You’re only as good as your last cup of coffee,” says Kgune Dlamini. That encapsulates the philosophy of this young man, who has been a barista for just five years but who has already won two major awards.
In 2019 Kgune was named Best Barista in KwaZulu-Natal, but in 2020 he won the big prize: Barista of the Year in the annual Coffee Magazine awards. “I try to make every single cup of coffee as good as I can. It might be the 300th cup of coffee I’m making today, but it’s your first cup and you deserve it to be great,” says Kgune – adding that he comes in to work with the attitude to do everything with grace, kindness and love and to the best of his ability.
“My story is more about people than coffee, if you know what I mean. If I can change your day through a cup of coffee, then I’ve done my job.” Kgune has been very involved in deaf culture, because a friend of his is deaf. “This has helped me to perceive people, and also taught me how to welcome people with more than just words. I have learnt that when you welcome someone, you can’t just welcome them with words – you must welcome them with your smile, your body language and your attitude,” he says. “Being a part of the deaf community, which is very isolated, has helped me make my story a story of inclusivity, of welcoming people and coming together over a cup of coffee. I think that is one thing that makes me a good barista,” he adds. “No matter if we can hear or not, or whatever language we speak, we all speak the language of taste, which is why my theme when I compete is ‘coffee is a language’.” So how is a barista competition judged? Surely a well-made cup of coffee is a well-made cup of coffee?
Kgune explains: “When baristas are judged they are judged on the barista’s complete package: their espresso, their cappuccino, a signature drink, their coffee knowledge, presentation and their overall personality.”Kgune is also big on community, about Lineage being a place where people come for more than just an excellent cup of coffee. People can buy a good cup of coffee at lots of places, but Lineage has regulars who come back every day, sometimes more than once. “This is because my colleagues and I make Lineage more a community centre than a cafe,” says Kgune with a smile. “I was trained by Craig Charity here at Lineage Coffee, and now when I train other baristas I ask them if they want to be coffee makers, or if they want to be baristas,” he says, placing an exotic flourish on the word barista. Making coffee is just a skill set that can be learnt, but a professional barista puts his heart and passion into every cup. “A barista,” Kgune says passionately, “has the ability and the responsibility to make someone’s day.“I have natural passion, that all or nothing attitude – if I do something I want to do it 100%. So I make the decision every day to give my best, to come into Lineage and make people’s days better by giving them a great cup of coffee, but also having a great attitude and making them part of our community. I want to be here. I want to be doing this, and I think that’s what people see and enjoy.”
A barista has the ability and the responsibility to make someone’s day” – Kgune Dlamini.
Kgune’s CoffeeKgune drinks espresso, black with no sugar: “If you want to celebrate the coffee bean, drink it black with no sugar. You will taste all the flavour notes and the natural sweetness. But that’s why you need to drink good coffee!”
Story and pictures Stephen Smith.