BARISTA and bartending innovators took center stage during the 9th Orobest Expo in Mindanao held at the Centrio Mal’s Activity Center in Cagayan de Oro last October 9 and 10.
Spearheaded by Bryan Silvano, the Filipino Bartending and Barista Innovators president, and Renato Sumania, chairman and founder of the Filipino Bartending and Barista Innovators, the event showcased the different skills and techniques of Flairtending and Latte Art.
Flairtending, or flair bartending, is the practice of entertaining hotel guests and clientele with dazzling tricks with the use of liquor bottles. Latte Art, on the hand is the method of preparing a cup of coffee embellished with a drawing using crema and foam to make art.
A total of 28 participants joined the said event with bartenders and latte artists demonstrating their skills under the glare of spotlights, amid the hushed chatter of the audience, and under the critical eye of the event’s judges.
The first day of the two-day event featured the flairtending Competition.
Among the more than twenty competitors, three names were audience favorites: Maynard Silfavan hailed as the Flairtending Champion coming from Cagayan de Oro City: Eric John Decena as the first place coming from Davao City and Luis Jardine Garcia , 2nd place, also from Davao City.
On the second day was the Latte Art competition and the winners are as follows:Jan Ralph Caballero as the Latte Art Champion, Carlito Candido as the first place and Rolly Dela Cruz, all from Cagayan de Oro City.
The event was successful with winners amply displaying the total breadth in their abilities in flairtending and latte art.