GreatEast Cup™
Get ready for Eastern Europe’s next-gen coffee championship
GreatEast Cup™ is a celebration of future-ready talent, where instinct, speed and creativity matter just as much as technical precision.
It’s a fun, inclusive, no-fuss, all-thrill throwdown, fueled by creativity, camaraderie and pure coffee passion.
3 Days. 2 competitions. 2 Rounds each.
2 titles: The GreatEast Barista. The GreatEast Team.
No entry fees. No logistical headaches.
All essential gear provided.
Back for its 4th edition: April 16-18, 2027!
Mastery Cup
Mastery Cup puts individual baristas through a series of challenges designed to test speed, creativity, technical skill and adaptability.
2 days. 2 rounds. 2 thrilling challenges.
Signature Beverage
Showcase your talent and creativity by crafting a signature beverage. An original recipe. A minimum of 3 ingredients. Featuring at least 20ml of pure liquid coffee per drink.
Espresso & Milk
Show off your speed and precision in a head-to-head round of espresso brewing & latte art. Serve a complete menu of a single-shot espresso and a milk beverage. Recreate a latte art design selected by the judges.
And yes, it gets competitive.
But we’re here to have fun, too.
THE 2026 CHAMPIONS
The GreatEast Barista of 2026: Dorin Stancu.
GreatEast Skills: Ciprian Bașturea.
GreatEast Drink: Jake Diaz.
Team Cup
Team Cup puts two baristas together for challenges that test speed, precision, communication, creativity and teamwork.
2 days. 2 rounds. 2 thrilling challenges.
Latte Art
Creativity meets teamwork as you recreate 4 stunning latte designs under time pressure. You’ll need to switch it up – alternating between cow’s milk and plant-based one.
Speed Service
You and your teammate will race against the clock to prepare 7 coffee beverages from a specialty coffee shop menu in just 8 minutes. It’s all about speed, precision and seamless teamwork!
THE 2026 CHAMPIONS
The GreatEast Team of 2026:
A Regular Show – Denis Gheorghiu & Mihai Vizitiu
3rd edition, 2026
The stellar line-up of judges
Alan Jarrar
Career barista | CEO at Jokes Aside Coffee Roasters & STAV SE Espresso bar
„Sometimes competitor, sometimes judge but always judging.” Alan is a coffee powerhouse with an eye for precision and a taste for perfection. Whether he’s coaching baristas or fine-tuning extractions, he’s always raising the bar.
Kaliopy Jarrar
Founder, FAINE COFFEE | Co-Founder, STAV SE Espresso Bar & Jokes Aside Coffee Roasters
With over a decade in specialty coffee, Kaliopy has built her projects through consistency, precision, and an unreasonable number of hours behind the bar. She balances leadership with daily service – by choice. Staying behind the bar keeps her standards sharp. In her world, you can’t judge coffee if you no longer make it.
Sam Cooper
Head of Coffee, Bold Street Coffee | Coffee Professional & Operator
Sam brings a global perspective shaped by time spent on coffee farms across Central America and hands-on experience building projects in Guatemala. Now leading coffee operations across nine sites in the north of England, he focuses on quality, consistency, and hospitality at scale.
Davide Orazi
New York Coffee Masters Champion | Project & Community Manager, WatchHous | Coffee Masters Judge
A competitor, judge, and coffee operations expert, Davide brings nearly a decade of specialty coffee experience. Committed to excellence in every aspect of the coffee journey, he combines deep technical knowledge with a commitment to fostering community within the specialty coffee scene.
Manos Mamakis
Two-Time WCIGS Runner-Up & Hellenic Aeropress Champion 2018
Master roaster, mixologist, trainer – Manos does it all.
An all-around coffee powerhouse, he’s shaping the next wave of pros while setting the bar sky-high.
Anne Lunell
Co-founder Koppi Coffee Roasters
Co-founder of Koppi and one of the most respected voices in specialty coffee, Anne Lunell has built an internationally recognized roastery grounded in quality, consistency and long-term relationships.
Teodora Pitiș
Founder, Sloane Coffee | Q-Grader | 2025 Romanian Brewers Cup Champion
Teodora combines technical precision with a deeply refined sensory approach. Continuously pushing her craft forward, she represents a generation of coffee professionals who balance discipline, curiosity, and high standards – both on the competition stage and in everyday service.
Marius Nica
Head Roaster & Co-Founder, Olivo Coffee Culture | National Champion
Active in specialty coffee since 2012, Marius is a multi-time national champion in Latte Art and Cup Tasters – and the current Romanian National Roasting Champion. As Head Roaster and Co-Founder of Olivo Coffee Culture in Cluj-Napoca, he combines competition experience with deep sensory expertise.
Lavinia Toma
World Brewers Cup Competitor | World Barista Championship Semi-Finalist | Certified Q-Grader
Competition has always been Lavinia’s driving force. With over a decade in coffee and hospitality – and certified as a Q-Grader – Lavinia brings precision, discipline, and a deep respect for craft. For her, coffee is not just performance, but community: passionate, supportive, and always striving for more.
Miruna Tudose
Origo Coffee | Sensory Expert & World Class Romania Bartender of the Year 2024
Top 8 at London Coffee Masters. World Class Romania Champion. Chef-turned-barista. Miruna blends culinary creativity with coffee craftsmanship & mixology, crafting unforgettable flavor experiences.
Claudiu Szabo
Award-Winning Mixologist | DIAGEO World Class Global Top 10 Finalist
Claudiu Szabo is one of Romania’s most recognized bar professionals, known for modern cocktail design and multisensory hospitality experiences. In 2025, he became the first Romanian bartender to reach the DIAGEO World Class Global Top 10. With over a decade of experience, Claudiu continues to push creative boundaries while raising the standards of what a bar experience can be.
3rd edition, 2026
The crew
Celeste Wong
MC | Barista | Writer | Actress
First time at COFFeEAST, and she arrived with energy to spare. Celeste Wong is a barista, writer, actress and author of Coffee Creations, with years of experience at the intersection of coffee, culture and storytelling. On stage, she brings warmth, curiosity and a genuinely infectious enthusiasm for the people behind the coffee.
Cosmin Tudoran
MC | Wine Guy | Musician | Writer
Cosmin knows how to keep a room moving. A professional people-person, he brings a sharp sense of humour, plenty of curiosity and exactly the kind of stage presence a competition like GreatEast Cup calls for. Back for his second COFFeEAST, he already knows the drill.
James Wise
Stage Manager | Coffee Masters Champion | Visual Director
James knows what happens when the clock starts ticking. A former Coffee Masters champion, mentor, creative director and visual storyteller, he brings years of experience in coffee competitions and hospitality to the stage.