Crafting Culture in a Cup
Filipino barista John Joseph San Juan championed the country’s rich heritage on the regional stage through his culturally inspired tropical coffee creations, which garnered him a 4th-place finish at the recently concluded DaVinci Gourmet Barista Craft Championship 2025–2026 APAC
Words Rebelyn Beyong
Photos courtesy of DaVinci Gourmet
May 20, 2026
Coffee is no longer just a morning necessity; it is a dynamic canvas for storytelling and cultural expression.
This artistry was on full display at the DaVinci Gourmet Barista Craft Championship 2025–2026 Asia Pacific Regionals recently held in Singapore.
Embracing this year’s evocative theme, “Espresso Your Flavour,” the high-stakes event challenged the region's top baristas to pour their unique heritage, identity, and technique into their craft.
Unfolding at Food & Hospitality Asia (FHA), the regional stage brought together eight national winners from across Asia Pacific.
The competitors were rigorously evaluated by sensory and technical judges on criteria including flavour, presentation, and workflow, but the true highlight was their inventive use of local ingredients and cultural narratives.
Canvas for heritage and storytelling
Representing the Philippines, John Joseph “Jojo” Calma San Juan delivered a phenomenal performance underscoring Southeast Asia's creative diversity. Showcasing sheer tropical ingenuity, San Juan presented a nostalgic ube-based creation featuring clarified halo-halo and banana cream.
Barista John Joseph “Jojo” Calma San Juan
He followed this with a stunning milk-washed espresso drink beautifully layered with mango, peach, and passionfruit.
For San Juan—whose deep dedication to his craft previously earned him the title of Champion at the 2023 Coffee Expo Manila Brewing Competition and 2nd Runner-Up at the 2025 Ready! Press! Go! Aeropress Brewing Competition—approaching coffee is ultimately a profound way to tell stories and create moments of connection within his community.
Crowned the champion for APAC
After a full day of intense, high-pressure brewing, Hasting Ng from Hong Kong emerged victorious. He secured the championship title by impressing the judges with a non-alcoholic spiced mulled coffee alongside a highly inventive nasi lemak-inspired espresso drink layered with pandan, lychee, and rice syrup.
San Juan’s Drink Creations
“Winning this final has been a meaningful moment because it reflects the journey I’ve taken to find my own voice as a barista," Ng proudly shared.
"DaVinci Gourmet gave me the space and tools to explore that with confidence, and to create drinks that feel simple and true to my style. I’m proud to represent Hong Kong and Asia Pacific in Bangkok, and I look forward to showing that the most memorable beverages are the ones crafted on clarity, balance and a clear point of view”.
Ng was closely followed on the podium by Vietnam’s Tuan Hai Khu as first runner-up and Indonesia’s Michael Reinhard as second runner-up while the Philippines’ San Juan secured the 4th place.
Elevating the global beverage ecosystem
The competition vividly demonstrated how regional café menus are rapidly evolving through sensory sophistication and narrative depth.
Eloise Dubuisson, General Manager of Food Service Brands for Kerry Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, beautifully summarized the event's lasting impact.
San Juan Receiving the Award
“Asia Pacific continues to be a global epicentre of coffee and beverage innovation, and this year’s regional championships — alongside Latin America and MISA — demonstrate just how high the bar has been set,” Dubuisson emphasized.
“The baristas were challenged not only to showcase technique, but to express their identity through flavour — and every finalist delivered.”
With the regionals officially wrapped, champion Ng recently represented Asia Pacific at the Global Final in World of Coffee, Bangkok, Thailand, last May 9, 2026.
There, he competed for the world title against Yasmim Rodrigues Sarandy da Silva, the winner for Latin America, and Cetin Alpay Baskan, the winner for the Middle East, India Subcontinent, and Africa.
As the boundaries of beverage craftsmanship continue to expand, one thing is absolutely certain: the future of global coffee culture tastes exceptionally bright.
