Pencil ( Weiqin Li ) - China

2026 - WCIGS - China

Instagram: @Dr.Pencil

Please tell us a little about yourself:

My name is Weiqin Li, you can also call me “Pencil”, and I’m the founder of BATHE COFFEE, a creative specialty coffee project based in Shanghai, China.

People often ask me why the café is called BATHE.

The answer is simple — many of my drink ideas actually come to me while I’m taking a shower.

When the water is running and the world becomes quiet, flavors start to connect in my mind. A fruit reminds me of a place, a flower reminds me of a season, and slowly a drink begins to take shape.

I entered the coffee industry more than ten years ago, originally just because I loved the atmosphere of coffee shops. Over time I became fascinated by how coffee can carry aroma, memory, and emotion at the same time.

Today my work focuses on creative coffee and flavor design, exploring how coffee can interact with ingredients, storytelling, and sensory experiences.

Winning the China Championship of Coffee in Good Spirits gave me the chance to bring these ideas to the world stage, and for me competitions are a beautiful way to share creativity with the global coffee community.

What are you excited to do while you visit Brussels?

I’m really excited to spend time in Brussels, a city that feels full of craft, history, and flavor.

As someone who works closely with aromas, I’m especially curious to explore Belgium’s famous chocolate culture. Coffee and chocolate share many sensory connections, so visiting chocolatiers and tasting different cacao expressions is something I’m really looking forward to.

I also love slowly walking through cities when I travel. Brussels feels like a place where you can wander through old streets, step into small cafés, and suddenly find yourself surrounded by the smell of coffee, pastries, and chocolate.

Those quiet moments — sitting in a café, observing people, tasting something new — are often where inspiration begins for my next drink.

And of course, I’m very excited to meet coffee professionals from all over the world. Competitions like WCC always feel like a temporary city of coffee people, where everyone shares the same curiosity and passion.

What are your interests outside of coffee?

Outside of coffee, I’m fascinated by flavor, art, and storytelling.

I love exploring ingredients, visiting markets, tasting unfamiliar foods, and studying aromas. Sometimes a single smell — like citrus peel, wood smoke, or herbs after rain — can inspire an entire drink concept.

I also enjoy watching films and visiting museums.

Cinema and visual art often influence how I think about presentation, narrative, and emotion in beverages.

For me, designing a drink is a little like directing a small film —

there is a beginning, a transformation, and a final moment.

Is there anyone you would like to thank or recognize, or who helped you to prepare for the WCC?

I would like to thank my team at BATHE COFFEE, who supported me throughout the preparation process.

I’m also grateful to the many friends and mentors in the coffee community who shared ideas, feedback, and encouragement along the way.

Finally, I’d like to thank my family for always supporting my passion for coffee and creativity.

Competitions are never a solo journey — they are always supported by a community.