Espresso Italiano Champion
The only barista competition in the world completely focused on Italian Espresso and Italian Cappuccino
Espresso Italiano Champion
Espresso Italiano Champion is a competition for baristas who want to challenge themselves with the symbols of Italian coffee: espresso and cappuccino. Over the years, we have involved hundreds of professionals, both from countries with a long coffee tradition and from new markets.
Participants compete against each other, having 11 minutes to calibrate their equipment and serve four perfect espressos and four perfect cappuccinos.
Rules
Espresso Italiano Champion is the only barista competition completely focused on Italian Espresso and Italian Cappuccino. The competition is open to all and consists of a selection process, semi-finals, and finals at a national and international level.
The competition starts with a marketing performance, in which each competitor presents themselves and their competing blend that must be certified by Istituto Espresso Italiano (IEI). Followed by a technical test, in which competitors have 11 minutes to calibrate their equipment, a coffee machine and a coffee grinder, also certified by Istituto Espresso Italiano (IEI), and serve four espressos and four cappuccinos, prepared according to the rules set out in the Espresso Italiano certification.
The four espressos and four cappuccinos are tasted by sensory judges that operate blindly, according to the standards of IIAC – International Institute of Coffee Tasters.
The evaluations of the marketing judges, the technical judges, and the sensory judges will determine the winner of the Espresso Italiano Champion title.
2025 edition
Giulia Ruscelli, an Italian from Forlì, is the world’s best Italian Espresso barista, having won the final competition of the Espresso Italiano Champion, held on Sunday, October 19th at Host Milano, at La San Marco booth. The young professional won the final with a Mokador blend, in a fierce competition that pitted her against Akiko Uchida, winner of the Japanese selection, Yun Yong Seok, winner of the Korean selection, and John Benjie De Galicia, winner of the Essse Caffè internal selection. “IEI has represented Italian Espresso within the supply chain for over 25 years, and it’s very satisfying to see how training, scientific research, and the promotion of the culture of our beloved Italian Espresso are always at the forefront of our efforts. I’m particularly pleased that a very young professional won, as the role of women in the industry is increasingly crucial, throughout the entire supply chain,” said IEI President Alessandro Borea.
Giulia Ruscelli is a barista at Lovo Bar e Pasticceria in Forlì. A professional for 14 years, she’s only specialized in the latte art technique for the last four, turning it into a personal passion. In June, she earned the national record in Conegliano Veneto, reaching the Host finals. “I’m incredibly happy with my performance and my competition, and after the Italian fianals in June, I decided to believe in my abilities a little more,” said Espresso Italiano Champion, Giulia Ruscelli. “I want to thank everyone who has accompanied me on this journey, starting with my family, my colleagues, and especially, on the technical side, my coaches Daniele and Marco from Mokador, who have supported me throughout my technical growth.”
The international final celebrates a competition that for years has attracted hundreds of baristas eager to test their skills with the symbols of Italian coffee: espresso and cappuccino. The products submitted to the competition met the quality standards of the Istituto Espresso Italiano (IEI): for espresso, a cup of approximately 25 milliliters of coffee topped with a thick, finely textured hazelnut-colored crema, a syrupy drink with intense aromas and rich notes of flowers, fruit, chocolate, and toast. For cappuccino, a very fine, glossy crema, with a perfect balance of milk and coffee flavors.
For the 2025 edition of the Espresso Italiano Champion, Istituto Espresso Italiano has also offered a scholarship to the winner, which will be reinvested, along with the support of the IEI, in training activities over the coming months. This message is intended for all professionals, not just those established like the winner, and is based on the importance of continuing to study and discuss the subject matter and techniques of the art of making espresso and cappuccino.
From our channel
YouTube
In this playlist you will find all the international finals from 2014 to today and beyond. Every year there are dozens of baristas who compete in local selection competitions and national finals in different countries to get to the international one.