Mauro Swieczak, Austria
Independent
Tell us about yourself:
I'm Mauro, your coffee buddy since 2011 when I stumbled into the coffee world in Warsaw (Poland) - luckily it was already speciality cafe.
In 2014, I moved to Vienna, chasing my coffee dreams and getting cozy with espresso machines. By the end of 2018, I was knee-deep in roasting beans, discovering that I'm not too bad at it (if I do say so myself!).
Meanwhile in the big leagues: I competed in the Latte Art and Cup Tasting Championships in Austria. I couldn't believe it! I snagged third place in both in 2018! Who knew my coffee skills were so medal-worthy?
Next stop: The Netherlands in 2019. I traded my barista apron for some Dutch clogs (okay, not really), but I did become head barista, trainer, and resident coffee roaster. You name it, I brewed it!
And just when I thought things couldn't get any crazier, 2022 rolls around. I moved back to Vienna and I've co-organizined Latte Karatte. Yep, you heard it right - a coffee throwdown that's part latte art, part ninja battle. It was wilder than a double shot of espresso on Monday afternoon! From this place: Big shout out to Superski for co-organizing!
Grab your mug, buckle up, and join me on this coffee rollercoaster. It's gonna be a brew-tiful ride!
What are you excited to do while you visit Chicago?
I'd say the Chicago Bulls stadium and famous pizza places, but my partner wants me to mention the history museum, the science and industry museum, the Art Institute, and some parks. There are parks there, right?
What are your interests outside of coffee?
There's no "outside" of coffee, really. Even when I'm skiing or surfing, I always hold a mug in one hand and a brewer in the other, trying to pair good music with the coffee taste profile.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or recognize or who helped you to prepare for the WCTC?
Plenty! I wish I could list them all!
Many thanks go to the folks from SCA Austria. For years, they have stood out and put in tremendous effort into the most prestigious championship in the country.
Michael, Oli, Matthias, Stefan, Angelika - you are the machine!
Big thanks to all my coffee-friends and the competitors I have to challenge over years: Ali, Eline, Alister, Martin, Arni, Mike, Madalin, Nick, Xavi, Junior, Michael, Jakob, Valentin, Nina, Alina, Daniel, Adil, Ammar, Gianni, Max, Helmut, Marie, Tamara, just to name few.
From this place I'd love to congrat Bojan on his exciting new journey and who gave me a chance to be here! Boki, you are the man!
But foremost, I want to thank Iep and Nick for amazing support and coming all the way here with me!