What the World Barista Championship taught Jaimee Noh even after the competitions came to an end.

The World Stage was not the finish line.

It was a milestone.

After serving as a World Tech Judge at the 2025 World Barista Championship, Jaimee returned home with more than memories. She came back with notes, questions, and a clearer understanding of where she still wants to grow.

This conversation is really about that part. What happens after the stage when you sit with the experience and decide what to do with it.

Growth Beyond the Competition

Q. What did you do when you came back from Milan?

I went straight back to practice.

There were very specific areas I knew I needed to improve. Technical things like eye measurements with milk and coffee grounds. Writing cleaner, more organized scoresheets. Making sure my notes actually reflected what I was tasting and seeing.

At the same time, I was thinking about the judges I train and calibrate as a Nationals Head Judge. If I want to guide them properly, I need to keep raising my own standard.

One day, I would like to be a representative. Maybe even train judges at a world level. If that is the goal, then studying and practicing is not optional. It has to become routine.

Q. As a roaster and a judge, what do you want to strengthen most?

Sensory for sure.

After COVID, I feel like I lost part of my palate. I can’t explain it exactly. There is always one cup I miss. One flavour I can’t quite identify. I can feel that something is there, but I can’t name it. This can be frustrating.

I do have sensory judging experience, but compared to my technical judging experience, it’s much less. Technical has a lot of yes or no answers. Sensory is different. It’s very descriptive and interpretive. You have to articulate what you’re perceiving clearly.

Coffee is skill based, yes. But at its core, coffee is sensory. If I want to grow as a roaster and as a judge, I feel like that’s where I need to invest more time.

Q. Has your perspective changed after judging at the World Barista Championship?

Yes.

Before, I would think about what the Canadian coffee scene should prepare for. What trends are coming and what standards we should focus on.

After Worlds, what stayed with me was how many truly skilled people there are. So many.

There is a saying that talented people practice a lot, but the best people practice even more. I think that’s true. At Worlds, I kept looking at certain competitors and thinking, they look so calm. Where does that calm come from?

It comes from experience. And practice.

When I felt tense or rushed, I realized that feeling comes from not having enough repetition yet. If I want that sense of ease, I need more real experience.

Q. What did you think when you returned from WBC?

I thought, I need to match my title.

If I’m a World Tech Judge, then I need to keep improving at a world level. Not just maintain, but improve.

I also thought I needed to take better care of my body. Focus and patience come from stamina. If I want to stay sharp on stage for long hours, I need physical strength too.

In the future, if the opportunity allows, I’d like to challenge myself in other categories. Latte art, cupping, good spirits.

I don’t know exactly when, maybe within three to six years, but I’m hoping sooner rather than later. As you age, your palate can naturally dull. There are many experienced judges who continue because their experience matches their age. I want to build that experience now.

My personal goal is to become a strong sensory judge before I turn 50.

Q. Is there anything you would say to someone who wants to compete or judge but feels unsure?

I recently met a friend who said they wanted to compete and judge, but they hesitated. They said, competitors practice for so long and so hard. Who am I to judge them? Do I really have the skills?

Judging is a big responsibility and while it should feel heavy, everyone has a first.

Even me. I had many years of national experience, but Milan was my first time at Worlds.

I hope people challenge themselves. If you think too much, you end up doing nothing. Apply first. Then study what you need to study. Practice what you need to practice.

Growth comes from stepping forward, not from waiting until you feel perfectly ready.

Coming home from the World Barista Championship did not feel like closing a chapter.

It felt like seeing the gap between where she is and where she wants to be. And choosing to work toward it anyway.

More sensory training. More technical precision. More real world experience.

But maybe that’s the point.

The goal was never just to stand on a world stage. It was to keep growing long after stepping off of it.

And this next season of practice might be the most important one yet.