La Marzocco Barista Hero – Vote for Valeriia Now

Our roaster, Head Barista, and trainer Valeriia has the chance to become the La Marzocco Barista Hero 2026. Find out how the competition works, who else has made it to the final, and how you can vote for her.

After numerous submissions and nominations, the first phase of the La Marzocco Barista Hero Competition 2026 has come to an end—and now the final begins. Alongside three other contestants from across Germany, Valeriia has earned her place among the finalists.

Valeriia Is a Finalist

Her nomination reads: “She remembers names. She remembers how you take your coffee. And sometimes she even knows how you’re doing before you’ve said a single word.”

It’s a description we can only agree with. Valeriia combines technical excellence with genuine hospitality, making every café visit a little more personal. “I’m truly honored by the nomination and grateful for every single vote,” says Valeriia.

More Than a Barista

At Röststätte, Valeriia is much more than our Head Barista. She roasts coffee, trains our team, and shares her expertise with other baristas. Above all, she is a host. With her warmth and attentiveness, she creates an atmosphere where people feel genuinely welcome and are happy to return. That’s why we’re especially delighted that the Barista Hero Award puts exactly these qualities in the spotlight, recognizing the people who shape and enrich our coffee culture every day.

VOTE NOW

Hier geht's zum Voting bei La Marzocco!

Voting deadline

October 25, 23:59.

“We are incredibly proud of Valeriia. She shapes our café and our team with her expertise, warmth, and passion for coffee. Seeing exactly these qualities being recognized as part of the Barista Hero Award means a great deal to us,” says Yvonne Weller, Managing Director of Röststätte.

The Competition

The competition is now also taking place in Germany and, as La Marzocco describes it, aims to “make visible the people who shape our coffee culture every day – often quietly, but with a great impact.” The focus is deliberately not on latte art, competition titles, or technical perfection. Instead, the stories of the people behind the espresso machine take center stage. In the first phase, guests were able to nominate their favorite baristas with a personal story – a kind of love letter to the people who make their café experience special. We think this idea is truly wonderful. Baristas are often the first point of contact for our guests and play a crucial role in shaping how coffee is experienced. The fact that La Marzocco gives these people a platform and celebrates the close connection to the international barista and specialty coffee community deserves our highest appreciation. Thank you to La Marzocco for this initiative and for making the people behind the bar and their daily work visible.

Support Valeriia with Your Vote

Now it’s up to the audience: you can vote for Valeriia until October 25. Alongside Valeriia, John Hernandez (Asphaltgold Frankfurt), Michelle Reckerth (Machhörndl Kaffee Nürnberg), and Yatiwalane Bandara (Monokel Stuttgart) have also reached the final. The prizes are ones any barista would be excited about: a Linea Micra for first place, a Pico grinder for second place, and high-quality barista tools for the third and fourth places.

“I know the competition is strong, but I’m dreaming of winning,” says Valeriia.

If you would like to support Valeriia, we would be grateful for every single vote. Voting takes place directly on La Marzocco’s website. At the end of October, the Barista Hero 2026 will be announced as part of the La Marzocco Roadshow in Munich.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed for Valeriia and are already incredibly proud that she is one of the four finalists! 🖤

written by

Christopher Braemer

Christopher is a trained journalist and works in marketing at Röststätte Berlin. For the blog, he writes about coffee from around the world, as well as economics, politics, and sustainability. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to send us a message.

Fotos: Röststätte, Laura Droße

website

www.roeststaette.com