On Friday 3rd October 2014 from 10:00am - 4.00pm, the Italian Espresso National Institute (INEI) organised The Espresso Italiano Championship 2014, which took place at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall. 15 top baristas from 14 espresso companies and organisations around the world demonstrate their skills to be crowned Espresso Italiano Champion 2014.
The competition stands out among the coffee community, as it judges the skill of the professional barista not their showmanship.
The INEI is responsible for the protection and promotion of original espresso through a product certification, and member companies can use the Italiano Espresso guarantee.
Each barista has 11 minutes to prepare four espressos and four cappuccinos. A technical judging panel of skilled professionals from the Italian coffee industry will grade them while a sensory judging panel of four officials from the International Institute of Coffee Tasters will sit in a separate room to let the coffee speak for itself.