Aucklander Vishal Dhiman says the past three years honing his barista skills in New Zealand are behind his recent win of a top Australasian award.
Dhiman won third place at the Muffin Break Best Barista Competition in Sydney, beating some of the top baristas from New Zealand and Australia.
Dhiman moved to New Zealand from India to enhance his barista career, which started with a year's experience in his hometown of Chandigarh.
The Muffin Break Albany manager, who studied Hospitality Management at The University of Auckland, is thrilled to have made his mark here and across the Tasman.
"I love representing New Zealand, as it's now my home," says Dhiman. "Plus the training and support I have received from my time at Muffin Break and The University of Auckland have helped me to achieve my goals as a barista. It has also given me the opportunity to travel to Australia, for the first time, to showcase my coffee-making skills, which was amazing. I've wanted to go there ever since I was in India."