Jonathan Le Pautremat - France
2026 - WCIGS - France
Instagram: @jonathan_lepautremat
Please tell us a little about yourself:
Obélix fell into the cauldron when he was a child. As for me, I fell into taste completely, without hesitation or compromise.
After 25 years spent between pastry, chocolate, and gastronomy, I chose to devote myself fully to specialty coffee. Not for recognition, but because I found in it a raw, uncompromising level of excellence. An all-consuming passion as if I had finally found where I truly belong.
The turning point? A simple V60 during a job interview. I drank that coffee and everything shifted. I couldn’t think about anything else except describing what I was tasting. I left and spent three hours in the coffee shop across the street the one that had brewed it. In that moment, I knew there was no going back. I had fallen in love with the complexity of coffee.
After four attempts, finishing between 5th and 3rd place, I won the national roasting championship this year.
Since then, I have never let up. I taught myself, alone in my garage, using equipment I purchased myself. Today, I teach roasting, sometimes in unexpected places like prisons, a commitment that means a great deal to me. I coach, I source, I roast, and I support the new generation of French competitors as much as I can.
I am the co-founder of Fève Roasters in Paris, where I serve as Head Roaster, and of Campus Café, a training school dedicated to the craft of coffee roasting, built around a collaborative workshop rooted in shared knowledge. Campus is designed for those who want to commit to this profession and become part of a new generation shaping its future — that is our ambition.
At the same time, I advise both artisans and industrial players through consulting, driven by a clear principle: raise the standard, challenge habits, and restore passion and taste to the very heart of the craft.
What are you excited to do while you visit Brussels?
Brussels is very close I go there often. I’m truly looking forward to returning to the places I love, meeting up with my business partners and the coaches who support me, as well as the other French competitors. It will be a chance to share meaningful moments together, enjoy a good beer after the competition, and fully embrace the opportunity of competing on the world stage.
What are your interests outside of coffee?
Brussels is very close I go there often. I’m really looking forward to returning to the places I love, meeting up with my business partners and the coaches who support me, as well as the other French competitors. It will be a chance to share meaningful moments together, enjoy a good beer after the competition, and fully embrace the experience of competing on the world stage.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or recognize, or who helped you to prepare for the WCC?
For the national competition in France, I would like to extend a special thank you to Sébastien Mauer, who stepped in as a last-minute coach and whose support proved decisive.
In preparing for the World Championship, I also want to thank all the participants who supported me, with a special mention to Dajo Aertssen. Although he finished just behind me, he generously took the time to help me better understand the machine that will be the official world sponsor. That kind of mindset speaks volumes.
Finally, a sincere thank you to the team I am building alongside my coaches Veda Viraswami, Antoine Peron, and Marco de Sousa Rosa. Their guidance has been essential throughout this journey. Nothing at this level is achieved alone it is the result of shared standards, discipline, and collective commitment.
