Richard Wolak Interviews Cady Wu, 2nd Place Winner in the Canadian Barista Championship 2007
What lead you to joining The Wicked Cafe? And how long have you been a Barista there?
I wanted to compete in the Canadian National Barista Champion, so my friend and café owner Matthew Lee referred me to Wicked Café, one of the best cafés in Vancouver.
I have been a barista at wicked café for six months.
How long did you train for the Canadian Barista Championship?
3 months.
What inspired you to become a leader in the Canadian coffee industry as a Barista?
I don't believe a Canadian Champion is a leader of the Canadian Baristas. I believe that everyone has their own unique contribution and talents, so there really is no "leader" in this field.
The reason why I wanted to complete in the Championship is that I loved coffee a lot, and I really wanted to use this opportunity to push myself and explore my true potential in this field. This way, I can become a much better barista and provide the best coffee to my customers too.
Describe the drink you created as your "custom" drink in the 2007 Canadian Barista Championship & how long did it take to create your signature drink?
My signature drink is called "Precious Moment." I add espresso to a base of dark maple syrup and hickory. The top of the drink is infused jasmine tea with milk.
It took me and my trainer Arthur a week to create this drink.
What supplies and tools of the trade did you use in your presentation at the Championship?
I used everything that any barista would use, including the temper, grinder, espresso machine, cups, etc. The only thing special was that I heated up the Hickory and Dark Maple Syrup in a pot.
Do you have any mentors in the coffee industry, and if so who and why?
Yes, My very first mentor in the coffee industry is Lindsay Parker. She was the first person who taught me how to make coffee.
My mentor for the championship is Arthur Wynne. He was the one who further refined my skills, and taught me everything I need to learn for the championship.
What is your own personal favorite coffee? and why?
My personal favorite coffee is single origin brewed coffee, because it allows me to experience and appreciate the unique flavors of the coffee beans from each area / country.
What did you do before becoming a Barista?
I was an ESL student.
How did it feel to win 2nd place at the Canadian Barista Championship in Toronto, both on a personal and professional level?
Personally, I feel really sorry toward the people that trained and supported me, especially my trainers Arthur, Matt and Amber, because I did not perform at my best.
Professionally speaking, however, I feel that it was a huge break-through for me.
What is your favorite dessert to have with an espresso?
I actually do not eat dessert with espresso, because then I cannot fully experience the full flavor of the drink.
Do you have any experiences from the Canadian championship you would like to share with our readers?
It really takes A LOT of hard-work beforehand to do well at the championship. I also learned that if you want to do well, you must have a whole lot of faith in yourself and everything that you are doing.
One of my challenges was to speak in front of the judges in English, my second language, and I had a lot of trouble beforehand. I learned how to overcome that lack of confidence in my language ability and that really helped me a lot in the competition.
What interests do you have outside of the coffee business?
I have a keen interest in business and management, and I love to read books about it.
POSTED: Monday, September 24, 2007