Episode 44 - Norwegian Cup Taster Champion: A Conversation with Damian Bialek

In this episode, I sit down with Damian from our team, who became the Norwegian Cup Tasters Champion in March this year. Damian works both as a barista in our espresso bar and as a roaster in our roastery, and he has been part of the team since 2023. We talk about his journey into coffee, how he ended up working with us, and what it is like to work in Norway compared to his previous jobs. We also discuss how he brews coffee at home, what motivates him to keep learning, and how he approaches tasting and quality control in his daily work. As part of his prize for winning the national championship, Damian travelled to Honduras to take part as a judge in the Cup of Excellence – a competition for high-quality coffees. He shares his impressions from visiting coffee farms for the first time, what he learned from producers like Jobneel, and how seeing the production side of coffee has shaped his perspective. This week, Damian will represent Norway in the World Cup Tasters Championship in Geneva. We talk about his goals for the competition, how he has been preparing, and what he has learned about himself through the process. Music by my uncle, Jens Wendelboe.