An unlikely champion
“I HOPE MY WIN IS FURTHER INSPIRATION TO ANYONE THAT DOUBTS THEIR ABILITY, BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T TRY, YOU’LL NEVER BE READY, AND YOU’LL NEVER KNOW.”
When 2018 World Barista Champion Agnieszka Rojewska boarded a flight in Milan, she was stopped for a selfie. When she looked on Instagram she saw a video of herself walking down the street someone had just posted. And when she went to the supermarket, the cashier stared at her and said, “congratulations. I know who you are”.
The thought of maintaining a public profile is something accustomed to famous sports stars, actors, and musicians, but it was never part of the contract Agnieszka signed up for.
Her 37,600 Instagram followers – on last count – has her baffled, and she still draws crowds when she travels, a year and half since her World Barista Championship (WBC) crowning. Why? It’s a question Agnieszka asks herself.
“The best answer I can give is the fact that I represent my followers: the community of ‘wannabe baristas’, the
