Imagine knowing nothing about coffee, but ending up winning the national barista competition.

That’s only the beginning for Lucky Salvador, 2010 Philippine Barista Cup champion and now head of Cafe Utu’s coffee program. From starting out as a barista who had virtually zero knowledge about coffee, to experimenting with different ways to make a cup and nearly getting into trouble with it, to joining the Philippine Barista Cup and actually bagging the top spot, to going international and beyond, Lucky’s story is such a crazy thing to hear about even by those who have been in the coffee scene for a long time.

It’s an amazing ride from beginning to now, and Honeycomb Manila is more than happy to hear it from the man himself. And now, it’s your turn.