JBSA-Randolph Barista Brews a Winning Cup of Joe

Pauline Ejercito, left, and Phyliss Razis, right, wish coworker Linda Williams all the best as she advances to an upcoming Starbucks barista area competition.

Linda Williams knows how to make a good cup of joe.

The barista at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph recently won the Starbucks District Barista champion and moves on to the next level of  competition in Houston in August.

She competed against three other baristas from the Starbucks’ San Antonio district and will vie against 10 others in Houston.

Williams makes a good cup of coffee by following Starbucks’ procedures—and using lots of creativity. She likes to think outside the box by combining flavors of Starbucks coffees with chocolates, cheeses and fruits that complement the tastes of her brews.

In the competition, she used Starbucks Ethiopian coffee paired with chocolate-covered cherries.

“Although the judges did not ask for a coffee pairing for the competition, I went the extra mile,” Williams said. “I also brought small portion cups into which I put the coffee grounds to let the judges smell the coffee that I was using before they tasted it.”

She is practicing for the Houston competition, which isn’t as easy as a non-barista would think.

Expert barista Linda Williams explains to customers the essence of matching good coffee with good food.

“I’ve been trying to work on making the art for the coffees, like the heart and flowers,” Williams said. “These are really hard to accomplish with coffee because temperatures and the pouring have to be perfect. My hopes are to make the judges see the hard work and effort I put in at Starbucks.”

Williams has worked at various Exchanges for the past 10 years. She has served customers at JB San Antonio-Randolph for nearly four years.

She comes from a military family: Williams is the wife of a retired Airman and daughter of a retired Airman.

“I know how being away TDY or deployed affects the customers,” Williams said. “I try to make sure that customers feel welcome and get the coffee they need to complete their day.”

Read about how other Exchange associates are making a difference in the lives of customers by checking out the Exchange Post’s July Flickr album.