The Coffee Show with Kirk Pearson

Lance Hedrick is a respected coffee content creator with a massive Youtube and Instagram following. Lance is known for his long form breakdowns of equipment, brewing methods and many other advanced subjects in the coffee industry. In this podcast Lance and Kirk discuss Lance' introduction to the coffee industry, how he made bank winning latte art smackdowns, golf and health. Perhaps the most inter...

Sam Keck is a co-founder of Commonfolk Coffee in Australia and helped build Zukukubora, a social enterprise in Uganda that's purpose is to empower coffee farming communities to making farming sustainable and regenerative. David Flood until recently was a little known brewer from St David's Dairy in Melbourne. He competed in his first Brewers Cup competition using coffee from Zukukubora and...

Kirk answers listeners questions sent in. What is the best cafe in the world? Who is in his Pokemon party at the moment? How to watch the UFC when you have a family? Tips to opening a cafe? Kirk answers all in this podcast. Like this podcast? Leave a review or even share to some friends! Sharing helps us grow so that we can go to more places and share more stories around the world.

Mason Salisbury is the founder of Luminous Coffee operating out of Las Vegas Nevada. In this podcast Mason outlines the uncertainty of trade policy in the US right now and how it is impact US coffee roasteries. Mason above all, is a quality focused coffee roaster with an enormous amount of experience operating on almost type of coffee roaster. We discuss his recent transition to roasting on a Typh...

Jack Simpson has won the Australian Barista Championship for the past three years. At the world level he has placed 3rd and 2nd in consecutive years and this year he looks to do one better in what might be his final campaign. Jack has evolved over the years, and this year Kirk thinks he is looking better than ever. Kirk and Jack discuss competition at length and Kirk also tells a story about Straw...

Are you thinking of opening a cafe or wanting improve your current one? Then this podcast is an excellent resource for you. Kirk is joined by Rhys Woods of Ona Coffee and together they distill some 10 great points on what you should consider before opening a cafe, some of the tips will save you a lot of pain! Rhys Woods works as an Account Manager for Ona Coffee, who are a successful and quality f...

Aston Utan is one of the founders of Common Grounds in Jakarta Indonesia. Common Grounds are hugely responsible for the development of the Indonesian specialty coffee scene and Aston is their CEO. In this episode Kirk and Aston discuss how the Indonesian coffee scene has grown to be one of the most vibrant in the world. Aston and Kirk also discuss how technology will influence coffee service in th...

Kai Janson is a world leading coffee producer from Panama operating Janson Family Estates. Coffee from the Janson family is internationally applauded and used in competitions all over the world. In 2023 Janson Geisha was used by Boram Um to win the World Barista Championship, a first for the Janson family. In this episode Kirk and Kai discuss what it is that makes coffee from Panama so special! Ka...

Mikael Jasin is the reigning World Barista Champion, cafe owner and coffee exporter. Mikael took the world by storm winning the World Barista Championship prioritising mindfulness and recounting the challenges he had to overcome to finally win, a great metaphor for life in general. Above everything, Mikael is a proud Indonesian. Since winning the WBC he has been a powerful ambassador for his own c...

Boram Um is the 2023 World Barista Champion, a coffee producer and contender for worlds most handsome barista! In this podcast Kirk and Boram discuss the challenges of preparing for a world title run, how Boram prepared and how life changed for him after the win. Boram and his family own Fazenda Um in Brazil from which he produced one of his world championship coffees. Interestingly, Boram is an a...

Daryanto Witarsa is a well known coffee entrepreneur in Indonesia who now works as high ranking government official overseeing food security. Hosting the World of Coffee is now a competitive process and Yanto lobbied for years to make it happen. This year that dream was achieved with unprecedented success. The show was bustling and set a new standard. In Yanto's new role, he oversees a project of...

Jay Kim is the co-founder of the UFO dripper and growing personality in the specialty coffee space. Jay's public profile has grown enormously in recent times for his inspiring social media posts and videos emphasising the importance of hospitality in coffee. In this podcast Jay and Kirk talk at length about inequality in coffee and how drinking coffee is a privilege, not a right. Like this podcast...

Savina Giachgia is a runner up in the World Brewers Cup competition of 2023 and passionate advocate for sustainability in coffee. In this discussion Kirk and Savina discuss why everyone should be more concerned about sustainability and what we risk if we don't pay attention. Kirk also reflects on a recent farm visit in Indonesia and highlights why investing in farms is essential for the future of...

Jakarta's specialty coffee industry is booming! With more cafes opening than anyone can keep track of, Ombe Kofie has remained adored in a hyper competitive market. Ombe coffee serve some of the best coffee in all of Indonesia (we can confirm that). We were lucky enough to record this podcast inside one of their venues. Two of Ombe's leaders, Jordy and Herru join us to explain the origins of Ombe...

Yoshua Tanu is an icon in the Indonesian Coffee Industry. A former Indonesian Barista Champion and co founder of Common Grounds Coffee, he has founded a new venture that changes the game. Jago Coffee is a mobile cafe that operates using karts. Mobile karts are very common in Indonesia for selling food and other goods. Jago Coffee have for the first time introduced mobile cafes to Jakarta using ref...

Recently it was announced that the system coffee quality graders (Q graders) have been using to score coffees for decades will radically change, causing fury throughout the industry. In this podcast Kirk questions the CEO of the Specialty Coffee Association on how the new system works, why it is changing and how it will be implemented. The scale of the change has been hard to comprehend for Q grad...

Hidenori Izaki — 2014 World Barista Champion and one of the most influential voices in specialty coffee — joins Kirk to explore the evolving landscape of coffee. From the shifting dynamics of global competitions to how baristas can stay sharp, Hide offers rare insight. They also dive deep into the intersection of AI and coffee, and how the industry can better connect with everyday consumers withou...

In this episode, we sit down with Gabriel Agrelli, Product Development Director at Daterra Coffee, one of Brazil’s most innovative farms. Gabriel shares firsthand insights into how the ongoing drought is reshaping coffee production, what it means for farmers on the ground, and how Daterra is responding with cutting-edge agricultural practices and long-term sustainability strategies. From climate r...

In this deeply personal episode, Brewing Champion Carlos Escobar shares the story behind the cup — one rooted in sacrifice, injustice, and unshakable purpose. Growing up on a coffee farm in Colombia, Carlos witnessed firsthand the harsh reality of an industry that undervalues its producers. His father stopped growing coffee — not because of poor farming, but because farmers have been undervalued f...

World Brewers Cup Head JudgeEver wondered what it takes to impress the Head Judge of the World Brewers Cup? In this episode, we sit down with Brydon Price — certified sensory expert, coffee professional, and Head Judge at the global stage — to uncover the behind-the-scenes details of scoring, what separates a good brew from a great one, and how competitors can stand out. From technique to taste, B...

In this episode of The Coffee Show with Kirk Pearson, we sit down with Dave Makin — founder of Axil Coffee Roasters, Australian Barista Champion, and one of the key figures behind Melbourne’s specialty coffee movement. From starting out as a barista to building one of Australia’s most recognized coffee brands, Dave shares the untold story behind Axil’s rise. We dive deep into the challenges of sca...

In this episode, we delve into the world of Orlando Marzo, the Italian-born, Melbourne-based mixologist who clinched the title of Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year in 2018. From his beginnings in Italy to honing his craft in London’s vibrant cocktail scene, and eventually leading the bar at Melbourne’s acclaimed Lûmé restaurant, Orlando’s journey is a testament to innovation, precisi...

What does it take to build a café that captures the internet’s attention and the city’s heart? In this episode of The Coffee Show with Kirk , we sit down with the founders of Osoi , one of Melbourne’s most talked-about new cafés. They break down the strategy, creativity, and chaos behind going viral — and share the lessons they’ve learned along the way. From building brand identity to managing ove...

From the cupping table to global coffee competitions, our guest today has seen it all. Ross Quail isn’t just a name in the Australian coffee scene—he’s a legend. Former World Barista Championship judge, trainer, green buyer, and consultant, Ross has helped shape how we taste, talk about, and serve specialty coffee today. In this episode of The Coffee Show with Kirk , Ross drops truth bombs about t...