Consider this your morning briefing: The world’s top chefs are treating coffee like a fine wine, curating roasters that match their culinary vision. From Copenhagen to Los Angeles, chefs are ditching generic brews to partner with specialty roasters, ensuring every cup aligns with their philosophy. At Noma, chef René Redzepi and Tim Wendelboe crafted a “nomacano”—a hybrid of Americano and pour-over—to complement their tasting menus. This isn’t just coffee; it’s a deliberate act of storytelling, where the bean’s origin and roast profile mirror the dish’s intention.
In Los Angeles, Be Bright has become a staple for chefs like David Chang and Ori Menashe. Frank La’s roastery, born from years of working with Café Dulce and Copa Vida, now supplies espresso for tiramisu and coffee ice cream. Its beans, sourced from Colombia’s organic farms, are roasted with precision, reflecting the same rigor chefs apply to their kitchens. Meanwhile, SingleThread Farms in California pairs its meticulous dishes with Covoya’s Colombia Cauca Organic beans, roasted by Land and Water Coffee. The result? A coffee that’s as intentional as the five-course meal it follows.
Bar Le Côte in Santa Barbara makes no secret of its love for coffee. Owner Brad Matthews keeps his Slayer espresso machine front and center, a visual reminder that quality matters. He sources from Coastal Coffee Collective and Heart Roasters, both of which prioritize ethical sourcing. “Coffee should be as much a part of the experience as the food,” Matthews says. This ethos extends to Flynn McGarry’s Gemin, where La Cabra and SEY roasters are chosen not just for taste, but for their ties to sustainable farming.
Key Points: Chefs treat coffee sourcing like they do ingredients—seeking transparency, flavor, and ethical alignment. Collaboration between chefs and roasters creates unique brews that elevate dining. Coffee is no longer an afterthought; it’s a curated element of the culinary experience.
Which roaster would you pair with your favorite dish.
Which roaster would you pair with your favorite dish? Let’s debate in the comments.
Questions & Answers
Which coffee roasters do top chefs recommend?
Chefs recommend roasters like Blue Bottle, Intelligentsia, and Counter Culture for quality beans and unique blends.
Why do chefs prefer certain coffee roasters?
Chefs choose roasters for consistent quality, flavor profiles, and sustainability practices that enhance their dishes.
Information sourced from industry reports and news outlets.
