You might think the World Barista Championship is the most important global competition in Italy next month. I mean, it’s a competition for espresso taking place in its birthplace, which makes it seem like a no brainer. But what if I told you that another Italian delicacy was also holding a world competition in October? Which is exactly what’s happening in Treviso with the 2025 Tiramisu World Cup.
And what if I also told you that you, dear lover of coffee and dessert and their glorious intersection, could be a judge at the Tiramisu World Cup and get to taste the best tiramisu in the whole wide world? Well that’s what I’m doing. Because you can.
The Tiramisu World Cup takes place October 11th through 13th, and they are looking for 100 individuals to serve as judges. But it’s not just stuffing mouthfuls of mascarpone and espresso-soaked ladyfingers down your gullet, though that is a pretty big part of it. Per the website, the role of the judges is to “check the integrity of the ingredients and competition equipment, ensure contestants are correctly positioned at their stations, and generally make sure the competition runs smoothly.”
Each judge will be in charge of up to 10 contestants, who along with another judge as well as the jury president will analyze the entries. They will be in charge of deciding who makes it to the Semi-Finals round of competition. (The Semis and the Finals will be judged by “professionals from the pastry industry and related fields.”)
But in order to be a judge at such a prestigious competition, you can’t just say you love tiramisu. You have to prove it. Potential judges are required to complete are required to complete a 15-question exam to exhibit their knowledge of the competition rules. And because the spots are so coveted, the exam is only going to be administered for one day, on September 13th.
The highest scorers will then be contacted about being a judge.
Judging the Tiramisu World Cup is completely free and voluntary, meaning you won’t have to pay anything to do it but you also won’t get paid for your time or have any travel expenses covered. You’re doing it for the love of the game.
So if you’ve ever dreamed of judging a Barista Championship but found the requisite training to be tedious, maybe it’s the tiramisu for you. You’ve got a little over a week to bone up on the rules to make sure you ace the exam. And while you’re at it, may as well make a tiramisu or two of your own. As a study aid. (Tiramisu literally means “pick me up” after all.) Luckily, it’s incredibly easy, even easier with But First, Coffee: A Guide To Brewing From The Kitchen To The Bar, Sprudge’s very own coffee cookbook.
For more information on the competition, the rules, or how to become a judge, visit the Tiramisu World Cup’s official website.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
