Welcome! We'll be updating this page with updates on Ben's time competing at the World Barista Championship in Athens, Greece, June 21st-24th. Freshest updates will always be at the top.
Thanks for following along! #goBengo2023
06/23/23 - Ben Finishes as a Semi-Finalist in the 2023 World Barista Championship
We are beyond proud of Ben. Although he didn’t make it through to the finals, we’re so proud of the impactful and deeply meaningful set that he and Jill put together. It’s truly an honour to have someone as humble, caring and generous as Ben represent both Monogram and Canada on the world stage. We hope if you had the privilege of seeing Ben’s set, that you were impacted by it. If you teared up a little like we did, we don’t blame you.
Ben’s set this year took the judges through a retrospective of the last 10+ years of his career in the coffee industry and the impactful contributions that he’s made during that time. Using coffees from Lamastus Family Estates, Ben consistently brought out the best in each of his coffees using techniques that he has honed over the last 10+ years. From his use of syringes and a water bath in his espresso course to his freeze distilled milk technique, Ben’s contributions have touched many in the coffee industry and have shifted it so that it will never be the same.
A big thank you to Jill (our 2021 Canadian Champion!) for her endless support over the course of the entire competition (and many many weeks and long days leading up to it). She’s been there in Athens to support Ben and cheer him on every step of the way. These two are an amazing team, and we’re so proud of them!
06/21/23 - Ben Advances to the Semi-Finals!
BEN MADE IT TO SEMI-FINALS! The World Coffee Championships have been posting live scores in some of the categories of the Barista Competitions, so we were pretty sure that Ben would be advancing to the semi-finals, but we're still super proud that it's confirmed and that Ben is advancing!
Semi-finals begin tomorrow in Athens, and Ben competes at 3:40am MST! So, set that alarm if you'd like to watch his set and cheer Ben on from afar! The live stream links will be available here once the semi-finals start! Just click watch!
06/21/23 - Ben Competes in the Preliminary Round
Today is the day that Ben finally competes in the preliminary round of the 2023 World Barista Championship. If you'd like to watch Ben's set, you can stream it via this link!
06/20/23 - Ben's 2022 WBC Set Commentary Video
Ben sits down with Jill, his coach, biggest fan and biggest critic, to comment on his 2022 World Barista Championship Set. Looking back, Ben and Jill explain a lot of the decisions that they made with Ben's 2022 WBC set and share a lot of hot tips for anyone who's new to competing or looking to refine their set! It's a fun and informative watch for competitors and coffee enthusiasts alike! 
06/16/23 - WBC Camo Tees
If you’ve been following Ben’s barista career, you know that camo often makes an appearance in his everyday life, as well as his competition attire. So, to support Ben for his last World Barista Championship appearance, we made a t-shirt that’s a subtle homage to his favourite print. Featuring bold block letters on the back and a small piece of camo on the front this shirt is probably our favourite yet! Show your support for Ben by grabbing your own T-shirt here.
06/12/23 - Ask Ben Anything
You asked, Ben answered! We managed to snag Ben and Jill during their World Barista Championship preparation for a quick Ask Me Anything. Jill asks Ben some competition-related questions, and some other hot topics that you had on your minds! We hope you enjoy this fun little interview and get to know Ben a little better! You can watch the YouTube video here.
06/06/23 - First Round Competition Time
We finally have timing for Ben's first round of the competition! Ben will be competing on June 21st at 7:28am MST (that's 4:28pm in Athens, Greece). We'll share the live link to watch when it's available!
06/05/23 - Practice, practice, practice
Ben has been practicing here at our roastery with his coach, Jill, close at hand. Ben has about a week of practice left in Calgary before he and Jill leave for Athens to continue preparing there!
How Does the World Barista Competition Work?
During a competition, each barista is required to complete three courses. Each course consists of four beverages over the course of fifteen minutes. Baristas have to prepare four espressos for the first course, four of their milk beverage for the second course and four of their signature beverage for the third course. The courses don't have to be presented in this order, but all courses must be served.
World Coffee Events Certified Judges from around the world evaluate each performance on the taste of beverages served, cleanliness, creativity, technical skill, and overall presentation. The ever-popular signature beverage allows baristas to stretch their imagination and the judges’ palates to incorporate a wealth of coffee knowledge into an expression of their individual tastes and experiences.
The top 15 highest-scoring competitors from the first round, plus wild-card winner from the Team Competition, advance to a semifinal round. The top 6 competitors in the semifinal round advance to the finals round, from which one winner is named World Barista Champion!
For the World Barista Championship, the competition focuses on promoting excellence in coffee, advancing the barista profession, and engaging a worldwide audience with an annual championship event that serves as the culmination of local and regional events around the globe.