Sprudge.com co-founder Zachary Carlsen is reporting to you this week from Milan.
Victor Delpierre, 26, joins over twenty champions at this year’s Dalla Corte Campus, and Olympic-village style free-for-all of training and memorable experiences leading up to the 2013 SCAE World Of Coffee show in Nice, France this coming June 26th-28th. Mr. Delpierre hails from Paris, France, and is that country’s 2013 Coffee In Good Spirits national champion. He traveled to Milan with Michael McCauley of Cafes Richard, with whom he built a custom blend to win the French Coffee In Good Spirits competition.
Until its temporary closure (a lengthy twenty-seven month renovation), Victor was assistant director of Bar Vendome at the Ritz Paris. “It was the best professional year of my life,” Victor says about his tenure at Vendome.
For his winning routine at the Coffee In Good Spirits competition, Victor prepared a twist on a margarita and mojito. Both drinks contained an espresso blend from Cafes Richard comprised of 50% organic coffee from Mexico and 50% of Evano Verde from the Dominican Republic.
Cold Coffee Margarita
Lime Juice
Patron Tequila
Espresso
Simple Syrup
Hot Mojito Latte
Coffee Liqueur
Classic Rum
Mint
Espresso
Hot Milk
2013 was the first year Coffee In Good Spirits hosted a competition in France, which makes Mr. Delpierre the world’s first French CIG champ. It wasn’t his first time competing; last year, Victor took fifth place at the France national barista competition. “My aim is to show and to share what we can do with coffee,” Victor told me, and he sees competition as an avenue for making that happen. He also wants to see more focus on coffee programs in restaurants – particularly those food-obsessed Paris. “In France, there is an interest in arabica beans in restaurants, but they want to use automatic machines. Why?”
Why, indeed. Today here in Milan, Victor worked alongside barista champions developing new cocktail signature drinks. He experimented with pineapple and mango, blending an exotic smoothie with strong espresso. As for the spirit? We’ll find out tomorrow.
Sprudge.com is in Milan all week covering the scene at DC Campus. Coverage made possible by Urnex and Dalla Corte.
