Barista Stories: Olga Kolarz of Companion Tea & Coffee, Berlin - European Coffee Trip
Olga Kolarz is a Berlin-based coffee professional & manager at Companion Tea & Coffee finding freedom both behind the bar & on roller skates.| European Coffee Trip
For Lisa Sorger, coffee began as a practical job and grew into a lifelong pursuit of flavor, connection, and community. Originally from New Zealand and now based in Munich, she has spent nearly six years shaping her place in the specialty coffee world – most recently as Quality Manager at Sweet Spot Kaffee, where she ensures that every cup meets the highest standards. Her days move between quality control, cupping sessions, education, and competition. Whether on stage, behind the bar, […]...| European Coffee Trip
In just three years, Renata Hrecska-Kovacs has become one of the most dynamic voices in Hungary’s specialty coffee scene. A lawyer by education and a barista by passion, she has learned to balance precision and creativity across two professions that demand both focus and dedication. At Waycup Coffee & Deli in Budapest, she works as a barista, trainer, and consultant, while also serving as Quality Manager at Awaken Coffee Roasting and Co-Founder of Cupping Club Hungary, a community that gath...| European Coffee Trip
Olga Kolarz is a Berlin-based coffee professional & manager at Companion Tea & Coffee finding freedom both behind the bar & on roller skates.| European Coffee Trip
Based in Helsinki, Tia Grahn has built a career that bridges science, competition, and entrepreneurship. With more than eight years in specialty coffee, she has moved from the barista bar to running her own company, MNEN Coffee, while also pursuing advanced studies in chemistry and food science. Her path has been anything but linear, yet each step reflects a deep curiosity about how coffee works and how people connect to it. Tia’s achievements speak to that blend of practice & […] The pos...| European Coffee Trip
Alexander Reyes Monsen is the Barista Standard Coordinator at Kaffebrenneriet in Oslo and Norwegian Coffee Champion in several categories.| European Coffee Trip
At just 28, Barbora Mařáková already shines bright in the European coffee scene. Originally from the Czech Republic and now based in Zurich, she works as a barista at MAME on Josefstrasse, the café that helped spark Switzerland’s specialty coffee wave. Her focus behind the bar is simple: make every cup feel personal, whether through conversation, a well-timed joke, or a brew that makes guests pause and pay attention. Her competitive spirit has taken Barbora very far. This year, she […...| European Coffee Trip
Andrea Batacchi is a barista in TODOMODO in Florence and a finalist of the World Brewers Cup 2025 that happened in Jakarta.| European Coffee Trip
Mitchell’s journey in coffee began with latte art. While studying design, he stumbled into the craft of pouring patterns in milk and quickly realised how much skill and discipline it demanded. That curiosity pulled him behind the bar of a specialty café, where a fascination with filters and brewing soon took over. Today, Mitchell runs Sango Specialty Coffee in the heart of Amsterdam together with his wife, Kaho. The café is not only their shared workplace but also a hub […] The post Bar...| European Coffee Trip
Rifqi Maulana is the Head of Roasting at Hermanos in London, bridges Indonesian roots with UK coffee culture, championing origin, storytelling, and community.| European Coffee Trip
Kevser Atmaca is the World Cezve/Ibrik V-ce Champion and co-founder of Niji Coffee Co. and Cezve&More in Gaziantep, Turkey.| European Coffee Trip
Marilena Georgescu is a barista at Olivo Coffee Culture in Cluj Napoca and the Romanian Cup Tasters Champion.| European Coffee Trip
