“I didn’t chase after ‘perfection’ and that’s how I got here.”
Frank La, 36, made history as the first Korean-American to win the barista championship at the 2024 U.S. Coffee Championships.
La, who has been operating Be Bright Coffee for a year and a half, triumphed over talented baristas from across the country to secure the championship on March 17.
In the competition, La presented his coffee to the judges under the theme of ‘Kodawari’.
Kodawari is a Japanese term signifying ‘persistence’ or ‘obsession,’ often used to denote unwavering craftsmanship.
“As I was making coffee, I realized that there is no such thing as a perfect coffee, just an elusive perfection that I chase to the best of my ability,” said La.
This year’s competition was particularly challenging, with formidable opponents including the World Barista Championship runner-up and winners and finalists from previous competitions.
With only 15 minutes to serve an espresso, cappuccino, and a signature drink, La focused on the details.
While most competitors chose to cool the hot espresso by pouring it over a frozen stainless steel ball, La opted for a traditional method, stirring the espresso himself to cool it and enhance the crema. Additionally, he provided a hot towel before serving the signature drink, adding a touch of old-school charm.
Above all, delivering the correct “flavor note” was crucial, according to La.
Flavor notes, or tasting notes, are brief descriptions of the coffee’s taste profile, ranging from floral and chocolatey to caramel and more, with over 1,000 different flavors.
“Even the slightest change in the proportion of ingredients will alter the flavor note, so I kept revising the flavor notes until the morning of the day before we went into production to provide accurate flavor notes,” he explained.
La’s passion for coffee ignited in his early 20s. After graduating from UC Riverside in 2010 with a business degree, he struggled to find employment during the economic downturn and took a part-time job at a local coffee shop to make ends meet.
“I remembered dreaming of becoming a chef in middle school, and even then, I enjoyed sharing my food with people. Making coffee appealed to me in that sense,” La said.
Since 2013, La has been employed at COPA VIDA, a popular coffee shop in Southern California, where he also managed the Pasadena location.
Currently, he and his wife operate Be Bright Coffee since 2022.
His wife, Michelle La, a former actress known for her role as Margot Kim in the movie ‘Searching,’ starring Korean-American actor John Cho, played a significant role in his coffee journey.
“Back in 2013, my wife visited the store as a customer and had a macchiato I made for her. She wrote on Twitter that it didn’t taste good. It stung my pride, so I said, ‘Please come back, and I’ll serve you another one,’ and that’s how we met,” La said. “Now she says my coffee is the best.”
La believes that excellent coffee can be made at home too, and he offers a few tips.
“I recommend using whole beans instead of ground beans, and a burr grinder for a consistent grind rather than a blade grinder,” La advised. “Also, I suggest using roasted beans that are about a week old, so they are not too fresh and not too old.”
BY SUAH JANG, HOONSIK WOO [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]
