Nick Cho is the 2006 Southeaster Regional Barista Champion, and he really is beloved by most folks in the industry. He is a tremendous representaive for specialty coffee, an advocate of Barista as a serious and respected career option, he is director of the Barista Guild of America, and has served as MC for regional barista competitions as well as this year's World Barista Championship. He is also a good sport and a genuinly nice guy and family man. If you are ever in the Washington D.C. area, stop in at his coffee shop call Murky Coffee, it is really really gooooooood.

The poeple surrounding his photo are at the reception for the competition, held at 3 cups in Chapell Hill, North Carolina, and they are all teasing him with the "I heart Nick Cho" button and the Barista Action Figure. He had not yet won the competion when I took their photos that night. In the upper center you can see Nic himself, just moments after his phenomenal performace, still in his silk shirt and tie, about 30 minutes before the official scores were anounced.

He ask me in a completely sincere and genuine manner "how did it look from out there?". I told him "Man, it was absolutly beautiful, and masterfully executed."