From Darjeeling to Dubai: Sonam Sherpa's Coffee Story
I first met Sonam when I was judging the Mattina Coffee Latte Art Battle, where he emerged as the winner—something that, in hindsight, comes as no surprise. What does amaze me is the journey from that moment to his victory in the 2024 UAE Aeropress Championship.
Sonam is a man of many talents. While coffee brewing might come to mind first, his true strength lies in his unwavering dedication and relentless pursuit of perfection. It was a genuine pleasure to feature him on The Coffee Story, an interview series that highlights people in our vibrant coffee community, sharing their stories to inspire others.
Tell me a bit about yourself and how you started your coffee journey?
Hello, I’m Sonam Sherpa from the beautiful hills of Darjeeling, in Northeast India. My city is famous for tea, yet here I am in the coffee industry. I began my journey in Darjeeling with Café Coffee Day, a well-known Indian brand, as an all-rounder. However, my real coffee journey started in 2019 when I moved to the UAE and joined Costa Coffee to build a stable financial foundation. At that time, coffee wasn’t really a passion; it was just a job for me, like many people working for a paycheck. But I’ve always loved connecting with people, learning something new from each interaction.
Working at Costa Coffee was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I received foundational training in coffee theory and practice and was later assigned to an outlet in Al Ain, UAE. With every passing day, I developed a stronger curiosity about coffee. At first, it was challenging to work with the coffee machine since I didn’t have many opportunities to use it. Over time, though, I pushed myself to learn the standards and improve my skills.
Things changed about three months into my job at Costa Coffee when I received an email about the Barista of the Year Championship. For those who don’t know, it’s a competition among Costa Coffee baristas to showcase the brand’s excellence. I decided to register and soon found myself competing in store heats in Abu Dhabi, then advancing to area heats. Eventually, I made it to the top 10 finalists in the country.
During that time, I connected with Khyam Rai, a former Costa champion, who helped me immensely. His guidance and support were invaluable, and through him, I also met many Nepali baristas. This was my introduction to the world of specialty coffee, which inspired me to dive deeper, collecting coffee tools and handbooks to continue learning.
I’ve also tried various professions, like tour guide, hotelier, retailer, and teacher, but coffee truly felt like the right fit. Being a coffee professional is unique because I go to sleep excited about starting a new day.
There is a lot I want to ask you about winning the Aeropress competition in the UAE, the routine, the win. But before I dive into that, how do you feel you have evolved as a professional since you started in the industry?
I feel that commitment, dedication, and hard work have played the biggest roles in my growth. It also depends on how you view the industry. For me and for Puja, my wife and partner, it’s been a shared journey, helping each other along the way. I remember receiving a brewing set as a birthday gift, which was the start of our brewing practice at home. We attended numerous events like cupping sessions, latte art throwdowns, and various coffee workshops to learn, compete, and connect with others.
Our first National Brewers Cup and Barista Championship in 2022 was a major milestone. We didn’t know much about these competitions, so we researched deeply to understand them. Unfortunately, we couldn’t practice during work hours or have access to full competition setups, so we rented a room for four months and even rented a coffee machine and grinder. We would practice from 6 pm. until we were exhausted and then again in the mornings before work. The feeling of tiredness was worth it all along with the sense of growth, excitement, and accomplishment was unforgettable. Even now, on days when I feel lazy, I think back to those times, and it keeps me motivated.
The feeling must have been unreal. What was your game plan going into the Aeropress Championship in Lisbon, Portugal?
Yes, the feeling was incredible! It was our first World Championship, so we made sure we were well-prepared. We created specific recipes for different coffee processes and roast levels and even carried five liters of distilled water from the UAE to Portugal, just to be safe. We expected a washed, light-roast coffee, and when we got an Ethiopia Guji washed coffee, we had a recipe ready for it. We ended up in the top 16, which was an amazing achievement for us.
I have always seen you and Puja as an inspiration to many baristas and coffee professionals here in the UAE. What advice would you give those who are planning to compete?
Thank you, Naveed, for the kind words. My advice is to ask yourself why you want to compete. Dedication is essential. Learn and work hard every day, and remember, it’s crucial to embrace and learn from your mistakes. Also, don’t worry about what others say about you.
What are you working on next? Are there any personal skills or industry-related areas you’d like to focus on?
I’m looking forward to deepening my knowledge of the coffee industry.
You’re working with Kranti Coffee now. Can you tell us what Kranti is about and what you do there?
At Kranti Coffee, we’re dedicated to providing access to exotic and microlot coffees in Dubai, connecting our producers with the UAE’s coffee community. As a green coffee buyer, I’m responsible for selecting unique coffees directly from farms, focusing on the specific qualities of nanolots and microlots. My role also involves building strong relationships at the farm level to ensure that every coffee meets our quality standards and vision.
How did you and Divesh meet and started working on Kranti?
Divesh used to be a regular customer of mine, and we spent countless hours talking about coffee. His passion for the craft was contagious, and I always enjoyed our conversations. We grew even closer after I left my job to start consulting for people opening cafes. It was during one of those discussions that the idea for Kranti was born.
We talked about introducing Indian specialty coffee to the UAE, a concept that felt instantly right. I had always wanted to showcase Indian specialty coffee, and this project gave me the perfect opportunity to bring that vision to life in a way that aligned with my passion and work.
From there, we started reaching out to coffee producers in India. I sent emails, built connections, and eventually traveled to India myself. The experience was incredible. I met farmers, learned about their craft firsthand, and shared our vision for Indian specialty coffee. I returned to the UAE with many great green coffee samples, ready to dive into research and development. At the same time, I gained a deeper understanding of the market—what people were looking for in terms of flavors and quality.
After months of hard work and learning, we were finally ready. In 2023, Kranti launched at the World of Coffee Dubai, marking the start of something truly special. It became a platform to showcase the exotic coffees of India.
What do you think is the future of Indian specialty coffee and the specialty coffee scene in India?
India is traditionally known for commercial coffee exports, but more producers have recently started focusing on quality over quantity. Specialty Indian coffee has begun gaining international attention. Many producers are now committed to sustainable practices like preserving biodiversity, promoting organic farming, and supporting social responsibility, which make Indian coffee unique. Intercropping with spices and fruits, for example, not only boosts farm income but also improves soil health and coffee quality.
Although India is a tea-drinking country, specialty coffee consumers are growing, and so are the number of cafes and roasters. Events like coffee festivals, workshops, and training are helping to build a coffee culture and engage new consumers.
In my hometown, Darjeeling, we now have several specialty cafes. We also run a community called Darjeeling Hills and Sikkim Coffee Community, where we hold workshops from planting to roasting and brewing. We’ve been doing this since 2022, and each year, we see more interest, which makes me optimistic about the future of specialty coffee in India. Wherever I go in India, I can always find great specialty coffee, and I believe Indian specialty coffee will continue reaching new heights.
