Whittlesea’s Sharnie Robinson has been crowned the best barista across all of Ferguson Plarre’s Bakehouse in its recent Barista of the Year competition.
With participation from 22 branches of Ferguson Plarre, the competition sought to recognise and uphold coffee standards across the network, and highlight the quality of skills possessed by the bakehouses’ baristas.
Competitors were assessed on both technical skills—such as grinder adjustment, extraction, and milk texturing—and sensory elements, including froth depth, latte art, and overall presentation.
The competition took place over three months, culminating in October with the finals held at the Ferguson Plarre training centre in Keilor Park.
Participants ranged from new staff members to experienced, certified baristas, with Ferguson Plarre Whittlesea now proudly hosting the brand’s top barista.
Ferguson Plarre’s Bakehouse Head Barista Trainer Craig Paterson said the competition put the baristas’ talents to the test.
“The rounds were each broken down into three parts—the preparation, the heat, and the pack down,” he said.
“Each participant had to accurately calibrate equipment before making six coffees at service quality and cleaning up the bench for the next competitor.
“Our finalists then had to spin a wheel to randomly determine the four drinks they would be creating for the last heat.
“While the classics like a latte, cappuccino, and flat white were among the favourites, a nice macchiato was the favourite for most baristas to make.
“Our overall winner and Barista of the Year Sharnie demonstrated perfect technique in every round, scoring a 50/50. While she wasn’t the fastest of the top four, her craft was unmatched, proving that slow and steady wins the race.
“The cherry on top of her two perfect lattes, one cappuccino, and a short macchiato was her expertly textured milk, which was amazingly shiny and sweet.”
