This weeks podcast will be audio only because we had some issues with the camera recording this. The honest story is we were in a venue where chefs were butchering some freshly caught tuna (which looked lovely) and so the camera was out of focus and thus we couldn't use the footage.
Kay Cheon is the United States Barista Champion of 2025 and founder of Parterre Coffee.
This podcast was the last of our series in the USA and was recorded inside of Hooked Venice Beach.
Kay's story is something many people can resonate with, he started as a home barista in another career and transitioned to coffee through pure love of the game.
Plus, we get a surprise cameo from influential LA barista Nicely Abel!
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28 Sept 2026
What Does A Barista Do In 2050? With Chris Marbury Of Beta Coffee
Chris Maybury is a disruptor in coffee and this episode has been a long time coming.
Chris and Kirk have a lot in common: They both embrace pre batched espresso, embrace automation and hold dear the very thing customers love about coffee: People!
Kirk and Chris discuss what they think the barista profession will evolve to and how baristas in the future may end up becoming sommeliers.
Plus, the fallout of the infamous Specialty Coffee Factory Outlet Interview continues…
14 Sept 2026
The Enemy of Specialty Coffee: Julien Moussi & Cory Slater of SCFO
Australian coffee professionals have been up in arms about a new concept called Specialty Coffee Factory Outlet (SCFO). Kirk interviewed the founders Julian Moussi and Cory Slater to get their perspective.
The team who founded Inglewood Coffee are trying a new strategy in specialty, selling high quality coffee for ultra cheap prices and betting on selling high quantities. They're going for a larger degree of marketshare by lowering costs wherever possible.
The most controversial element of the strategy is their roaster callouts, where they compare their own coffee to that of another roasters and juxtapose them on price.
Beyond this concept, Julian and Corey have had much success with many venues in Melbourne and offer some wisdom on where hospitality is going from here on, and how they're structuring their own venues.
Whatever your thoughts on them, this is a fascinating listen and we thank Julian and Cory for taking the time to come on!
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Who has been a guest on The Coffee Show with Kirk Pearson
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Rhys Woods
Aston Utan
Kai Janson
Mikael Jasin
Boram Um
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
29,718
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.2 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
4.5 / 5
43 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 56 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
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