REACHING FOR THE SKIES

Ever since his foray into the world of coffee, Shaun Liew has continually raised the bar not just for himself, but for everyone else around him. From winning competitions to building his brand, Liew has soared past each milestone and is continuing to inspire.

- STUART DANKER

MENTION COFFEE and the first thing that comes to mind is the wide swathe of skills a barista has to master. But for Shaun Liew, that's only a small part of his empire. In fact, for him, the sky's the limit, and he hasn't stopped climbing.

Liew has managed to shatter every barrier he once set for himself and shows no signs of slowing down. He's constantly setting new ambitious targets, perpetually in pursuit of the next milestone.

His approach to life is akin to that of an aviator, soaring from one goal to another. This epitomises his philosophy of constant growth, which he graciously shares with Augustman in this interview.

How did your journey into the coffee industry take off, and what inspired you to pursue it?

Not many people know this, but I started in education. Back when I was a lecturer, I began attending a lot of coffee-cupping events in 2012, which would expose me to the coffee world. It's like taking an unplanned flight and landing at an extraordinary destination.

I remember the first time I had tasted an espresso by a barista named Cheryl. It tasted like blueberry jam, and I was so intrigued by how flavourful coffee could be. The complexity of what I thought was a simple beverage made me want to learn more, and ever since then, I never looked back.

It was a serendipitous time in my life as the coffee industry was also booming then. It became the perfect springboard for all my plans and passions, making the opening of my first cafe, Yellow Brick Road, that much easier.

My coffee career took to the skies and it's been a constant climb after that.

You've topped the Malaysia Brewers Cup twice now. How did your passion for competitions begin?