How Mo Zhenchao Became China’s Barista Champion

In 2006, Mo Zhenchao had just lost his first business, his girlfriend, and his friends’ support. He sat alone with his dog, wondering if life was worth living—until a coffee latte art scene on TV reignited his curiosity. That flicker of interest turned into a relentless decade-long journey to become one of China’s best baristas. This is how a struggling entrepreneur became a three-time national coffee champion.

Mo Zhenchao poured over 100,000 practice coffees in three years, mastering the craft through trial and error. He gave up a high-paying job, trained himself using barely any resources, and eventually won the 2009 Guangzhou Latte Art Championship, the 2010 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Barista Championship, and the 2010 China Barista Championship.

The Long Road to Loving Coffee

It took Mo nearly a decade to truly enjoy a slow coffee moment. Though skilled in latte art, he once described coffee as “a friend, a lover, and my life.” Born in Dongguan, he endured a failed business in 2002, lost his partner, and faced family pressure. Isolated and hopeless, it was a televised latte art design that pulled him back—and set him on a path to becoming Barista Mo.

From Rejection to National Champion

Despite limited coffee resources—he found fewer than 10 coffee books in Dongguan bookstores—Mo taught himself. He scoured help-wanted ads, copied down training opportunities, and recorded online info by hand. In 2006, offered a lucrative corporate role on the same day as a coffee company interview, he chose coffee. “Even with lots of money, what’s the point if you’re not happy?” he said.

100,000 Cups of Practice

Mo couldn’t afford his own espresso machine. Instead, he practiced on machines from friends and local cafés. With barely any access to latte art tutorials, he watched the few videos he could find, swapped free drinks for extra milk, and spent all his money on milk and coffee beans. For three years, he estimates he poured more than 100,000 cups of coffee—practicing until he got it right. “It used to take 100 cups to fill our shop’s sink,” he laughs. “I didn’t realize I could’ve used powdered milk back then.”

Building Coffee Culture in Dongguan

Now a co-owner of a creative café and founder of Dejavu Cafe in Xiaba Fang creative district, Mo helped establish Dongguan’s first large-scale specialty coffeehouse, Nine Café. He calls spreading coffee culture his mission. Next month, he plans to open Dongguan’s first barista training center to help aspiring professionals avoid his early struggles. “I’ve found what I love and I’ll keep doing it. My mission keeps me going. I’ll spend my life making better coffee.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cups of coffee did Mo Zhenchao pour while practicing?

Mo Zhenchao poured over 100,000 practice cups of coffee during his three-year self-training period. He estimated that it took around 100 cups to fill the sink in his café’s wash area, confirming the large volume of discarded brews.

What barista competitions did Mo Zhenchao win?

Mo Zhenchao won three major national barista competitions: the 2009 Guangzhou Fourth Latte Art Championship, the 2010 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Barista Championship, and the 2010 China Barista Championship.

Why did Mo Zhenchao choose coffee over a high-paying job?

In 2006, offered a well-paid corporate job and a coffee industry interview on the same day, Mo chose the coffee company. He said, “Even with lots of money, what’s the point if you’re not happy?” His passion for coffee outweighed financial gain.

What is Mo Zhenchao doing now to promote coffee culture?

Mo co-owns Dejavu Cafe and helped open Nine Café, Dongguan’s first large specialty coffee shop. He is launching Dongguan’s first barista training center next month to help new baristas learn faster and avoid his early challenges. He also travels to promote coffee culture nationwide.

Where can I experience Mo Zhenchao’s coffee?

Mo’s cafés include Dejavu Cafe in Dongguan’s Xiaba Fang creative district and Nine Café, the city’s first large specialty coffee venue. While not explicitly mentioned in this article, both are central to his mission of promoting quality coffee and training.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Barista Training

For aspiring baristas like Mo Zhenchao, FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui offers bright floral and citrus notes with a juicy body—ideal for practicing pour-over and espresso versatility. Their Yirgacheffe presents classic berry and stone fruit tones, perfect for exploring extraction balance. Both beans are freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.