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Palace Coffee Shares What it Takes to be America’s Best Coffeehouse

August 2, 2015 By Michael Leave a Comment

palace_coffee

Recent controversy around the cancelations of regional barista competitions by the SCAA has led to lively online discussion concerning the future of coffee competitions. Many voices are calling for a competition that features teamwork, audience interaction, and realtime judging. In many ways, coffee professionals want a competition more like America’s Best Coffeehouse, a competition put on by one of our sponsors, CoffeeFest. In addition to having one of the largest prize packages in competitive coffee sports, we think this competition has the highest correlation to a barista’s actual job: serving real people coffee in a café setting. We recently had the opportunity to interview Patrick Burns, owner and founder of a previous winner of the competition, Palace Coffee in Amarillo and Canyon, Texas. 

Whether it’s USBC or latte art, you and your staff are seasoned competitors. What inspired you to compete in the ABC competition? What’s unique about this competition?
ABC offers something that you don’t get in most barista competitions, teamwork. As a barista you rely on your fellow coffee professionals to create an environment for your customers and to make it a memorable experience. We wanted to put our style of service and coffee against other great shops to see how we stack up.
There are many unique aspects to ABC. The most noticeable is being behind an active bar. This makes it as realistic as a competition can be. You are getting to serve true coffee people and are wanting to win them over with your quality, ability, and hospitality. It’s great because you can be true to who you are as a shop compared to just trying to rack up points on a judges score sheet. There is that aspect as well but it is more true to what will help you improve as a shop.

What did you learn? Did it change anything at Palace Coffee or confirm what you were already doing?
Personally I learned that it is better to trust your team and step aside sometimes.
The feedback we got from the judges is great. We did change up some and put in better practices when it comes to efficiency and closing down.

Photo from http://www.coffeelovershq.com/

Photo by http://www.coffeeloversmag.com

ABC is unique with its three-person team format. What was the experience like for your team?
The team format is great. We work most barshifts with a team mindset and not just a position concept. We were able to help each other with our areas while we were taking care of the customers coming through the line. Our crew loved it.

What was the biggest challenge? Why do you think your team was able to win?
Understanding the scoresheets and focusing on the what would be most beneficial was a challenge. Also the set up and tear down is unbelievably stressful.
 
At Palace we want coffee to be approachable, light, and fun. We took that concept in with us to ABC and together that with some killer coffee we where able to pull it off.

Whether it’s the material cost or the long hours of preparation, competing can be a big sacrifice. Was it worth it?

Going to competitions is one of the most important expenses we invest in as a company. It helps you become a better barista, team, and all around coffee professional. The camaraderie with your team and honestly the other shops and judges is what makes it well worth it.

What advice do you have for other teams considering doing this competition?

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Filed Under: Interviews, Stories Tagged With: America's Best Coffeehouse Competition, CoffeeFest, Palace Coffee, Patrick Burns, Texas

Don’t Mess With Catalina Coffee in Houston, TX

June 5, 2014 By Michael Leave a Comment

Catalina Coffee

If there’s one thing we know about Texans, it’s that they’re mighty proud of their state. And with coffee shops like Catalina Coffee in Houston, who wouldn’t be? We’ve been following Houston’s coffee scene for a couple of years now, and in our humble opinion 2014 is the year that Houston blows up.

Catalina Coffee was founded seven years ago by Max Gonzalez, the same entrepreneur behind Amaya Roasting Co., who provides the lion’s share of Catalina’s menu. Catalina is located in Houston’s historic Sixth Ward, which boasts some of the city’s oldest architecture. Craft coffee’s symbiotic relationship with gentrification has deservedly come under the microscope recently, but Catalina is the kind of shop we believe any community would be happy to have. …

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Filed Under: Coffee Shop Reviews Tagged With: Catalina Coffee, Houston, Texas

My Three Days at Blacksmith in Houston, TX

February 3, 2014 By Michael Leave a Comment

photo (72)

Forged in the Fires of Montrose

Arcade Fire front man William Butler wrote an entire album about how much he hated growing up in Houston, Texas. But if he ever stops trying to get away from the sprawl, Butler may be surprised to find a culinary renaissance is happening in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood, and at its heart is Blacksmith, a cutting edge cafe helmed by David Buehrer. I spent three days at Blacksmith training for the Big Eastern Barista Competition, and I left impressed with what’s happening in the Lone Star State’s largest city. …

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Filed Under: Coffee Shop Reviews Tagged With: Blacksmith, David Buehrer, Greenway, Houston, John Letoto, Quills Coffee, Texas

Greenway Coffee: Hospitality, Relationship, Craftsmanship

October 15, 2012 By Darren 5 Comments

Greenway coffee being brewed on a Kalita

I mentioned in my last post that I attended a pipeline conference in Houston, TX, where I sought the latest news on crude oil pipeline and rail expansions from giant oil magnates for my job. Around one hundred analysts, reporters, traders, businessmen etc. gathered in the city where most every company with an oil trading desk has an office. Five Greenway Plaza Houston, TX, has been seared in my mind through reading company filings, permits, environmental studies, and various literature since I began research in the oil industry a little over a year ago. The high security, sterile environ that houses offices for such giants as Oxy, Exxon, and Shell is also home to the storefront for a growing name in the coffee industry: Greenway Coffee Company. …

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Filed Under: Coffee Shop Reviews Tagged With: Blacksmith, Dave Buehrer, Greenway Coffee, Houston, Paulie's, Revival market, Texas

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