Bar×Bar×Bar WATARASE: WCIGSC Strategy from a Bartender's Perspective.- Part 2

This month, Masanori Fujikura, who competed in the World Coffee In Good Spirits Championship (WCIGSC) to determine the world's best coffee cocktail, appears on the show.Together with Mr. Fujikura, we looked back on the competition and considered strategies.

writer：Ryoko Kuraishi

The second day of the preliminary round.Fujikura-san performing on stage and judges conducting tasting.

After two days of qualifying, Mr. Fujikura's ranking was a disappointing 9th place.

He was only 4 points behind the 6th-place finisher, who would advance to the finals.

The competition was fierce, with the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th places all within a four-point margin of victory.

Although they were only four points short of qualifying, they were regrettably eliminated from the competition, but they analyzed the reasons for their defeat with the calm reflection typical of bartenders.

The most highly rated part of the presentation this time was the 'technical' part, which was related to coffee extraction techniques, the use of spirits and auxiliary ingredients, operation, and cleanliness," he said.

On the other hand, the presentation did not make a good impression on performance.

That was the reason why my score did not go up.

I was unlucky to be first in the performance order, and perhaps I didn't have enough time to prepare, and I didn't have the presence of mind to do so.I was not satisfied with how my presentation turned out."

Results released.The scores show the fierce competition in the qualifying rounds.

Taste & Performance required for scoring high at the World Championships

I got the impression that the taste requirements for the Japan competition were different from those for the world competition.

From past experience, we knew that in the Japan competition, people prefer a strong coffee taste and an authentic, easy-to-understand flavor, so we created a recipe that met those criteria.

On the other hand, I thought that the world competition standards might appreciate original and complex flavors.

When I tasted the runner-up cocktail from Switzerland, it was a delicious and coherent cocktail, but I felt that it might not be evaluated as well in the Japan Competition.

The difference in judging standards between the World and Japan Competitions is something that cannot be understood until one actually experiences it, but I would like those who are interested in participating next year to keep in mind that there may be some differences in standards.

At coffee competitions, judges stand close together.They check every single thing you do.Even the slightest spill can result in a deduction of points for 'professional performance.

Regarding the performance, the competition time is short (10 minutes) and the points deducted for exceeding the time limit are significant, so the contestants must perform without a single second of disruption.

In the Japanese competition, the focus is often on taste and flavor, and I felt that less importance is placed on the creation of the concept, but in the world competition, conceptual elements will be necessary to some extent.

I also felt that the performances that tend to score well in coffee competitions and cocktail competitions are different.

The dynamic and passionate presentations seen in cocktail competitions were rarely seen, and all the competitors gave their presentations in a calm, unobtrusive tone.

I also felt that because of the tight competition time, it was difficult to create enough "pause" in the presentations.

This year's finalists.The winner was Seung Chan Wi from Korea, followed by Indonesia in 4th, Taiwan in 5th, and Hong Kong in 6th.

Differences between cocktail competitions and coffee-cocktail competitions?

After participating in the WCIGSC, Mr. Fujikura felt that a manufacturer-sponsored cocktail competition and the WCIGSC are completely different.

At manufacturer-sponsored competitions, you often receive extensive support from the manufacturer's representatives.

The manufacturer can provide detailed information on what materials and equipment can be brought to the site, what equipment is available locally, and what ingredients can be procured locally, and the manufacturer can plan carefully based on this information.

"I had to prepare for this event by communicating directly with the local management in English.

I had to make arrangements for hotels and airline tickets, access to the venue, what time to enter the venue and what to do on the day of the event, whether there was a power supply in the backyard, and what kind of equipment I could use.

What kind of water will be used at the venue, what kind of foodstuffs can be brought in, how to procure what you can't bring in locally, and how to prepare for lost baggage.

With only three months to prepare for the event, we had to be busy preparing in advance, and it was very difficult to find time to practice.

All of the participants from other countries had hired coaches from past finalists, in addition to having interpreters familiar with the coffee industry and setting up a team structure with separate roaster, presentation, and liaison personnel.In addition, they also hired past finalists as coaches.

When you pay a fee to have a coach, you get useful information, and in fact, their advice seems to be reflected in your score."

この大会を最後に、JCIGSCそしてWCIGSCから卒業することを決めている。こちらはJCIGSC2024の様子。photo：一般社団法人 日本スペシャルティコーヒー協会

"I got in without a coach because I thought it would be fun and lead to personal growth to think by myself and reach the goal I was aiming for on my own, but I may have been the only individual who participated.

I think it is important to think for yourself, so I do not recommend taking coaching easily, but it is better to understand that information is not given away for free."

Fujikura has decided to graduate from the challenge of the JCIGSC, taking this advancement to the world championships as a decision.He has decided to leave the JCIGSC after this world competition.

He plans to discover and support promising young bartenders who have the potential to win the WCIGSC.

"I want to find promising young bartenders in their 20s and help them take on the world.

We would like to find promising young people in their twenties and help them take on the world.

The regulations for the barista competition are quite detailed, so please read them carefully.

It is not uncommon for first-time entrants to get regulation violations.

I mentioned that the judging standards and performance required are different between cocktail competitions and barista competitions, but the first step is to experience it.

After the competition is over, you will look at your score sheet and consider what was good and what was not.

The score sheets are also much more detailed than those of cocktail competitions.I believe that the WCIGSC is the destination where one can compete, experience, and calmly reflect on one's own performance."