Daniel Nekola
Austria
Gota Coffee
Please tell us a little about yourself:
I am from the countryside of Austria, which means I’m addicted to mountains and skiing. I am a chef/cook with more than 10 years of experience. I fell in love with coffee a few years ago, and started working as a barista 1.5 years ago at Gota Coffee in Vienna.
How did you get started in coffee?:
I worked in a big canteen with really good developed (oily) coffee. My focus was to start in a specialty coffee shop. I completed Barista Intermediate certification, and luckily I found a job 2 weeks later. I really love and need coffee. I gave up my chef career to start studying agriculture. One day I said, when I go back to gastronomy, I will just work with coffee. That is what I did, and I really love it.
Please list the coffee competitions you have participated in, what year they took place, and your results:
Austrian AeroPress Championship 2018 – (completed 1st round)
Latte Art Throwdown 2018 – (2nd round)
Coffee in Good Spirits, Vienna Coffee Festival – (1st) :-)
What are you excited to do in Berlin?:
Check out all the specialty coffees.
What was your first amazing experience with coffee?:
My first contact with speciality coffee was in 2014. I can remember that taste—pure dark chocolate…crazy good.
Besides your own competition drink, do you have a favorite cocktail?:
Not really. It is like coffee, depends on my mood on the day—but I really love rum based drinks.
What coffee-producing country interests or excites you most?:
I really like Ethiopian coffee, and the country.
What are your interests outside of coffee?:
Biking, photos, traveling.
Where do you see yourself in five years?:
As the owner of my own specialty coffee shop :-)
Is there anyone you would like to thank or recognize, or who helped you to prepare for the WCIGS?:
Thank you to my team, Michelle, Manuel, Junior, and Gota Coffee; the team is the most important thing. Also Patrice from Rancilio, without your help I wouldn’t have made it this far. Thank you to my parents, Margret and Werner.
—
