Barista Stories: Zjevaun Lemar Janga of Ripsnorter & Harvest Cafe and Bakery, Rotterdam

Meet Zjevaun Lemar Janga, an experienced coffee professional who is originally from Aruba. Zjevaun is the owner of the expanding Harvest Cafe and Bakery in Rotterdam and the new trendy coffee roastery Ripsnorter.

Zjevan came back this year after 11 years to the World Barista Championship in Busan and was one of the 2 European champions in the finals! He was also the first ever (but for sure not the only one!) Champion to use the new PUQ Navigator that is yet to be released and is a game changer when it comes to quality distribution while preparing an espresso,

With his amazing ground-up work, dedication and natural talent, Zjevaun definitely deserved the WBC stage and we hope to see him there many more times!

Zjevaun, what is your first memory with coffee? 

My first memory with coffee was at a restaurant I worked at. Francois the owner was crazy about coffee and keen on serving high-quality beverages in his restaurant. My first coffee ever was an El Salvadorian natural espresso – I still remember it so well!

​​​​​​​What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?

I worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant where they served high-quality coffees. That’s where it all started for me. My chef back then together with Sander Schat (a previous Dutch Barista Champion) was preparing for the finals and I accidentally joined their session that day. It was the moment that inspired me to pursue a career in the coffee industry.

Tell us a bit about the place you have. What is your role there?

6 years ago we started Harvest, a cool little cafe which we expanded into a cafe and bakery a year ago. We aim for high-quality coffee food and service. In the meantime, we also opened a roastery – Ripsnorter – where we supply our own cafe but also others from all around the world. We always aim for sweet but vibrant, balanced coffees. Also, we try to spark a connection between our drinkers and the farmers with cool little comics.

What kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they visit you at the cafe?

The most important feeling our customers should have is that they feel welcome and comfortable, after that, we try to give them a memorable experience.

What is your favourite part of the day in your cafe, and why?

The first hour before opening. You can really get into the dialling in of your coffee and try to make the best cup you can possibly make.

What do you think is the most important quality for a barista to have, and why?

100% customer service!!! All baristas have OCD. That’s a fact. But there is no point in having a barista who makes the best cup, is super neat but can’t communicate with customers. At our end of the industry, it is important that we as baristas connect our customers with all the souls that made their cups possible.

What kind of community do you hope to build around your cafe, and how do you plan to foster that sense of community?

We always try to attract a bunch of people that love quality. We try to do that by sharing everything we know and taste together with them.

What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?

That we are a bunch of hipsters. The way we try to address that is by showing them that good coffee isn’t that difficult to understand and that it really is for everyone to enjoy.

What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?

We always try to stay away from trends but I guess one trend we try to push and would love to see more is serving competition-style coffees in cafes.

You have some amazing achievements in the championships. Can you tell us more about them?

It’s cool to have some achievements in championships, everyone has their thing that they go for and ultimately achieve their goals I guess. Mine was a competition and I went for that. It all started back in 2010 when I was on the team of Sander Schat (the Dutch Barista Champion at that moment). I knew nothing and was brought onboard to polish cups. But I did not touch a single cup haha, I was too busy checking out the show and all the competitors. That day I decided that the Barista Championships was my place to challenge and grow myself and I have no regrets today.

How did it feel to compete on the World Stage?

Competing on the World Stage was absolutely madness. From the moment I stepped into the plane the rollercoaster began and I needed to be ready for what was about to come. On my first appearance back in 2013 I was not ready for all of that. This time I used that experience and tried to push myself a bit more. It really is a feeling that I wish every barista could feel.

You presented some innovative concepts and used some new tools during your presentations in Busan. Can you tell us about them?

Yes, the Navigator from PUQ is a game-changer in puck prep. Not only is it automatic but the way the needles move is unique, not one single needle uses the same path within a cycle, but most importantly for me the movement of needles and speed of the cycles are exactly the same which makes it super consistent.

What is in your opinion the most important thing to have in mind when you start to compete in coffee championships?

That whatever it is you’re doing needs to be on hold for a while haha. Coffee competitions are hard and there are a lot of good baristas out there so you need to work hard but most importantly be unique and be truly yourself.

What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?

I’m always keen on doing collaborations, It’s when we grow together as an industry. We’ve got a couple of projects coming up but one of my favourites is where I and the Dutch Aeropress Champion will collaborate on a little pop-up in Rotterdam. We did not know each other before he became champion but apparently, we are family from each other. He carries the same surname as me and we are now trying to find out what we are exactly from each other.

Quick Fire Questions for Zjevaun Lemar Janga:

Would you serve filter coffee with milk if asked for it?

Batch brew, yes. Pour overs, no thank you.

Do you ever take sugar with your coffee?

No.

Espresso or Filter coffee?

Espresso.

Milky or Black?

Milky in the mornings.

Do you aim for Sweetness, Acidity, or Body?

Sweetness.

Cake or Pastry with your coffee?

Pastry.

Sit in or take away?

Sit in.

Favourite piece of barista equipment?

PUQ Navigator

The post Barista Stories: Zjevaun Lemar Janga of Ripsnorter & Harvest Cafe and Bakery, Rotterdam appeared first on European Coffee Trip.