Tim Sturk, head of coffee, training and development at BaxterStorey, was presented with an ‘Outstanding Contribution to European Coffee’ award at the European Coffee Symposium Awards held this week at the InterContinental Hotel in Istanbul.
Chosen from a pool of 600 coffee professionals, Sturk was voted for by industry peers and was specifically commended for his commitment to coffee training and education. He was one of five coffee professionals who were recognised for their specific contributions; the group included Costa Coffee (UK), Taylor Street Baristas (UK), Caffe Pascuci (Italy), and Coffee House (Sweden).
Building and raising industry awareness of coffee cultures
Sturk has been instrumental in building and raising industry awareness of coffee cultures throughout both the UK and throughout Europe and has developed a series of innovative educational programmes targeted within the food services sector.
In addition, he has spearheaded the growth of BaxterStorey’s ‘Barista Academy’ which supports the development of staff within the business, enabling them to understanding the history of coffee, the coffee bean journey, the importance of quality milk, machine maintenance, recipe management and customer service.
Trainer
He was also elected to the SCAE (Speciality Coffee Association of Europe) UK Chapter as an Education Coordinator in 2013. He said: “I was fortunate that I was a professional trainer before I was a coffee trainer; this enabled me to bring my professional experience together with a passion for coffee. I would say that I am equally as passionate about education and training as I am about coffee.”
The European Coffee Awards are one of the most prestigious awards in the European Coffee and ‘Food to Go’ sectors. Now in its seventh year, the awards recognise and promote company and individual excellence across the sector.
Sturk added: “It is a great honour to be nominated for this award. Coffee plays an integral part in our business and I’m exceptionally proud to have been able to train and develop some of the best baristas in the business.”
Noel Mahony, co-chief executive at BaxterStorey UK and Ireland, said: “We are exceptionally proud of Tim and are delighted that his efforts have been recognised by his industry peers. We place great emphasis on equipping our people with the skills to go out and deliver an exceptional product and Tim’s energy and passion have really helped us take this to another level.”
Follow BaxterStorey on Twitter @baxter_Storey