Project Description

US
Cole McBride
Independent

Please tell us a little bit about yourself:

I’ve been working in coffee for 15 years after leaving my hometown Nashville Tennessee for a cross-country road trip with a friend. We ended up in Seattle at the age of 18, and that is when/where I fell in love with coffee for the first time. I’ll be 34 in August, and I’ve spent the last 15 years of my life dedicated to my calling and my passion, coffee. This industry is so unique and complex, and I’m so very grateful to be a part of it. I’m always excited to learn and grow, and the world of coffee has so much to offer. I’ve been continuing my journey in coffee through competition as a way to challenge myself to be the best coffee professional and person that I can be. I want to use my platform to be an example of being my best while being kind and uplifting those around me and inspiring people all over the world.

What are you excited to do while you are in Amsterdam?:

Very excited to spend time walking around a new city in a part of the world I’ve never been, just taking it all in.

Please list the coffee competitions you have participated in, what year they took place, and your results:

USBC 2012 – NA
USBC 2013 – NA
NWRBC 2013 – 2nd Place
USBC 2014 – 4th Place
NWRBC 2014 – 2nd Place
USBC 2015 – 2nd Place
SWRBC 2015 – 3rd Place
USBC 2016 – 7th Place
Big Western 2016 – 1st Place
USBC 2017 – 9th Place
Qualifiers Knoxville 2017 – 2nd Place
USBC 2018 – 1st Place
Qualifers Reno 2018 – 3rd Place

Is there anyone you would like to thank or recognize, or who helped you to prepare for the WBC?:

Holly Bastin, Pete Licata, Velton Ross, Partick Oiye, Hiroko Ebizaki.

How do you see the coffee industry changing in the future?:

I believe that the role of the Barista will become even more important than it already is in the future. As coffee becomes more scarce and prices rise, telling the story of what’s in the cup will become an even bigger part of the picture than it already is.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?:

I plan on opening my own coffee shop. I would like to be a mentor to a new generation of Baristas and create a place where the craft of being a Barista can be a career.

What are your interests outside of coffee?:

Yoga, reading, spending time with my cat Juice and road trips

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