You may not think there’s a lot of finesse and effort that goes into your everyday take-away coffee, but for some, it’s an art form.

In an industry that struggles to keep permanent staff and a job that many don’t consider a career, the World Barista Championships is a chance for those things to change.

This year, the Championship and the World Brewers Cup, both held in Melbourne, see over 55 countries bring their best brews and their best baristas to duke it out for the coveted ‘worlds best coffee’ title.

The Greek team arrives tomorrow to set up shop, and since they’ve already won the national title, their hopes will be high.

Representing Tailor Made, a trendy café/bar in Monastiraki in central Athens, the team certainly fits the bill for one of the coolest entrants.

Yet, for a country that is deep in crisis, you might think many would have turned their backs on artisan coffee.

Think again. Greeks certainly know good coffee, and Tailor Made gives Greeks a small taste of luxury at an affordable price.

Co-owner Tasos Delichristos (33) says the crisis hasn’t altered their philosophy.
“It’s what we say: ‘you get what you pay for!'” he tells Neos Kosmos.

“We tried from the beginning to have as high a quality as possible and to offer great prices to the average consumer so that everyone has the opportunity to experience and understand the difference between commercial coffees in other cafés compared to specialty coffee we serve daily at Tailor Made.”

It’s a rare commitment to quality that many Greeks have abandoned in hard times.
Tailor Made came about five years ago as joint love – you could say obsession – for coffee between Delichristos and his co-owner Kalomira Gerantonaki. Located in an area that housed mostly tailors and fabric shops, the team went along with that theme and named the café Tailor Made to offer the same kind of customised service.

The young group has racked up countless awards for the best coffee and best barista in Greece and secured the World Coffee in Good Spirits award in 2008.
Delichristos is the self-appointed “director of education and quality” which means mediocrity doesn’t cut it in the coffee, and in the barista. A teacher in the Barista Academy of Greece, thousands have gone through Delichristos’ hands, but its his team at Tailor Made that get specialised one-on-one training.

Under his wing is this year’s Greek Barista Championship winner, Thanasi Nikolis. The 28-year-old couldn’t keep away from coffee despite his studies in the tourism industry.

“Although I had worked as a student in my town in that industry…I realised that the culture of coffee was what suited me and what fulfilled me,” he tells Neos Kosmos.
“The smell of freshly brewed coffee and my contact with green coffee, the ultimate flavour and aftertaste left me no choice. I immediately knew that this is the profession for me and I’m happy about my choice.”

Thanasi was surprisingly a convert early on. When most people acquire the taste of coffee, he was hooked the minute he asked his mum for a try.

Over the past years, the national competition hasn’t quenched his thirst for competitive coffee making.

In the World Championships, he will have to prepare four espressos, four cappuccinos and four original signature drinks all in 15 minutes. In 2012, the Greeks managed to come fifth in the World Barista Competition, and third in the World Brewers Cup.

Tailor Made is also in the running for the Brewers Cup, with barista Alexandros Foukis taking on the task.

Trained as an artist, the 26-year-old financed his art by working at various cafes, but soon became fascinated by the roots of good coffee. On a recent trip to Panama, Alex began to understand the importance and work that goes into your morning cup of coffee.

“I stayed for 15 days on a farm in Santa Clara,” he tells Neos Kosmos.

“There I had the opportunity to see the tropical place where coffee is grown and go to a cupping course (a method of tasting) in the woods.”

For a young expert, getting the right beans isn’t the only thing that makes a good coffee. There is still much that has to be attributed to a good barista.

“A good coffee comes from a series of things,” he says.

“There are many factors that play a role, starting from the farmer, the cultivation, the processing, the transportation, roasting and maintenance. Finally knowledge and good technique from the barista can make a good coffee and elevate the taste.”

Alex has participated in the Greek contest three times, having place second last year in the Brewers cup, third in the Latte Art competition and fourth in the barista competition in 2011.

This time, he will have to complete two coffee services – a compulsory service and an open service for the Cup. In the compulsory service they will have to use beans provided, while in the open service, they have the freedom to choose their own.

Tailor Made prides itself on stocking some of the most exotic and hard to find beans that it sells to the public. Beans imported from Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, all with their own specific tastes, line the shop and can be roasted fresh in-house.

But, for those who don’t find coffee that appealing, there’s an artisan range of teas to taste.

As a rule, the cafe doesn’t use gimmicks many have come to expect in the Starbuck-crazed world.

“As an example, we do not put syrup flavours anywhere, we don’t use whipped cream and if a customer asks for anything that might ruin the brew, we simply don’t do it even if it means losing that customer. We’re interested in customers that like our specialty,” says Delichristos.

For the competition, the team’s game plan is simple. Make good coffee and promote the country. For the male team, a bit of barista charm could be a useful tactic. Whereas many go into a world competition only thinking about ranking, this team is more about showing the skill and nuances of their beloved country.

“Sometimes it’s about the statement you want to give and then it’s about the result,” says Delichristos.

The World Barista Championship and the World Brewers Cup will be held during the Melbourne International Coffee Expo on May 24-26.

You can cheer on the Greek team as they battle it out on Friday May 24 at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

For more information, visit http://www.worldbaristachampionship.org and http://www.worldbrewerscup.org.