This year’s Singapore Latte Art Championship was held in conjunction with Café Asia at Marina Bay Sands from March 19-21. A total of 20 contestants participated, and after intense competition, a final six were selected. Only one could move on to represent Singapore at the World Latte Art Championship happening in Gothenburg, Sweden, and it was Jervis Tan of Kinsmen Coffee.
A quick primer for the uninitiated: at a latte art competition, competitors are required to pour two identical free-pour macchiatos, free-pour lattes, and designer-patterned lattes. Competitors are judged based on visual attributes, creativity, identical patterns in the pairs, contrast in patterns, and overall performance.
Champion: Jervis Tan, Kinsmen Coffee
Tan’s winning routine was based around the concept of time. His free-pour latte was titled “Flying Fern,” and intended to represent his identity as a barista (he loves pouring wings and rosettas). This particular design is a free-pour variation to showcase clarity of art with spacing. His macchiato was a five-layer tulip, and his designer’s latte was created based on a peacock theme.
Second place: Joefel F. Manlod, House of Robert Timms
A veteran competitor in latte art competitions, Joefel Manlod exhibits a quiet confidence and steady hands while onstage. Showcasing complex designs, which he executes with ease, his main goal in competing is to challenge himself to increase both technical skills and dedication. This was a near-win this year, and he’ll surely be back again in 2016 to compete and represent the talented Singapore barista community.
Third place: Saw Shyan Wei (Shawn), ARC Coffee.
Shawn’s free-pour latte is called the “Inverted Flying Heart,” composed of an inverted tulip and rosettas, while his macchiato was a more simple inverted tulip. But the show-stopper here came from his use of color, presenting a winged flower design that wowed the crowd and judges. This design, like a long-stemmed rose in a coffee cup, was a dedication to his girlfriend.
Top 6 finalist: Levina Wong, McCafé
Levina Wong’s designs center on tulips, which she believes to be the basic building blocks for all latte art. Her free-pour latte was a seven-layer tulip, while her macchiato was designed to push the limits of art in a tiny cup. Her designer latte was a swan, to illustrate creativity and evolution of art, using a tulip to create the pattern.
Top 6 finalist: Jeremy M. Ramos, House of Robert Timms
Most of this competitor’s designs were based around his love for the rosetta, with the exception of his macchiato, which was a bold five-layer tulip.
Top 6 finalist: Chen Li, McCafé
The second finalist representing McCafé, which has a very good reputation for latte art in Singapore and throughout this part of the world. All of Chen Li’s designs were variations of tulips, and she competed to much support from the crowd.
Congratulations to Jervis Tan and all the finalists at the 2015 Singapore Latte Art Championship!
Xinyi Loke is a coffee professional and Sprudge contributor based in Singapore. Read more Xinyi Loke on Sprudge.
