Coco Veranda crowned once more

The third Barista Championship of Sri Lanka held recently at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), organized by the Graduates Association of the premier hospitality school in the country, Ceylon Hotel School, saw outstanding coffee making talent showcased and excellence awarded. With participants from establishments from several cities including Colombo, Negombo and Bentota, each contestant was expected to serve four sensory judges with an espresso, a cappuccino and a signature drink, tallying to a total of 12 beverages served in the 15 minutes allocated to them. They were judged based on technique, taste, presentation and creativity with emphasis on art, taste, foam and froth of milk.

Coco Veranda’s history at the Barista Championship of Sri Lanka is an acclaimed one, where Isuru Dilisa and Arafath Mackeen won the 2014 and 2015 championship titles respectively. Meanwhile, Thuwan Suraj from Barista Lavazza was placed the 1st runner up, whilst Samudra Nilanjani, the second female to be rewarded on this platform since its inception, was selected as the second runner up, bringing home yet another award to Coco Veranda on the same day. Samudra proves to be an absolute testament to the talent and capabilities of female baristas in Sri Lanka.

Arafath Mackeen, Acting Operations Manager - Coco Veranda, and the winner of the 2015 championship said, “We are extremely pleased to have been acknowledged for the talent and flair of our amazing team members. We are very proud of Pradeep and Samudra, who performed with much grace and skill. Sri Lanka has come far in the café scene in a very short time where Coco Veranda takes pride in having been a pioneer in the industry.”