Belfast's Favourite Barista goes under the spotlight

William was voted as the winner of the Belfast Loves barista category by Belfast Live readers

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Recently we caught up with Belfast’s Favourite Barista, as voted by our readers to find out what makes him the crème de la crème of Belfast’s coffee scene.

Name: William Chambers Parke

Job title: Barista, Cargo Coffee Holywood

Coffee of choice? It's got to be Bailies Costa Rica Cerro Dragon. It has a really light flavour profile and I'm a big fan of it on the AeroPress as you can taste notes of plum and vanilla.

How long have you been working at Cargo? What started out as me being a regular to the drive-thru in Bangor, a job came up at Cargo's Holywood restaurant and I've been there eight months now.

What do you enjoy most about being a barista? Everything! I find the mix of people you get to meet on a daily basis come to expect quality coffee so it's my job to deliver that, and consistently. I'm continuously pushing myself to know more and more about the coffee we're serving and the techniques in which it's made, which in turn provides a better experience for our customers.

Have you always loved coffee? Surprisingly no. As I got older and kids came along, I found myself drinking more of it, just to stay awake. I then started experimenting with different coffees at home and realised I actually love the variety of taste profiles. The rest they say is history.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current role? Erm. Probably still bartending, which isn’t ideal as its long unsociable hours and I have a young family at home.

How would your customers describe you in three words? Jovial. Helpful. Professional.

What do you like to do in your spare time? When I'm not slinging shots, you'll find me with my wife and kids, playing ice hockey or watching the Belfast Giants.

Place you would most like to travel to? At the minute? Berlin. The coffee scene out there is outrageous with so many world-class roasters including The Barn , Bonanza and Five Elephant , to name a few. They also all have their own coffee shops so I'd probably spend all my time there.

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