James’ coffee proved the judges’ cup of tea (From Surrey Comet)

James’ coffee proved the judges’ cup of tea

12:41pm Thursday 16th August 2007 in News By Lisa Williams

You might like a nice espresso on your way to work but did you know that the person who officially makes the best coffee in the world lives in Kingston?

James Hoffman, 27, broke the stereotype of bad British coffee by becoming the first ever UK winner of the annual World Barista Championship.

He also won another award for the world's best signature drink, impressing the judges with his tobacco-fused ganache blended with espresso and biscotti foam.

For this he enlisted the help of the lab at chef Heston Blumenthal's Michelin-starred restaurant the Fat Duck, known for its experimental use of flavours.

"It is a great honour to win," he said after beating the 44 international entrants at the final held in Tokyo on August 4. "I hope it's an opportunity to bring to the public's attention to how good coffee can be. For the most part we're served pretty awful coffee and don't get to experience a really great cup."

The UK's knowledge of coffee is growing, according to James, but it is not helped by the proliferation of coffee house chains.

"I hope it’s an opportunity to bring to the public’s attention to how good coffee can be. For the most part we’re served pretty awful coffee and don’t get to experience a really great cup.”

James Hoffman

He said: "Chains are not willing to train their staff or keep them on for a long enough for them to learn how to do a good job of brewing the coffee.

"It is important to pick the right coffee beans and to grind them correctly but the correct serving and delivering of the coffee should also be part of the process."

James learned his trade through demonstrating coffee makers in central London department stores. He then honed his skills at the London School of Coffee in London Road, Kingston, which offers courses in skills such as coffee grinding, blending and latté art - the method of pouring hot milk into coffee so that it resembles love hearts.

But James' ultimate training may take place at home, as earlier this year in Antwerp his girlfriend Annette Moldvaer won the World Coffee Cup Tasting Championship.

James Hoffman's guide to home-made coffee

If you don't have access to professional coffee making machinery, James says it is impossible to make a good latté, espresso or cappuccino. But at home your best bet is to use a cafetiere with a plunger and these are his tips for using it well:

• Wait 15 seconds after the water has boiled.

• Pour it into a coffee plunger with 60 grammes of fresh coarsely-ground coffee to every litre of water
• Wait four minutes before plunging and pouring. There should be no resistance to plunging.

• Make sure you pour all coffee out of the cafetiere immediately, otherwise it will stew.