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Lionel Crasto
Company name: Formative Coffee
Signature drink: The Wishing Tree
What sparked your interest in becoming a barista?
When I first entered the industry, most of my coffee knowledge was theoretical, built through research papers, books, and online resources. In my first role, I was asked to train baristas despite having no experience behind the bar. That experience made me realise that understanding coffee intellectually is not enough. You need practical skill before you can teach it. This pushed me to work behind the bar, even part-time, to develop real competence and credibility. Becoming a barista was a way to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
What do you believe sets you apart from other baristas?
What sets me apart is my willingness to learn from outside the coffee industry and apply those lessons back into coffee. I actively study beer, wine, chocolate, and fine dining, particularly frameworks like the Michelin Guide and The World's 50 Best, and adapt those learnings into coffee service, sensory evaluation, and education.
My background in biotechnology allows me to approach coffee analytically, especially when it comes to fermentation, processing, and quality control. At the same time, working behind the bar has grounded that knowledge in practical execution and hospitality. I place equal importance on understanding producers, improving my own technical skills, and communicating coffee clearly to people at all levels. That balance shapes how I work and how I continue to grow in the industry.
What unique skills or perspective will you bring to the competition?
My Master's research focused on optimising coffee fermentation, Coffee drying and I have processed my own coffee lots for the past three years. This has given me a deep respect for producers and post-harvest decisions. Combined with daily sensory work and competition experience, this background allows me to approach challenges with both technical understanding and practical intuition.
The Wishing Tree by Lionel Crasto:
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