-1.38 0-2.56.5-3.54 1.46A4.8 4.8 0 0 0 2 12c0 1.38.49 2.56 1.46 3.54A4.81 4.81 0 0 0 7 17h3.5a.75.75 0 0 0 0-1.5H7.03c-.94 0-1.84-.37-2.5-1.03Zm4.36-3.22h6.25a.75.75 0 0 1 0 1.5H8.88a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5Z\"\n\t\tfill=\"currentColor\"\n\t\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\taria-hidden=\"true\"\n\tfill=\"none\"\n\tfocusable=\"false\"\n\theight=\"24\"\n\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\twidth=\"24\"\n\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n>\n\t<path\n\t\td=\"M17 7c1.39 0 2.56.48 3.54 1.46A4.83 4.83 0 0 1 22 12c0 1.38-.48 2.56-1.46 3.54A4.83 4.83 0 0 1 17 17h-3.5a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5H17a3.5 3.5 0 1 0-.03-7H13.5a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5H17ZM4.52 14.47A3.5 3.5 0 0 1 7 8.5h3.5a.75.75 0 0 0 0-1.5H7c-1.38 0-2.56.5-3.54 1.46A4.8 4.8 0 0 0 2 12c0 1.38.49 2.56 1.46 3.54A4.81 4.81 0 0 0 7 17h3.5a.75.75 0 0 0 0-1.5H7.03c-.94 0-1.84-.37-2.5-1.03Zm4.36-3.22h6.25a.75.75 0 0 1 0 1.5H8.88a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5Z\"\n\t\tfill=\"currentColor\"\n\t\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__label visually-hidden\">Copy link to this post<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__backdrop\"><\/span>\n<\/button>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dee is a Starbucks Barista Champion, which means she\u2019s a true coffee-making maestro \u2013 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.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q. What\u2019s the best thing about being a barista at Starbucks?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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 \u2013 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!<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019d 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\u2019m a completely different person to who I was when I first competed to become a Barista Champion.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q. How did you brew your way to Barista Champion?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A. It all started when I was just about to go to university to study pharmacology. I\u2019d 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.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q. What does it mean to be a Barista Champion?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A. Barista Champs are tested on our coffee knowledge \u2013 like how well we know our beans and all the different brewing methods. We also need to know how Starbucks coffee is sourced \u2013 from how it\u2019s grown to how it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But I\u2019d say there\u2019s no \u2018right\u2019 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.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"795\" height=\"568\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-69801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee2.jpg 795w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee2-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee2-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee2-480x343.jpg 480w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee2-320x229.jpg 320w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee2-160x114.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 795px) 100vw, 795px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: What makes coffee in the United Kingdom unique?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brits tend to like a lighter roast \u2013 that\u2019s why the Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast is really popular over here. If you go to your local coffeeshop they\u2019ll typically offer you a lighter roast, whereas if you were to visit a coffeeshop in Italy, for example, you\u2019d 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\u2019ll find we\u2019re not big on our bold flavours \u2013 we prefer something fruity, light and sweet. The Blonde Espresso Roast is a bit more acidic and zestier \u2013 it can give you that sweeter flavour without adding any extra syrups in.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q. What excites you the most about working with coffee every day?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019s 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\u2019s a really nice moment of connection with them.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q. What\u2019s your coffee-making superpower?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A.I\u2019d 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.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019s made me even more grateful for my superpower!<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q. If you could only drink one coffee for the rest of your life, what would it be?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019s so easy to use and is my go-to brewing method when I\u2019m at home.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q. What\u2019s the most underrated item on the Starbucks menu?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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 \u2013 it hits the spot every time. It\u2019s just the right amount of coffee and it\u2019s so delicious and creamy.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1379\" height=\"985\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-69813\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee3.jpg 1379w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee3-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee3-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee3-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee3-1280x914.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee3-480x343.jpg 480w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee3-320x229.jpg 320w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/03\/Dee3-160x114.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1379px) 100vw, 1379px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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\u2019s a true coffee-making maestro \u2013 and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":773,"featured_media":69789,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"starbucks_cheetahmail_notify_on_publish":false,"starbucks_aep_notified_at":0,"sbux_color_theme":"default","sbux_typography_theme":"default","byline":"","sbux_is_featured":false,"featured_image_focal_point_x":0,"featured_image_focal_point_y":0,"hide_related_posts":false,"downloadable_assets":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69761","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Barista Champs: Tales of Coffee and Culture - Starbucks Stories EMEA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/stories\/2025\/barista-champs-tales-of-coffee-and-culture\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Barista Champs: Tales of Coffee and Culture - Starbucks Stories EMEA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"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. 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