The Barista Camp Returns to Shanghai in August 2014

If you’re a barista aiming to go beyond the daily grind and dive deep into the full journey of coffee—from seed to cup—then The Barista Camp is your next move. This intensive training isn’t just another workshop; it’s built to reshape how you understand and present specialty coffee. Whether you're prepping for a competition or simply want to broaden your coffee knowledge, this camp delivers technical skills, sensory training, and global insights in one package.

The Barista Camp 2014 runs from August 26 to 28 in Shanghai, led by two world-class trainers: Fritz Storm and Kentaro Maruyama. Over three days, you’ll explore coffee cultivation, processing, roasting, brewing, tasting, and competition psychology—plus taste over 30 single-origin coffees from around the globe.

What Is The Barista Camp?

The Barista Camp is an immersive, hands-on barista training program designed to develop not just brewing techniques but also a holistic understanding of coffee. It covers the entire coffee value chain: from farming and processing to roasting, brewing, and cupping. The goal is to elevate your skills and perspective far beyond the espresso machine.

Who Are the Trainers?

This year’s camp is led by Fritz Storm and Kentaro Maruyama—two highly respected figures in the global specialty coffee scene. Their combined expertise spans competition coaching, sensory analysis, and coffee education. They don’t just teach methods; they help you understand the ‘why’ behind the craft, preparing you to think and perform like a top-level barista.

Why Attend?

Past participants have gone on to achieve remarkable success in coffee competitions. Notable alumni include Mexico’s Fabrizio Seed (WBC 2012 runner-up), Japan’s Miki Suzuki (WBC 2011 & 2012 finalist), Hong Kong’s Eric Chiu (HKBC 2013 & 2014 champion), China’s Zhang Yinzhe (CBC 2014 champion), and China’s Tu Yuehua (CBC 2014 runner-up). Even the top three finishers from the 2014 WBC China finals—Zhang Yinzhe, Tu Yuehua, and Zhu Jinguo—were previous camp attendees.

What Will You Learn?

The curriculum includes:

• Coffee origin and cultivation basics
• Green coffee selection and processing methods
• Roasting theory and application
• Brewing science and extraction techniques
• Cupping and sensory evaluation
• Competition preparation and performance psychology

You’ll also get to taste over 30 single-origin coffees, giving you direct experience with diverse flavor profiles and processing styles. Plus, guest speakers from various coffee-producing countries share insights into their unique coffee cultures.

Featured Guest Mentors

In past editions, The Barista Camp has hosted elite competitors and national champions, including:

• Pete Licata (USA, WBC 2013 Champion)
• Alejandro Mendez (El Salvador, WBC 2011 Champion)
• Fabrizio Seed (Mexico, WBC 2012 Runner-Up)
• Colin Harmon (Ireland, WBC 2012 Third Place)

These mentors bring firsthand experience from the world stage, offering unique perspectives and practical advice for aspiring champions.

Where and When Is It?

The 2014 session takes place August 26–28 in Shanghai. This is one of multiple successful camps held globally since 2009, with previous events in Japan, Colombia, Italy, and Shanghai itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is The Barista Camp 2014?

The Barista Camp 2014 is scheduled for August 26 to 28, 2014, in Shanghai.

Who are the main trainers for the 2014 camp?

The 2014 camp is led by Fritz Storm and Kentaro Maruyama, both internationally recognised coffee experts and competition coaches.

What topics are covered in the training?

The training covers coffee origin, farming, processing, roasting, brewing, cupping, sensory skills, and competition preparation—including mental preparation for competing.

Have past attendees won coffee competitions?

Yes. Alumni include WBC finalists and national champions such as Fabrizio Seed (Mexico), Miki Suzuki (Japan), Eric Chiu (Hong Kong), Zhang Yinzhe (China CBC 2014 champion), and Tu Yuehua (China CBC 2014 runner-up).

Will there be coffee tastings?

Yes, attendees will taste over 30 single-origin coffees from different countries during the camp.

Are there guest speakers from other countries?

Yes, previous camps have featured champions and experts such as Pete Licata (USA), Alejandro Mendez (El Salvador), and Colin Harmon (Ireland) who share their coffee culture insights.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Barista Training

For baristas honing their craft at The Barista Camp, FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui offers vibrant floral and citrus notes with a juicy body—perfect for exploring light roast profiles. Their Brazil Queen Manor provides a balanced nutty and chocolate base ideal for practicing espresso techniques. Finally, the Kenya Little Tomato brings bold acidity and berry complexity, great for cupping sessions. These beans cover a range of processing methods and flavour profiles to expand your sensory skills. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.