Bilawal Khan

Everyone starts somewhere. For Bilawal Khan, it began as a waiter in 2018, working in a café. He wasn’t initially aiming for a career in coffee, but something about the craft of making coffee sparked his curiosity. Watching baristas create intricate latte art and seeing the joy it brought to customers, Bilawal wanted to be part of that. It wasn’t long before he made the leap to become a barista, and from there, his passion for coffee only grew.

Bilawal Khan

You might relate to that feeling—the spark of curiosity that hits when you see something done really well. The first time you tasted coffee that changed everything. The first time you wondered if there was more to it than just caffeine. For Bilawal, that moment came when he experienced a cup of coffee that was unlike any he’d had before.

“The first time I had a really good cup of coffee, it felt like an awakening. It wasn’t just the usual bitterness I was used to—it had layers of flavor I’d never experienced before. There was this natural sweetness, hints of fruit, and a smooth, almost velvety texture that lingered after each sip. It was as if the coffee was telling a story of its journey from the farm to my cup.”

Can you remember that first cup? The one that made you stop and think, “Wait, this is something special.”?

For Bilawal, that cup was the first step into a much bigger world. He didn’t start out with grand ambitions to become a coffee expert or leader in the field. He didn’t even know about terms like “specialty coffee” or “SCA AST.” He just knew that what he had tasted was far beyond the usual—and he wanted to be part of that.

So, like many others before him, Bilawal started small. He stepped up from being a waiter to a barista, learning how to pull the perfect shot, how to steam milk just right, and how to create something that wasn’t just coffee, but an experience. In those early days, it wasn’t about certifications or fancy titles; it was about getting it right, about understanding how every little detail—the grind, the pressure, the timing—could make the difference between a good cup and a great one.

Does this sound familiar to you? Maybe you started behind the counter too, learning the ropes, feeling both the joy and the frustration of trying to perfect your craft. We’ve all been there, right? That moment when you finally nail a perfect pour and you think, “Yes! This is it!” Or the time when you served a customer their drink, and their face lit up with that look of pure satisfaction, and you realized it wasn’t just about the drink—it was about how it made them feel.

But even as Bilawal worked his way up from barista to Senior Barista and then Head Barista, he realized that there was always more to learn. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, coffee has a way of reminding you that the journey never truly ends. It’s always evolving. And so was Bilawal.

The more he learned, the more he realized coffee wasn’t just a job—it was a passion. It was about the artistry, the science, and the people. It was about how a single cup of coffee could tell the story of a farm, a harvest, and the journey it took to get into your hands.

Bilawal Khan’s coffee journey

And then came the competitions. For many in the coffee world, these are moments that push you beyond your limits, challenging you in ways you didn’t expect. Bilawal stepped into the UAE Cup Tasters Championship and the UAE Latte Art Championship—two events that tested not just his skill but his determination and his creativity. He wasn’t a seasoned competitor, but like so many before him, he felt the drive to see how far he could push himself. After all, these competitions weren’t just about winning—they were about growth. They were about learning new things, testing your limits, and understanding what you could bring to the table. For Bilawal, it was the thrill of seeing how his skills held up against the best, the excitement of learning and evolving.

It’s the same feeling many of us get when we try something new and challenge ourselves. That buzz when you push beyond your comfort zone and discover just how much you’re capable of. Bilawal found that same thrill, and though he didn’t walk away with all the trophies, he walked away with something more valuable: a deeper understanding of his craft, and a greater confidence in his abilities.

From there, Bilawal took his newfound knowledge and passion into Quality Control—another pivotal moment. It wasn’t about just making coffee anymore. It was about understanding every stage of the process, from the farm to the cup. It was about ensuring consistency, quality, and flavor in every single batch. It was a whole new challenge, one that demanded precision, patience, and attention to detail.

But if you ask Bilawal, he’ll tell you that the most rewarding moment in his journey wasn’t the certifications or the titles. It was the day he became an SCA Authorized Trainer (AST). That’s when his journey truly came full circle—not because of what he had achieved, but because he had finally reached a point where he could give back. He could pass on everything he had learned to others, helping new baristas and coffee professionals find their own passion and place in the coffee world.

“I love seeing others grow, experimenting, and discovering their own love for coffee. It’s a joy to help them find their own voice in this industry,” Bilawal says.

It’s those moments, those connections, that keep Bilawal Khan going. Every time he teaches a new barista, every time he helps someone discover their own love for coffee, he knows he’s not just passing on a skill; he’s contributing to something bigger—a community of people who share the same passion for the drink that changed his life.