Coffee experience history – how did you get in to it?

My name is Ben, or if you saw me online ‘Barista Benji’ a long time ago when I created my account ‘Barista Ben’ was taken and ever since people have been calling me Benji… even my own father once!

I entered the specialty coffee industry by mistake, my friend got me a job interview in a café in Winchester when I was unemployed and I turned up with no real intention of getting the job, I believe I wore a hoodie and trackies to the interview! The manager Dhan, gave me a job anyway – whether he saw something special in me or he just really needed staff he’ll never say but, I started working for the man that was then UK Latte Art champion and the training began. I trained with my friend and my boss and I never looked back.

Since then I have won many Latte Art Throwdowns, been to the finals of the UK Latte Art Championships three times and coached the champion on the world stage twice. I have specialised in creating interesting cartoons, logos and drawings on coffee so much so, that I have ended up working with amazing brands such as: Disney, Cartoon Network, Honda and Kraken for a variety of interesting projects.

Favourite cup

I love my yellow BOND mug! It’s the perfect size for a flat white and it’s very well made so, it feels very solid. I remember being given one at my first trip to the World Championships in Budapest where the brew bar allowed you to keep the mug if you shared it on social media... I thought I’d committed a heist, as at the time only about 200 people followed me!

Favourite piece of kit

Probably my little Arc Feleicita Scales, they are designed for espresso but, they are so easy to carry around I take them everywhere in case I need to dial in or make a cowboy filter coffee!