After hosting what he believes to be Dundee’s first latte art competition, EH9 Espresso owner Fraser Smith says the city’s speciality coffee scene is rising.
Competing baristas and coffee enthusiasts gathered in the Perth Road coffee shop last night (Thursday February 16) for a Valentine’s Day themed “latte heart throw down”.
A total of 15 baristas competed head-to-head, using oat milk to create beautiful pictures on shots of espresso.
Free spectator tickets for the event were snapped up within hours and around 25 people came along to support the coffee competitors.
“To sell out overnight was crazy,” said host Fraser Smith.
“These are just fun events, it doesn’t matter who pours better latte art. It’s a chance for people who share a common interest to come together and have a party.”
Latte art in Dundee proving popular
As well as Dundee baristas from EH9, Daily Grind and Dundee Cycle Hub, competitors made their way from St Andrews cafes Spoiled Life and Black Sheep Coffee and Glasgow.
The competitors’ names were picked out of a bowl to decide who went up against one other. Three judges decided which art was the best, and the winning barista proceeded to the next round.
Sticking with the Valentine theme, the first challenge was to make hearts. Chris Heather from Brewery Lane Coffee in Dundee, Matt Cowie from Cairngorm Coffee and Devin Blackie from Minor Figures picked their favourites.
The next round saw the baristas pouring rosettas, before latte swans determined who made the finals.
Judging from the crowd’s cheers for their favourites, it’s clear the passion for coffee is present in Dundee.
Fraser said: “As a business, we set out to spark a bit of a speciality coffee culture in Dundee. There were definitely signs that it was teetering away in the background.
“Doing events like this, in a space where people can relax and engage in the coffee culture is so important.
“I can see more coffee shops coming in, roasteries starting to pop up, people are using coffee shops for work, leisure, and to meet people.
“We’re seeing real signs of Dundee coffee culture being strong, and it’s only going to grow from here.”
The former Madras College pupil opened the coffee shop in June 2021.
Coffee on the rise in Dundee
While the latte art throw down was a bit of light hearted fun for most, some were in it to win it.
Hundreds of pounds worth of prizes from event sponsors Minor Figures, Cairngorm Coffee, Panther M*lk and Made by Knock was up for grabs, as well as jewellery from Blairgowrie-based Coffee Bean Culture.
The free pour final saw the baristas choosing their strongest art. In the end, an impressive latte seahorse came out on top.
Dundee’s Brodie Taylor took third place, Kris Sandlan from Glasgow was second and Adam Innes from Glasgow won.
After setting out to boost the city’s coffee scene, spectators praised the EH9 owner’s efforts on the night. One even claimed there would be no Dundee speciality coffee culture without the Perth Road shop.
Fraser describes the competition as a success, giving proof to the emerging scene in the city.
“I’m really chuffed, because these spaces are so important to communities,” he said.
“We’re trying to have a space where people can chat about coffee, relax, listen to music, and spend time together.
“I definitely hope to hold more competitions in the future. We’ll need to give some of the guys another run for their money.”
More pictures from the night…
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