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engineering for a better world Enjoy Quality GEA decanters and separators stand for maximum coffee and tea yield and high clarification efficiency. GEA Westfalia Separator Group GmbH Werner-Habig-Straße 1, 59302 Oelde, Germany Phone: +49 2522 77-0, Fax: +49 2522 77-2089 ws.info@gea.com, www.gea.com BE-04-003 Coffee Lab is a combination kitchen, coffee bar, dining patio, classroom, and roastery all in one. She acknowledges today that she didn't know the front from the back of an espresso machine. "I needed money to pay for col- lege when a friend invited me to help set up a café, coffee bar and video shop in the Brooklin Paulista neighborhood," she said. It was 2001 which illustrates the level of skills and coffee knowledge required of coffee professionals at that time. Her timing was fortuitous. The dozen producers who founded the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) in 1991 were concerned their fine coffees tended to be abused before they could reach the end consumer. They acknowledged responsibility and in 2002 along with Cafés do Brasil, APEX, and the Ministry of Agriculture, or- ganized a week-long barista training program in São Paulo with Norwegian instructor Kristoffen Sandven, a well-known trainer in Europe. The owner of the coffee bar sent Isabela, then 28. Her performance was impressive enough to be invited as one of 12 competitors to the first Brazil Barista Championship. She declined. After some persuasive arm-twisting, she showed up after all, and won with flying colors preparing a cappuccino and non-alcoholic Abapuru. She next found work at an Ipanema chain shop and in June 2002 she travelled to Oslo to represent Brazil in the World Barista Championship. She did not do well, finishing 15th. The rest of the barista world was way ahead. A lot to learn There was obviously a lot more to learn. A few months later Ra- poseiras returned to Norway where she visited micro roasters, meet with members of a far more sophisticated barista culture, and above all dived deeper into the numerous sensory experiences provided by coffees from all corners of the world. She expanded her skills from 2004-2008 by learning roasting, grinding and brewing processes from veterans that include Robert Thorensen, Anne Lunell, and Charles Nystrand. This quality time on her own left a lasting impression, opened doors, and stoked her desire to investigate what was behind them. Soon after she completed both levels in the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) barista certification program,