It’s hard to believe that Keith Koay, the winner of Malaysia Barista Championships in 2016 and 2018 got hooked on this career by accident.
Like many of us, he was just a student looking for part-time work to make ends meet. He’s certainly come a long way since; winning championships, competing internationally and owning his own place called One Half Coffee Bar.
Brewing for world championships
Local baristas have been representing Malaysia in the World Barista Championship (WBC) for the past three years. In fact, Keith ranked 16th at the WBC in 2016.
Then in 2017, under the skilful hands of Jason Loo of The Red Bean Bag and Yellow Brick Road, Malaysia placed 7th, just one spot short of moving on to the finals.
What does it take to win? Apparently, winning isn’t just about how good a cup of coffee you make. Judges evaluate not only taste but whether the personality of the coffee matches the barista.
“The personality of the coffee and you. Does it match? The chemistry; the aura in everything. The full package,” said Keith.
One whiff and he was hooked
Keith remembers being a student looking for work during exam break. A café had opened looking for new hires and he tried his luck. Within five minutes he got the job. Within one day, he was hooked.
“I wasn’t interested in coffee at first,” said Keith. In fact, he didn’t even like it. “No, not at all. I didn’t need it. I didn’t have to drink it.”
His first day working at the café dramatically changed his outlook on coffee. Keith was impressed with everything that went on behind the coffee machine.
He describes it as a sensory experience. “It’s how the process actually works and how much of the taste we can perceive and manipulate.”
So, what does he think of coffee now? Keith laughs, saying, “Now I need it… Every day.”
Want to be a barista? Think twice
Being able to make a decent living from being a barista is not easy. “Think twice, seriously. It’s very tough,” advises Keith.
First you must consider the local interest in coffee. Based on Keith’s own experience, things have slowed down.
Three years ago, people would come in almost every day seeking work, particularly interested in becoming a barista. Today, they are just looking for part-time work to make some extra money.
Once you are a barista and know the basics, it’s the type of profession you have to invest money in if you want to improve and advance. You have to spend on drinking coffee, tasting all variations and this alone can take a toll on your pocket. With the salary you start out with, it’s hard. “Almost impossible,” says Keith.
40 cups to survive, 100 to succeed
If you’re interested in setting up your own café, be aware that it’s extremely competitive. For a small operation with minimal staff, you need to at least expect to make 40 cups a day to survive. That’s 40 cups minimum!
According to Keith, the demand for drinking coffee in Malaysia is not as high as in other places. In Australia, they sell an average of 1,000 cups per day.
“In Malaysia, to make 100 cups of coffee, it is considered good business. It’s very hard to sustain your own shop. We see a lot of friends close down. It’s very heartbreaking.”
Running a business is about interactions
There’s a difference between being a barista and owning a business. As a barista, playing behind the machine allows you the freedom to just geek out about coffee, the process and the sensory experience. As a consequence, you don’t really have to think about customer service.
As a business owner, you have to enjoy interacting with customers. You must get to know their backgrounds, where they come from.
Luckily, this is something Keith loves doing. “One thing that I enjoy the most is the interaction between me and my customers.
“It’s a pleasure to see people coming back for your product. There are so many coffee shops out there. There must be some reason they come back. That’s what keeps us doing what we love.”
If you’re passionate and hardworking, owning a place and being in this industry can be “very, very fun,” says Keith.
Collaboration and specialisation are key
If you are looking to check out Keith’s place, One Half Coffee Bar can be found in Random Food Store and Ilaika.
At Random Food Store you’ll get a fuller experience. At least fuller in the tummy! They serve food (baos made by Buncit Bao-Bar) in addition to coffee and cakes.
At Ilaika, your coffee comes with retail therapy in the form of beautiful products made by local designers and handmade goods.
Collaborations work for One Half because it allows them to share costs in addition to supporting other local businesses they love.
“Not only to share rental but a new concept. We like local products,” says Keith.
Most of all, collaborations allow One Half to continue to focus on what they are best at – making coffee.
“We only want to focus on what we are good at. For me and my partner, we are not familiar with running a kitchen. We do not enjoy cooking. If we force ourselves into that business I think it’s quite bad for ourselves and our product.”
Sweet smell of beans
Like many serious coffee cafes, the beans behind One Half Coffee are from Artisan Roast, a true pioneer in the Malaysian coffee industry.
Unlike other cafes, Keith not only buys the beans but is actually involved in the quality of the roast. Consequently, One Half Coffee’s beans are uniquely their own; the emphasis being on aroma with sweetness.
“We customise our own roasting profile,” says Keith. The beans may be from Artisan Roast which is already high quality but “our coffee is unique” and specially created just for them.
Since they specialise in coffee, they also provide customers with many options. At any one time, One Half Coffee has five to 10 different beans to choose from.
Beyond the beans, water makes a big difference in the flavour of coffee. Who knew!
“The end product of your coffee is 90% water. So, we use good quality water.”
Barista-approved coffee joints
Where would an award-winning barista like Keith go for coffee other than enjoying a cup he makes himself?
Keith recommends Seraph Awakens located in his hometown of Klang. According to Keith, the folks who run the cafe deserve recognition for making it work and serving up really good coffee in a location that is not used to high-end coffee.
It is “one of the best for coffee in Malaysia.” Besides Seraph Awakens, Keith frequents other spots including The Roast Things and Yellow Brick Road.
If you’re curious about some of Keith’s drinks, head over to Random Food Store in Damansara Uptown or Ilaika in Petaling Jaya. You can also try making one of his amazing creations at home.
Keith has generously shared One Half’s signature mocktail recipe with the Butterkicap Team.
It’s his own take on Jungle Bird, a drink that originated in Malaysia and which has become a classic cocktail all over the world.
This article first appeared in butterkicap.com
Butterkicap is a food and culture platform and community that enables anyone to experience Malaysia through stories of her people, food and places.