Head barista Kar Weng Liew of Kohi Yatta made a name for himself and Malaysia when he emerged Champion in the 1st ASEAN Coffee Industry Development Brewers Cup Championship in Chiang Mai Thailand. The Japanese inspired Kohi Yatta café is one to look out for especially when Liew is known to make a wicked cuppa. We talked to the award-winning barista through a fun personality questions and answers session to get to know the man behind the cup better.
Without further ado here are some of the fun facts we are lucky to have dibs on about him. Of course, he also shared with us his techniques when it comes to his speciality and what he has learned from his first-ever international competition.
What is your most unusual talent?
I believe my unusual talent will probably be anti-caffeine. I can drink a lot of coffee without worrying about the after-effects of caffeine. This has played a part in my coffee making talent.
What is your spirit animal, and why?
My spirit animal would be a wolf. As the wolf is known for its hunger for freedom and living life powerfully, guided by instincts. This serves as a reminder to keep my spirit alive and trust my instincts when it comes to knowing what will best suit me.
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would be a bowl of chicken HorFun as it is one of my favourite foods from my childhood to date.
Note: Chicken HorFun is a popular Chinese dish up north that sees flat noodles topped with shredded chicken with the soup being a chicken-based stock with prawns.
Describe yourself in three words.
Motivated, friendly, and creative.
What is your favourite tv show, and why?
My favourite TV show would be “Black Mirror” as it revolves around a techno-paranoia concept and how one reacts to new technologies. I find such shows intriguing given the futuristic appeal to them.
What is the funniest name you can think of for a pet?
It would be Kopi O as that’s what I named my Rottweiler.
*Drumroll* Now for the million-dollar question:
What’s next for you?
My upcoming project would be developing my coffee brewing skills and take part in the Malaysia Brewers Competition. My goal is to win the National Champion title then to represent Malaysia and showcase our coffee culture to the world!
Sounds like a solid plan if you ask us!