Polina Shcherbakova, from Costa Coffee’s Croydon North-End 129-131 store, took place in this year’s Costa Coffee Barista of the Year competition for the UK and Ireland.
Polina, age 20, has worked at Costa Coffee for almost two years, and fought off hundreds of baristas from across the country to get to the final of the Barista of the Year UK&I competition.
Competing against ten other UK&I finalists across two days of intense competition, the baristas took part in a variety of challenges which put their expertise to the test. They were tasked with crafting four high quality core coffee drinks, including incorporating a plant-based milk, as well as creating two identical Flat Whites or Cortados.
Finally, finalists were tasked with making their own speciality iced drink, using their coffee knowledge and sensory skills to create and deliver an innovative beverage. Polina’s speciality drink, a ’Tiramisu Frappe,’ featured a customised tiramisu-flavoured whipped cream.
Polina, Costa Coffee barista from the Croydon North-End 129-131 store, says: “What a fantastic journey the past few months have been! I’ve loved every moment of being involved in the UK&I Barista of the Year Competition and will take home so many memories, skills and friends away from this incredible opportunity.”
Taking home first place was Joanne Osborne, a barista from Costa Coffee’s store in Tesco, Evesham. Second place was awarded to Adbin Subedi, a barista from Costa Coffee’s store on 72 South Road, Haywards Heath, and third place to Emily Townsend, a barista from Costa Coffee’s Walsall store in Gallery Square.
This is the seventeenth year that Costa Coffee has run the UK&I Barista of the Year competition. Hosted by TV presenter and comedian, Joel Dommett, for a third year running, the competition is open to all Costa Coffee baristas, the competition provides baristas with an opportunity to showcase their technical skills, knowledge and passion for all things coffee and creativity.
To find out more about the Costa Coffee Barista of the Year competition or to apply for a barista role at our Costa Coffee stores, please visit: https://www.costa.co.uk/sustainability/people/our-baristas
