PHOTOS

‘Soma Showdown’ between local baristas

Photos by Briana Pace

Design and development by Matei Cloteaux

Published Feb 1, 2025

A hand places down a latte in a black mug.
A glass door with a closed sign, and a poster advertising soma showdown.
3 Women hold signs and smile. The signs read words of encouragement.
A man in a black sweater holding an empty mug turns away from an espresso machine.
A view from behind someone as they pour milk into a latte.
A woman with blonde hair uses a rag to wipe down an espresso machine.
A woman in a black blouse looks intently at something out of frame.
A man in a green jacket and bow tie shouts as he works at an espresso machine.
A woman in a black tank top looks over her shoulder away from an espresso machine
A hand brushes the side of a black mug holding a latte.
A group of people facing the camera clap and cheer.
An empty bracket drawn in red, and a list to the side reading assorted criteria for latte art.
A person to the left cheers with their hands in the air, while someone on the right brings their hands to their mouth smiling.
Someone in a blue sweater intently operates an espresso machine.

A latte is locked in for judging as it slides into its square Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Two contestants competed alongside each other to make a latte in two minutes. If their time allowed, contestants could make another latte and choose which one they'd like to be judged.

The door to Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location is pictured Jan. 29, 2025, at 322 E. Kirkwood Ave. in Bloomington. The store was closed, open only to competitors and viewers of "Soma Showdown," a latte art battle between local baristas. The competition was bracket-style, with two baristas making lattes at the same time. Three judges then rated the coffee based on its balance and symmetry, quality of milk, difficulty of design, clarity of design and overall design.

Malea Floyd, Kai Miller and Bella Inman pose with signs supporting their favorite baristas Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Floyd intended on just watching the competition, but ended up competing as they needed another barista to even out the bracket.

Ghazi Alajna frantically looks behind himself as his two minutes to make a latte begin Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Alajna has been a barista for five years.

Andrew Good is pictured pouring his latte design Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Good won fourth place in the competition.

Malea Floyd panics as she wipes the milk steamer down Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Floyd had just finished making her latte and was cleaning the milk steamer. She didn't quite get the cloth all the way around the steamer before turning it on and the blast of hot air went straight into her latte, destroying her art.

Natalie Haffner, an assistant manager at East Soma, judges a latte Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Haffner has been working at East Soma for over two years.

Jackson Moore exclaims out of stress as his time to make his latte dwindles down Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Jackson went on to place third in the competition.

Brooke Sturgeon whips around as she makes her latte Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Sturgeon has been a barista for four years.

A latte is pictured Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Lucy Pendergast, Kirkwood Soma's assistant manager, said the coffee shop works to create the perfect coffee aesthetic. "We focus a lot on that here," Pendergast said.

A crowd full of eliminated competitors and community members cheers on the baristas in the final round Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Franklin Hou of Hopscotch and Matthew Myer of Kirkwood Soma were the two that made it to the final round.

The Soma Showdown bracket is pictured Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. The competition began at 7:30 p.m., a half hour after the store closed for the day.

Matthew Myer cheers for Franklin Hou as the judges announce that Hou won the compeititon Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. Hou said they have been a barista for over three years.

Quil Espiritu cleans the espresso machine after the competition Jan. 29, 2025, at Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar's Kirkwood location in Bloomington. In between the rounds of the competition, the competing baristas and other employees would help clean, but a deeper clean was still needed when it all was done.