Naoki Goto, a 38-year old coffee shop owner from Onojo City won the grand prize at the World Coffee Roasting Championship held in Nice, France June 26~28. On the first day of the championship, 11 contestants from 10 countries and regions including Taiwan, Spain and Russia evaluated coffee beans in order to select a bean to roast on the second day. On the third day, they made coffee from the beans they roasted, and the taste and aroma were appraised against the roasting plans submitted on day one. Goto, who stayed up all night working on his roasting plan, said his win is proof of “Japan’s technical prowess”. He added that he hopes to take his coffee roasting “to the next level”. Goto has been running his shop, Tokado Coffee, since resigning from his day job in June 2008. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun, July 10, Official HP: http://www.worldcoffeeroasting.org
Naoki Goto of Fukuoka, the first-ever World Coffee Roasting Champion. Image source.
