The espresso competitors opened this 12 months’s season in Prague with a reimagined format, and Germany’s Izolda Zogranian and Max Hook walked away as champions. 

BY VASILEIA FANARIOTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT

Photographs courtesy of The Barista League

What to know:

• Espresso competitors The Barista League kicked off its 2026 season in Prague, Czech Republic, introducing a brand new format the place service and idea accounted for 62% of opponents’ whole ratings
• Germany’s Izolda Zogranian and Max Hook took house the win, with a efficiency centered round making specialty espresso extra approachable

The Barista League (TBL) returned to Prague this spring for the primary European cease of its 2026 season—and it returned with greater than only a acquainted backdrop. A 12 months after the Czech capital hosted one in all their most memorable occasions, the TBL crew arrived again with a basically redesigned competitors format, one which has been in improvement since 2025 and is now being rolled out throughout a world season spanning six continents. 

Groups representing Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Latvia, Ukraine, and the U.Okay. took the stage over the course of the occasion, competing in entrance of a dwell viewers and a world on-line viewership. When the scores had been tallied, it was Izolda Zogranian and Max Hook of Germany who took house the win—a duo with greater than 4 years of working historical past and an idea centered on making specialty espresso genuinely approachable for individuals who have at all times felt on the surface of it. 

We sat down with Izolda and Max to speak by means of their preparation, their strategy on stage, and what they hope to do with the win. 

Barista Journal: Congrats in your win! How did you put together for The Barista League competitors? Did you may have a technique stepping into? 

Izolda & Max: Thanks a lot! Whereas we had been capable of dedicate a few hours to cuppings of the offered coffees, in addition to doing our style testing for our cocktail and thriller ingredient drink, most of our technique consisted of us having the ability to depend on one another.  

Sadly, Izolda moved out of the town proper in the course of preparation for The Barista League, so after setting out the bottom concepts and having settled on our imaginative and prescient for the drinks, we needed to do the high-quality tuning of our recipes individually with mutual belief. Which is why we predict our strategy is greatest described by our values—neighborhood. Discovering an individual who you possibly can depend on and have full confidence in might be crucial factor in these circumstances. 

How did you purpose to face out from the opposite groups, whether or not in strategy, fashion, or power? 

We all know that we work nicely beneath stress collectively and find out how to be skilled with out shedding the enjoyable and the connection to our prospects. This synergy was what we needed to current to the judges. Considered one of our concepts on find out how to stand out was to not fall too deep into inflexible competitors speak and sound too rehearsed.  

Having a tough sketch of what to speak about allow us to deal with our reference to the judges within the second and allowed us to circle again on matters that had been introduced up firstly of our service with out it sounding all too staged—even with us standing up on the stage. So, the objective was to make the whole lot as near a real-life expertise as attainable. And, in fact, to belief in one another that if one in all us fell brief of their a part of the presentation the opposite would be capable to decide up and proceed the dialog and painting our idea with none uncomfortable power. 

What makes The Barista League completely different from different competitions—and what did you like most about it? 

The neighborhood. The best way most groups had been rooting for one another—even between the rehearsals and the completely different coaching classes, groups had been simply bonding, letting one another attempt their drinks, being excited to share their visions, inspirations, and concepts.  

The best way the TBL crew made us really feel welcome, and never simply as a cog within the wheel of the competitors. How accessible the entire thing is—no sourcing your personal espresso and components. Typically it felt like simply exhibiting up and being fueled by ardour is sufficient. That we had entry to the rating sheets beforehand additionally helped us perceive what to organize for and what the judges could be protecting a watch out for. 

How did the crew dynamic work between the 2 of you? Any humorous or memorable moments from backstage? 

Since we’ve got been working collectively for over 4 years and being extra than simply work besties, there was only a serene sense of belief and understanding between the 2 of us. But additionally, to attempt to break the strain of collaborating on stage we tried to joke round and have enjoyable, as we at all times do. The second that stands out most—most likely sharing cocktails with the opposite groups backstage. Possibly a bit too many cocktails. 

One distinctive facet of The Barista League is the dwell interplay with judges. How was that have for you, particularly having the ability to reply and interact in actual time? 

We cherished the concept of the judges truly being prospects in our imaginary café. And with this in thoughts, we tried to deal with them simply as such. In a café setting it could really feel unnatural to maintain a monologue up and working for ten minutes with the client protecting quiet.  

Our idea was all about individuals being new to espresso, and cafés generally overcomplicating issues—that leading to individuals feeling overwhelmed and omitted. By giving the judges the selection between one thing approachable and one thing extra superior we needed to strike up a dialog on that matter. This led to us asking them a few memorable second of their first time experiencing specialty espresso and the way accessible that scenario was for them as a buyer. And dialogue is at all times a enjoyable expertise! 

Who or what evokes you most within the espresso business proper now? 

Folks going past the boundaries is one thing that evokes us at all times—pushing for extra and pondering exterior the field, whether or not it’s discovering new methods to strategy espresso or talking up for what is true throughout the business.  

We had the pleasure of being part of Brew Revolution’s journey a few months in the past, the place we brewed some espresso collectively and had some good chats. One necessary matter they raised was psychological well being throughout the espresso business, and the whole lot that comes with it. That was a subject that got here to thoughts many instances because it had been introduced up. 

Trying past the competitors itself, how had been the months of preparation, and what was your general expertise working with the TBL crew and everybody concerned? 

Truthfully, there may be not a lot to say other than nice. The help from the TBL crew was unbelievable each step of the way in which. Shoutout to the crew that made it attainable and retains doing this for passionate individuals everywhere in the world. 

Now that you just’ve taken house the win, what’s subsequent for you? Any massive objectives, initiatives, or espresso desires on the horizon? 

As talked about in our competitors idea—making espresso accessible and making it simple to strategy for all. We additionally need to proceed making the espresso neighborhood really feel an increasing number of like a giant household around the globe, the place you possibly can at all times strategy your native barista for pleasant recommendation or bond over your espresso experiences. Quite a lot of espresso individuals are already linked, however generally it’s necessary to keep in mind that this may be as simple as sharing a love for a similar factor. 

In case you needed to describe your Barista League expertise in three phrases, what would they be? 

Enjoyable. Associates. Healthful.

The Prague 2026 profitable efficiency is on the market to observe now on The Barista League’s YouTube channel. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior on-line correspondent for Barista Journal and a contract copywriter and editor with a main deal with the espresso area of interest. She has additionally been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, offering content material to assist educate individuals about baristas and their work.

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