Head Judge: Aaron Delazzer – Director of Coffee, Ethical Bean Coffee Roasters, Vancouver, BC
Les Kuan – Trainer, Canadian Barista & Coffee Academy / Technical Director, Canadian National Barista Championship, Vancouver, BC
Bill Herne – Coffee Consulting Specialists, Toronto
Chris McDonald – Cava Restaurant in Toronto
Wanda Beaver – President & Director of Product Development, Wanda’s Pie in the Sky, Toronto / Partner with Dinah Koo, Wanda’s in the Kitchen with Dinah
Michael Riesberry –Café Consultant, Zuccarini Importing, Toronto
Krys Hines – Former coffee roaster, barista, espresso machine sales & service technician
Drew DeGeer – Senior Sales & Marketing Manager, CE Organic Syrups
Sal Costanzo – Patera Marketing in Toronto
Sevan Istanboulian – Owner, Café Mystique Roasters / Toi et Moi Cafe in Montreal
Baron Drobig – Malkhonig Canada
2007 CRBC MASTER of CEREMONIES BIO:
Edward Graham began working in foodservice at 15 years of age. In the 1980’s and ‘90s he owned 2 restaurants and operated 2 cafés. He was also a coffee roaster and retailer for 6 years and has trained many hundreds of people working in the gourmet coffee industry. He is currently a Sales & Marketing Consultant for Zuccarini Importing Company, Canada’s first espresso machine importer.
2007 CRBC JUDGES BIO:
Aaron De Lazzer is Director of Coffee @ Ethical Bean, a roaster/wholesaler in Vancouver, BC. He is a trainer with the Canadian Barista & Coffee Academy. He is an experienced cupper, roaster and is skilled in green coffee selection. He has many years experience in the industry as a consultant.
Les Kuan is the Technical Director of the Canadian National Barista Championships, and Instructor for the Canadian Barista Academy. He is also a consultant for retail and café start-ups. Les is still in denial about being in the coffee industry.
Bill Herne is a coffee consultant with over 20 years experience as a trainer, green bean buyer & roaster. Once a director of coffee at a leading coffee chain, Bill now specializes in coffee roasting, brand management coffee business start-ups.
Chris McDonald is the Executive Chef and co-owner of “Cava Restaurant”, and previously the owner and Chef of “Avalon” here in Toronto. He is considered to be one of the best chefs in North America. Cava was just nominated Toronto’s best new restaurant by Toronto Life.
Wanda launched Wanda’s Pie in the Sky with her husband David Beaver in 1985. She has been baking with a passion ever since. In 2002 her cookbook Wanda’s Pie in the Sky was awarded Silver Medal in the “Cuisine Canada Cookbook of the Year” Competition. Today she does business from her two locations: her wholesale division serving Toronto’s finest restaurants, cafes and gourmet shops, and a collaboration with Dinah Koo – one of Toronto’s most respected caterers – called “Wanda’s in the Kitchen with Dinah” on Mt. Pleasant Avenue. Wanda teaches hands-on baking classes and spreads her enthusiasm for fresh baked desserts.
Michael Riesberry has been in the espresso industry for 15 years. He is a former café owner & operator. He has been a regional & national Barista Judge, Certified by Canadian Barista Championship for 3 years in both sensory and technical. Michael is currently employed by Canada’s first espresso machine importer – Zuccarini Importing in Toronto – as a Café Consultant, specializing in espresso bars.
Krys Hines is first & foremost a happily married father of a newborn baby girl. He is a former coffee roaster and retailer, with many years of espresso machine sales and technical support. Krys is an avid cyclist and a former bicycle designer & frame builder, and currently a consultant involved in technical design and sales.
Drew DeGeer – Restaurateur, coffee consultant and DJ. He built the former Toronto landmark, “Triple X Diner”, where the pilot episode of the American TV show “Queer as Folk” was first shot, and he still runs the Triple X Diner Radio website. Currently, he is the Senior Sales & Marketing Manager for CE Organics, a Canadian company which is first in the world to manufacture a Certified Organic Fair Trade coffee syrup.
Sal Costanzo is President of Patera Group in Toronto, who distributes the La Marzocco, WMF and Promac lines of espresso machines, and Arcaffe coffees. Sal has been in the coffee industry since 1972.
Sevan Istanboulian is a Roaster from Montreal. He started in coffee 15 years ago with “Toi, Moi et Café”, a roaster/retailer. Last year Sevan established Montreal’s Specialty Coffee Academy, to educate and train coffee professionals as well as newcomers to the industry. Sevan is a Canadian Barista Championship Judge, a member of the World Barista Championship Technical Committee and a longtime member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and The Roaster’s Guild.