At Home With Leon

1. Tell us a bit about yourself. What you do at PPP Coffee and what kind of person are you outside work?

I have been in the hospitality & F&B industry operations for the past 10 years. Very early on in life I figured that a desk-bound job was not for me, and that I prefer being in the service industry. I started my first job at Capella Hotel. My experience there propelled me further into the industry and gave me a really solid foundation to who I am today.

I joined PPP Coffee as a Wholesale Account Manager. While it is mostly a desk-bound job, which I challenged myself to adapt, I'm glad it gave me an opportunity to share my passion in specialty coffee to a different group of clients as I interact with them via conversations and trainings on our coffee. 

Outside work I’m quite an adrenaline junkie! Recently I’ve been up participating in a variety of outdoor activities such as bouldering, kayaking, beach volleyball, and hiking. There are so much more activities that I have yet to try. I'm always up for a challenge!

2. What was your first impression of coffee, and do you have a favourite?

I only thought of it as a bitter drink and didn't want to try. It was latte art that got me attracted to coffee, however even then I did not drink it. It was not until I had an iced latte with Ethiopia Yirgacheffe beans. I used to think taste notes were a fluffy gimmick however in that cup I could taste blueberries, and the rest is history.

I don't really have a favourite coffee. Whether I go for something exciting or regular, my pick depends on my mood at the moment. As the saying goes: There’s no best coffee around, just the coffee you enjoy.

3. Share with us your most memorable coffee story.

It would be when I was preparing for my first National Brewers Cup! I was still working in a cafe back then. My shift starts around 7am and end at about 6pm. I would take a short nap before I started to practice and prepare for the competition until about 11pm. This would continue for the next 4 months. While it was tiring, I absolutely enjoyed every moment of it. 

4. What's your home setup like?

Left to right: Acaia Pearl Coffee Scale, Kinto Carafe, Brewista Artisan Kettle, Origami Air, Comandante C40 

5. If you could own any coffee gear, what would it be?

The Synesso ES1 would be great to have!

6. Last but not least, any coffee recipe to share? 

When I brew at home, I use either the Origami or Hario V60 Ceramic. I use 15g coffee to 240g water at 92°C - 94°C. I split the brew into four pours:

0:00 - 0:30 - Pour 40g

0:30 - 1:00 - Pour to 140g

1:00 - 1:30 - Pour to 190g

1:30 - Pour to 240g

Total drawdown time should be at  2:15 - 2:30 mins.

I also recently discovered that the Supernova Suke Quto Pods is excellent as an Affogato! The sweetness from the vanilla ice cream brings out the peachy, floral notes in the coffee. Don't take my words for it. Try it!