Offering world-class latte art.
PROFILE
Born in 1978. Born in Osaka and raised in Nagoya. A hotel garcon turned barista, she has won numerous awards at barista world competitions, and in 2021 opened the cafe "SWELL COFFEE ROASTERS" in Nakameguro, Tokyo.
Instagram:@kazuma_ozaki, @swell_coffee_roasters
Mr. Ozaki, you have a unique background as a hotel garcon turned barista.
Ozaki:I worked as a garcon in a hotel for 12 years, serving food and wine, and then I became a barista.
Why did you become a barista again?
Ozaki:When I was working at a hotel, I was working on various certifications, and I got a coffee certification as well. There I learned the fascination of coffee, and after working in various cafes, I opened SWELL COFFEE ROASTERS in 2021.
You have won many awards in latte art competitions. What was the first award you received?
Ozaki:You took third place in the world tournament in the US in 2014, and then second place in the world tournament in Japan in 2016. But that was quite a long time ago (laughs).
I heard that you are very particular about the beans.
Ozaki:At first I was buying them, but recently I have been choosing my own beans and roasting them myself.
I see that you have a wide variety of coffee beans on your menu.
Ozaki:Just as there are many varieties of rice, there are many varieties of coffee beans. The taste varies depending on the altitude and soil, the size of the bean, and the way it is washed after harvesting.
I would like to know if you have any favorites among them.
Ozaki:Recently, coffee from El Salvador has been interesting. It has a strong bitterness, but also a gorgeous aroma.
Thank you very much. Let's go for a run!
