The first partner tournament “Chocolate Barista 2015” consisted of 17 participants, qualified judges, a tense tournament day, fresh coffee and yummy chocolate! On July 22, 2015 the best barista of Lviv Handmade Chocolate competed in art coffee preparation: 2 espresso, 2 cappuccino and its own creative drink. The competition was held according to regulations: each barista had 10 minutes for technique presentation of coffee building, a creative performance and demonstration of its own drink based on classic espresso.

Barista from all Lviv Handmade Chocolate in Ukraine took part in this coffee tournament: Oleksiy Scherbakov (Chernihiv), Oleksiy Butin (Ivano-Frankivsk), Anna Leschuk (Vinnytsya), Yaroslav Romanyshyn (Uzhgorod), Oleksandr Beskhmelnitsyn (Kyiv, Andriyivskyy Uzviz), Pavlo Mischenya (Odesa, Derybasivska), Borys Bey (Zhytomyr), Yevhen Voloschuk (Kyiv, Polyarna), Serhiy Koynov (Kyiv, Gorkogo), Andriy Ilechko (Truskavets), Pavlo Motruk (Chernivtsi), Dmytro Halyan (Lviv), Oleksandr Taran (Zaporizhzhya), Denys Palyuk (Khmelnytskyy), Maksym Kolesnyk (Odesa, Pushkinska), Viktor Konoval (Kyiv, Khreschatyk) and Valeriya Kulakova (Kharkiv).

Coffee drinks made by professional barista of Lviv Handmade Chocolate beat all expectations. Coffee artists experimented with vanilla, lemon and raspberry, ice, fresh ginger and rosemary, different spices and of course with chocolate – what such coffee was that day! It’s worth noting that participants competed for the title of the best chocolate barista 2015, recognition among the colleagues as well as money reward to develop professional skills.

Oleksiy Butin from Ivano-Frankivsk won the title of “Chocolate Barista 2015” who demonstrated great espresso and cappuccino preparation and impressed judges with his own cocktail “Confiture” that was made of espresso, cream, fresh raspberry, sugar powder and vanilla. The second place won Dmytro Halyan (Lviv), the third - Viktor Konoval (Kyiv, Khreschatyk) who showed their true love to coffee art.

Highly qualified judges, creative leaders of Lviv coffee culture, estimated barista professionalism and creativity: head judge – Ihor Berdnikov, sensor judges – Ihor Pavlov, Ivan Bolharov and Dmytro Vysochanskyy, technical judges – Lyubov Taran and Nazar Shulyak. Tournament judgment was held according to WBC (World Barista Championship).