Cabell Tice

A Look Inside Orchard Coffee in Waynesville, NC

October 8, 2021 By Michael Leave a Comment

Nestled in the Smoky Mountains, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more idyllic mountain town than Waynesville, NC. But what’s a quaint, mountain town without a community gathering place? It turns out Waynesville is not only blessed with incredible natural beauty but an exceptional café: Orchard Coffee, serving locally-roasted coffee from its sister company Steamline Coffee. Behind both companies is a man who needs no introduction to long-time readers of thecoffeecompasss.com, Cabell Tice. …

An American Barista in Tokyo

June 5, 2015 By Guest Leave a Comment

In April 2015, three of the biggest names in the US competitive latte art scene traveled to Japan to encounter one of the most dynamic and exciting coffee cultures in the world. We commissioned one of them, John Letoto, to chronicle his journey.

Visiting Tokyo as an American barista was not merely an unforgettable experience, it was an experience the particulars of which I am still trying to grasp. The city itself is an endless series of wonders. The culture is shocking to the American palate. The sights and sounds are overwhelming at times, yet in the midst of this, there is an intrinsic sense of order and systemization that runs through every single aspect of their society. More than anything else, this Japanese sense of rightness was what made me feel at once more comfortable …

You Should Be Following These 5 Baristas on Instagram

June 12, 2014 By Michael 3 Comments

Perhaps the only thing better than sitting down with your first cup of coffee in the morning is living vicariously through a picture of someone else’s. Baristas tend to be creative types, so it’s little wonder many barista Instagram accounts are as carefully curated as an art gallery or lifestyle brand. The following 5 baristas consistently dropped some of the most inspiring photographs on the interwebs. …

Barista Interview: Kenny Smith of Sunergos Coffee

June 12, 2013 By Michael 2 Comments

Kenny Smith pouring latte art. Photo by Brian Moats

Long-time readers of the Compass know all about Kenny Smith. He works for Sunergos Coffee, which has been featured in multiple posts. We’ve also utilized his well-defined palate for several reviews, including our only non-coffee post. But perhaps Kenny is best known for being really awesome at latte art.

So far in 2013, Kenny has …

Barista Interview: Cabell Tice, 2013 CoffeeFest NYC Latte Art Champion

March 27, 2013 By Darren 1 Comment

Cabell Tice shocked the competitive latte art world when he won the Latte Art World Championship Open at CoffeeFest, NYC as a first time competitor. We sat down (digitally) with the reigning champ and asked him a few questions about latte art, being a barista, and where to drink coffee in Bean Town.

You won the Latte Art World Championship Open your first time competing. Did you expect that would happen? What’s it like pouring latte art in those kinds of conditions?

I didn’t expect to show up and win CoffeeFest. I was hoping to not lose in the first round, but then that turned into …

CoffeeFest NYC 2013 – Recap

March 15, 2013 By Michael 1 Comment

CoffeeFest NYC 2013 has come and gone but baristas and coffee professionals across the world are still in withdrawals from the mass amounts of caffeine consumed March eighth through the tenth at the Javits Center in Manhattan. As always, a lot of the activity focused on the competitions and their was no shortage of entertainment for fans of competitive coffee preparation.

America’s Best Coffee House

Peregrine Espresso won the America’s Best Coffee House competition. When I saw their name on the competitors list, I knew if they could recreate their cafe experience they would be hard to beat. …