Junior Vargas Otero, Austria
Independent
Please tell us a little about yourself:
I am an AST (Authorised SCA Trainer) and part of the KK-Solutions team, specializing in the sales and maintenance of espresso machines. My work combines sales, brand representation, education worldwide, and events. I also train baristas, coach competitors, and support coffee professionals and entrepreneurs.
I have been competing as a barista for several years. Competition has become an important part of my professional journey because it pushes me to keep learning, challenge myself, and share knowledge with the coffee community. More importantly, it allows me to share my mission: to create value for coffee at origin and contribute to a more sustainable and viable future for coffee producers.
What motivates me to compete is the opportunity to turn knowledge into practice, continuously improve, and connect with people who share the same passion for coffee. I enjoy the combination of coffee, creativity, precision, and performance that competitions bring.
I actually got into coffee long before I became a professional. I was born on a coffee farm in Peru, and one of my earliest memories is climbing a big, old coffee tree to harvest coffee cherries. At that time, coffee wasn't a drink to me it was simply part of everyday life.
A fun fact about me is that I have worked across different areas of hospitality, including hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafés around the world, before dedicating myself fully to specialty coffee. And, honestly, what has kept me going, kept me awake, and pushed me through life has always been coffee. :)
What are you excited to do while you visit the Panama city?
Before the competition, I will probably be fully focused on preparing and competing. After the competition, I’m really looking forward to connecting with the Panamanian coffee community and visiting some of the incredible coffee farms that Panama has to offer.
I’m especially excited to experience coffee at origin, meet producers, learn from their stories, and discover the people and places that make Panama such an inspiring coffee producing country.
What are your interests outside of coffee?
Outside of coffee, one of my biggest passions is photography and videography. I really got into it during the pandemic, and what started as a hobby quickly became a creative outlet.
I love using photography and video to document my travels, capture moments at origin and during competitions, and share stories from the coffee community. For me, it’s another way to connect with people and tell the story of coffee beyond what’s in the cup.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or recognize, or who helped you to prepare for the WCC?
There are several people and communities I would like to thank for helping me on this journey.
First, Christian, my backbone throughout this whole process. His support, trust, and encouragement have meant a lot to me.
Wilton Benítez, the producer behind these amazing coffees, for his passion, dedication, and for giving me the opportunity to work with such incredible coffees.
My family for their constant support and for always believing in me.
And finally, SCA Austria and the entire Austrian coffee community, for their support, encouragement, and for creating a community that continues to push me to grow and improve.
