Welcome to The Sprudge Twenty Interviews presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2025 Sprudge Twenty honorees, please visit sprudge.com/twenty.
I don’t know anyone more driven, talented, or kindhearted than Reza Kosar. Whether it was becoming the first Iranian Q-grader, a world championship judge, or establishing a world-class coffee roastery in an underserved location, Reza has accomplished so much despite significant challenges.
He’s also the best coffee roaster I know.
Unfortunately, Reza still faces visa denials because of his passport country. The political situation at home means he can’t travel home to see his family. He’s literally sacrificed everything to follow his coffee dream.
I can’t think of anyone more worthy of this recognition.
Nominated by Michael Butterworth
How many years total have you worked in the coffee industry?
I’ve been working in coffee for over 13 years.
What was your first coffee job?
I started as a barista in a tiny coffee bar in Shiraz, Iran—the kind of place where you do everything from pulling shots to cleaning tables. I’ve always had a sweet tooth for chocolate, and during my university years I was often making chocolate-and-coffee drinks at home. At that time, I wasn’t really looking for a job; I was focused on my studies and training as a professional badminton player. But one day, I visited a friend’s friend’s coffee bar and was instantly fascinated by the craft of coffee-making. After a brief conversation about coffee and seeing my excitement, the owner, Hamed Shaffaf, kindly offered me a part-time role as an apprentice barista during my free time. That opportunity was enough to send me down the rabbit hole. Within a few weeks, I was running the bar on my own—and it was there that I discovered my true passion.
Did you experience a life-changing moment of coffee revelation early in your career?
Yes—actually, there were several.
After my short time as a barista in Shiraz, I moved to Tehran to continue my master’s degree in Linguistics. My passion for coffee was still with me, and I eventually joined one of the pioneering third-wave coffee shops in Tehran, called Sam Cafe. During my first year there, we were still using dark Italian-style roasts. Even though there was a beautiful P12 Probat roaster right at the entrance, no one really knew how to use it yet—we were waiting for formal training. Out of curiosity and passion, I started studying everything I could about coffee: history, brewing, roasting, sensory science.
After a few months, I began offering internal trainings for our staff about the concept of specialty coffee and the “coffee waves.” Around that time, the first-ever Iranian National Barista Competition was taking place. As one of the sponsors, we had a couple of competitors, and that’s when I discovered the world of coffee competitions. It was kind of revelation. I had no idea coffee could be expressed and celebrated in such a creative and professional way. Watching past champions’ performances online opened a new world for me; it showed me that coffee could be both art and science. I helped our competitors prepare their presentations, and for over a month, we stayed at the cafe after hours, training through the night.
Soon after, I roasted my first coffee, which was a washed Ethiopian from Yirgacheffe. When I cupped it for the first time, I was stunned by its sweetness, freshness, and floral notes. It felt as if I could see through the coffee—even though I had never visited a farm at that point, I could somehow feel its journey. Later, I wrote: “Coffee is an imaginary ride that takes you on the journey it’s taken to get to your cup!”
That moment was my true coffee revelation, realizing I could learn about coffee through taste alone. My other revelation came years later, when I finally visited coffee farms and saw firsthand the incredible dedication and hard work behind each cup. It was a deeply humbling experience that changed how I understood coffee forever.
Is there a person or persons who served as your mentor early in your coffee career? How did they impact you?
There are actually many people who’ve inspired and shaped who I am today—most of them remotely. I often say I’m a product of the collective wisdom of this industry. People like Ted Lingle, Trish Rothgeb, Darrin Daniel, Joseph Rivera, Willem Boot, Jodi Wieser, George Howell, Geoff Watts, Gloria Pedroza, Scott Rao, Joe Marrocco, John Thompson, Peter Giuliano, Valerian Hrala, Tracy Allen, Graciano Cruz, Joel Shuler, Shawn Steiman, Spencer Turer, Paul Songer, Craig Holt, and many more. I’ve learned from each of them, whether through their work, writings, or the moments I’ve had the chance to meet them in person.
What is your current role in coffee?
I’m the co-founder and Managing Partner at Slick Coffee Co. based in Muscat, Oman. I also judge in international coffee competitions and mentor emerging roasters and baristas. My work is about bridging global specialty coffee standards with local identity, helping coffees from our region gain recognition, and helping people here deepen their relationship to coffee.
What facet of the coffee industry has changed the most during your career?
The biggest change has been accessibility to information and coffee education. When I started, many producer stories, processing methods, and green‐coffee logistics were opaque or hard to access in my region. Now, thanks to digital platforms, open sourcing, and a global coffee community, there’s an unprecedented exchange of knowledge. Coffee processing methods have also evolved tremendously, introducing new fermentation styles and techniques that expand flavor possibilities. These developments are shrinking distances between origin and roast, and helping more people contribute meaningfully to the conversation.
What still surprises you today about coffee, or gives you joy?
What continues to amaze me is how endlessly untamed coffee remains. I’m deeply moved by the science behind it; every now and then there’s a new experiment or discovery, and when the results align closely with what I speculated, it brings me immense joy. No matter how many coffees I roast and taste, every time I encounter a beautifully processed and perfectly roasted coffee, I get goosebumps. Beyond that, seeing that aha! moment on the faces of my students gives me just as much joy. These moments, big or small, never fail to remind me why I love my job.
What’s something about the coffee industry you’d most like to see change?
The coffee industry needs fundamental changes to address the systemic exploitation of smallholder farmers through fairer income models, combat the severe impacts of climate change by promoting agroforestry and sustainable practices, and improve transparency and accountability beyond misleading certification schemes. This requires a significant shift from the current inequitable distribution of profit, which heavily favors roasters and retailers, toward prioritizing the livelihoods of farmers and implementing genuinely sustainable, transparent, and climate-resilient practices throughout the entire supply chain.
What is your most cherished coffee memory?
One moment that has really stayed with me is when I passed all the exams and became a certified Q Grader. It felt almost unreal. I was the first Q Grader from my region, an underserved area with limited access to knowledge and education. It was also the first time I experienced a truly professional cupping environment—being exposed to organic acids, roasting issues, aroma kit—everything was new to me. That exposure changed something deep inside me; it accelerated my growth through accumulated knowledge and hands-on practice.
Other cherished memories include visiting a coffee farm for the first time and judging international competitions. Each of those experiences expanded my understanding of coffee and deepened my connection to the people and work behind it.
Do you make coffee at home? If so, tell us how you brew!
Yes, I do, but only on the weekends when I get to slow down and spend time with my wife. I brew on my Sage Precision Brewer because it’s easy, fast, and reliable. It doesn’t need my full attention to make a good cup, which makes it perfect for those relaxed weekend mornings.
What is your favorite song/music to brew coffee to?
I love rap and hip-hop—especially Eminem, 90s hip-hop, and Persian rap—but I also enjoy jazz, especially on slower mornings.
What is your idea of coffee happiness?
Coffee happiness, to me, is about connection: with the people, the places, and the stories behind every cup. It’s those moments when a coffee truly speaks for itself, when someone tastes it and suddenly understands what makes it special. It’s also in the shared experiences: teaching, learning, exchanging ideas, and seeing how one beverage can bring people from all walks of life together, and bring a genuine smile to their face. That’s what coffee happiness feels like to me.
If you could drink coffee with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?
That’s a tough one. I think I’d love to sit and have coffee with Eminem. I grew up listening to his music—it motivated me, inspired me, and challenged me to push through tough times. Everyone who knows me knows how much of a Stan I am, so it probably doesn’t sound weird that I’d want to share a cup with someone I truly admire.
The other person would be my late linguistics professor, Dr. Koorosh Safavi. He was my biggest supporter during my university years and deeply influenced my academic path. When he learned about my coffee career, he once told me, ‘You’ll become a great linguist.’ I asked him why, and he said, ‘Because all great minds in philosophy and linguistics were addicted to coffee.’ That always stayed with me.
What’s one piece of advice you would give someone getting their start in the coffee industry today?
Don’t give up, and don’t rush the process. Coffee is complex and diverse—there’s always a path that fits you. Stay humble and curious. Learn from everyone, cup everything, and never think you’ve figured it out, because the moment you do, coffee will humble you. Certificates are a good starting point, but they don’t mean you know it all—knowledge comes from experience, not from online tests. Learning is the journey, not the destination. Taste more than you post! 😉
The Sprudge Twenty feature series is proudly presented by Pacific Barista Series.
