The Florence-native then went on to participate in the first edition of the Roast Masters™ at The Amsterdam Coffee Festival in March 2019, overcoming stiff competition from a string of international roasters and ranking fourth-place. As we look to the Roast Masters™ Milan debut, we spoke to Bongini about his experience in the competition and the journey of launching Gearbox.
Ciao Tommaso! Your new independent adventure with Gearbox Coffee Roasters began almost a year ago. What have been the most significant moments of this new and eventful journey?
The first significant moment was 11 July 2018, when we registered the Gearbox Coffee Roasters brand. No doubt The Milan Coffee Festival was the motivation to do something more innovative, and I was so mindful of the wonderful experience with La Marzocco at The London Coffee Festival that I talked to my parents and we all agreed to create something new.
Another important moment for the launch of Gearbox Coffee Roasters was ten days before the festival, when Coffee Mantra – a coffee shop in Florence – switched from Mokarico, my family coffee, to my brand. That was a super moment, where I realized what I was really doing!
The Milan Coffee Festival was a baptism of fire in which I had to explain my brand to the public, just like my participation in the Roast Masters™ at The Amsterdam Coffee Festival. But when I was selected I was very excited!
You also competed at the first Roast Masters™ in Amsterdam last March. What do you think of this challenge?
It’s very cool, because it allows you to compete in a not too competitive way. Or better still, there is competition – because it is an important race that allows you to explain your 'know how' – but basically you do it in a trendy way; it’s a lot more relaxed. There are competition jokes, and it allows you to compare yourself with others on the same level (the cupping coffee was the same for everyone,) and then the discourse of creating an espresso blend shows you how each roaster in different countries interprets in its own way and approaches the customer in their own country.
Tommaso competing at Roast Masters™ at The Amsterdam Coffee Festival 2019
What was the most emotional moment of the competition?
Can I be honest? When I saw Gearbox Coffee Roasters in first place in the semi-final results compared to other well-known roasters. I was genuinely in seventh heaven!
What is the most important advice you would give to the participants of the Roast Masters™ in Milan?
Do it first without expectations, because it is a race to have fun and improve yourself. In this case, perhaps it is more important to participate than to win. But in my own little way I'm pleased to advise those who call me to ask me about the Roast Masters™ and the festival in general.
We know that you grew up among coffee beans because you come from an important family of coffee roasters in Florence, Caffè Mokarico. What do you think of Italian roasting?
I’ll give you a "politically correct" answer. I see it as the "sleeping beauty", in the sense that it has a lot of potential; we could do much more – and I include myself in this – but there is still a long way to go. Surely the difficulty is the same one I encountered when I joined the company five years ago and I started to bring my specialty mentality, namely to clash with a somewhat fossilized tradition. You can't stand still, you have to open your mind!
You will of course be at The Milan Coffee Festival again this year. Do you have any spoilers for us?
Haha, we will see. Let's just say that in the meantime we have already turned on the engines...
Catch Tommaso and Gearbox Coffee Roasters at The Milan Coffee Festival from 30 Nov - 01 Dec 2019. Tickets are completely free, but in limited supply. Sign up now to avoid dissapointment.