BaxterStorey’s Jana Slamova has been recognised as the highest scoring female competitor in the finals of the 2017 UK Barista Championships. Held in Bristol this weekend, the competition saw six finalists battle it out, with BaxterStorey representing as the only foodservice provider.
Slamova, who has made it to the finals for the last three consecutive years, stormed ahead of her fellow female contestants and was placed as the top female barista in the competition, securing fourth place overall.
The BaxterStorey national barista trainer showcased her creative and technical skills with a signature espresso drink of Tonka-infused beans with panela, creating flavours of warm spices, toffee and caramelised banana. Slamova's eye for detail impressed the judges as she perfected the intense flavours whilst considering room temperature, machine conditions and her unique ingredients to create her unique signature drink.
This year’s competition has seen BaxterStorey maintain their lead within the foodservice industry, with a total of five semi-finalists – the most individuals from any single company to progress this far in the history of the competition.
Tim Sturk, head of coffee training and development at BaxterStorey said, “This is an outstanding achievement for Jana and BaxterStorey, demonstrating why our training and mentoring programmes are so revered.
“To have five baristas through to the semi-finals is not only unprecedented in the history of the championships but totally unheard of within our industry. Eight of the top 16 semi-finalists came from independent roasteries so for our baristas to have come this far is a real reflection on how hard they’ve worked throughout their training. We’re really proud to see them recognised.”
Slamova has worked as a barista at BaxterStorey for five years and quickly developed her skills thanks to the Barista Academy training programme, which teaches employees key skills to help them develop a greater understanding of one of Britain’s favourite drink.