The Reality Behind the Brew, Pratama in the UAE Coffee Scene
The coffee industry can look pretty straightforward from the outside: a barista behind the bar, the sound of the grinder, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filling the room. But once you step in, you quickly realize there is a lot more going on beneath the surface. In this interview, Pratama Rakhmatullah Winarto opens up about the reality behind a career in coffee, one that is shaped not just by skill, but by mindset, discipline, and the people you meet along the way.
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His journey started back in his university days in Yogyakarta, Indonesia and slowly unfolded across borders, eventually taking him to the fast-moving and highly competitive coffee scene in the United Arab Emirates.
From learning the basics on the bar to leading coffee operations for multiple brands, Pratama has seen the industry from different angles. Along the way, he has learned what it really takes to survive and grow in an international environment where standards are high and competition never sleeps.
This conversation is about the choices, habits, and values that shape a person in this industry, and the simple but powerful goal that continues to drive him, to keep making better coffee, day after day.
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| PRATAMA R WINARTO - Photo by Pratama doc. |
Can you tell us how your journey in coffee started? Was it something you planned, or did it happen by accident?
My coffee journey started during my university days. In 2011, I was studying Business Management at Gadjah Mada University and had to complete my final project on an F&B marketing strategy. I was a regular customer at a well-reputed coffee shop in Yogyakarta called Lagani Coffee. I decided to work on my project with them and helped manage their social media. In return, I asked their Head Barista at the time, @QiqieBiannt, to teach me how to make coffee from scratch. She became my first coffee mentor, and with all the awards she and the Lagani team achieved back then, I was fortunate to start my journey in such a progressive environment.
Almost every month, I joined them at different throwdowns and competitions, gaining experience and building my network along the way. Those years were truly eye-opening and made me realize that the coffee industry is far bigger than just my own coffee bar. The more you know, the more you realize how much there is still to learn.
You’re now based in Dubai and lead coffee operations at EATX. What’s something about working in the UAE coffee scene that most people wouldn’t expect?
I think most people underestimated the consuming power of the UAE coffee industry, at least that was the case eight or nine years ago. Today, some of the highest-scoring and most expensive coffees in the world are available early in the UAE. This has shaped a consumer base that consistently demands higher-quality coffee, especially since there are so many alternatives if your offering is not good enough.
Having a good product is now simply the baseline. In the long run, service, hospitality, and the way you build relationships with customers matter even more. I have seen both sides: businesses that thrive because they combine great products with great service, and others that decline even with good coffee because of poor service. Almost everyone here has a chance to serve good coffee, but not everyone is willing to train their baristas to a level that truly matches the quality of what they are serving. Coffee consumers in the UAE are among the most demanding in the world, both in terms of product and service quality.
How different is the coffee culture there compared to Indonesia?
From a comparison standpoint, it is important to first understand that the buying power in the UAE and Indonesia is very different. Back home, I can usually find pretty good coffee at bigger, more established brands, and it is relatively easy to be satisfied with their quality. However, if I walk into a random coffee shop I am unfamiliar with, I sometimes still end up with a not-so-good cup. That is understandable, though, because I am not part of the majority of customers.
Last year in Indonesia, I visited a couple of my friends’ cafés, most of which mainly sell kopi susu and sweet-based drinks, especially in non-capital cities. In the UAE, on the other hand, you can walk into a random coffee shop and end up drinking something like a Janson Geisha or a Chiroso. Most people here tend to drink black coffee, especially iced V60 during the summer. In my shop, for example, our best-selling drinks are Long Black and Batch Brew.
Beyond the types of drinks, the timing and habits around coffee are also very different. Not at EatX, but many other coffee shops here stay open until midnight or even 1 a.m., and there are still people drinking coffee at those hours. Back home in Indonesia, most cafés tend to close around 9 or 10 p.m. on weekdays.
From your experience, how open is Dubai’s coffee industry to Indonesian professionals? Do you think there are good opportunities for Indonesians to work and grow there?
Honestly, Indonesian coffee professionals have been in high demand in the UAE for about eight years now. When I first arrived here in 2019, there were only a few of us, but we were very effective. I managed to secure first place in a roasting competition just three months after joining The Espresso Lab at the time. Even before me, there were Kemal and Fadhlan, who had already brought home trophies from the Brewers Cup.
Indonesian coffee professionals are widely known for their very nerdy and detailed approach to coffee, and I think that is what attracts many businesses to have them on their teams. After our champions back home started winning titles at the World Coffee Championships, the demand increased even more. Today, I estimate there are around a hundred Indonesian coffee professionals across the UAE, working in different roles such as baristas, roasters, heads of department, QC, and more.
In terms of opportunity, there is plenty of it here. But at the same time, you need to have a very competitive mindset and a strong sense of professionalism, because you are working alongside people from many different nationalities who share the same passion and work ethic. The growth potential is huge, but so is the standard.
And one important thing to remember: the Indonesian coffee community is actually very small. Your reputation travels fast, so it is always best to keep it clean, honest, and professional wherever you go.
What were the biggest adjustments you had to make when moving from being a barista to leading coffee operations?
I actually stepped away from the barista role as a full-time position about nine years ago. In 2017, I worked as Head Roaster at %Arabica, then in 2019 as Head of Roasting at The Espresso Lab, and later as Head of Coffee at EatX, where I now oversee coffee operations for 10 brands across 22 venues. That said, on a daily basis, I am still involved in hands-on work as a barista, especially when it comes to quality control.
The biggest adjustment in this transition has been my perspective. I used to see things as they were; now, I focus more on what they could become. That mindset has become a framework for how I approach my work, allowing me to see more possibilities within the coffee business and its operations, both on a technical level and in practical application.
You’ve competed in several coffee championships. What did those experiences teach you beyond technique and taste?
One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that humans are social beings. No champion truly makes it alone. Everyone has people supporting them in different ways. I have been backstage at the World Championships a few times as part of a coaching team, and it made me realize that we are all human, and no one is perfect. When you start to feel the weight of it all, it becomes lighter when you carry it together with your team and the people around you.
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On top of that, discipline is almost an absolute key to any form of success. I applied this in my own life and started to see real changes just by adjusting simple things, like going to the gym consistently, organizing my diet, and building better daily habits. All of this affects how your body and mind align, both in competition and in everyday life.
Being both a Q Grader and Head of Coffee, how do you balance precision with creativity?
I used to be pretty skeptical about certifications. I’ve always believed experience matters more than a piece of paper.
But the longer I stay in this industry, the more I realize that having some kind of proof of what you know is actually important. Especially now, with social media, where everyone can claim anything, it really matters that you actually understand what you’re talking about.
I also think being flexible is everything in this business. Things change fast, and you have to be able to adapt. Whenever I try to launch or implement something, I always put myself in the customer’s position, as if I don’t know the brand at all.
That mindset helps me communicate in a simpler, more relatable way, instead of trying to come off as “the expert.” Because most of the time, trying too hard to look like an expert just creates distance between you and the people you’re trying to reach.
What’s your current approach to sourcing and roasting coffee, and how do you define a “good” coffee now compared to when you first started?
When I first started, “good coffee” had a very strict meaning for me. It was non-negotiable. I even had my own standard for it, the 3C: clean, clear, and complex. And honestly, that belief still stays with me today.
But over time, my perspective shifted. I realized that good coffee is simply the coffee you enjoy the most. And because of that, it becomes very personal, very subjective. There’s no real right or wrong.
I used to source and roast some of the best coffees in the world, BOP, Pride of Geisha, COE, you name it. To me, that was the definition of good coffee. But for most of my customers, not so much.
Years later, my approach changed. Now, I focus more on sourcing specialty coffees that are sustainable for the business and enjoyable enough for people to come back again and again, sometimes even three or four times a day.
That said, I still keep a collection of high-end, exotic geishas and competition lots in my freezer. I roast and drink them at home, just to stay connected with the professional coffee world, without losing touch with the everyday consumer.
Many young baristas in Indonesia look up to professionals like you. What do you think they should focus on right now to grow?
On a broader scale, I think the most important things we need are an open mind and a solid work-learning ethic. Working in an international environment is extremely demanding. It’s not for the weak.
In Indonesia, you mostly work with fellow Indonesians. But here, you’re surrounded by people from all over the world. Some of them might be smarter than you, more disciplined than you, or simply better at communicating.
Right now, I don’t have any Indonesians in my department. Not because I don’t want to, but because I haven’t found the right fit yet. I’ve rejected many Indonesian CVs, sometimes for very simple reasons. For example, sending an email with no subject, no body, just an attachment. At that point, yes, you can probably see me as that strict high school math teacher. No compromise.
I also notice a pattern where jumping between two or three workplaces in a single year is still quite common. A lot of the Indonesian applicants I receive have this on their CV. Most hiring managers don’t see this as “experience” they see it as an inability to handle pressure and a desire for fast rewards without putting in the work.
Of course, not everyone is like this. But these are some of the areas we still need to improve on if more Indonesian coffee professionals want to seriously build a career abroad. The opportunity is there, and the growth is real, but only if you’re willing to work for it.
Indonesian coffee has been in demand for many years. But over the past five years, I’ve seen a clear shift in consumer behavior, towards higher-end quality, rather than the way Indonesian coffee used to be known for its bold, earthy profile.
In the UAE, the demand keeps growing, and more cafés are now serving better-quality Indonesian coffees. Some are even showcasing our more exclusive lots, COE, Liberica, and other unique varietals.
However, there is still one big dilemma. Indonesia itself is a huge consuming country. Often, the very best Indonesian coffees stay within the country and never get the chance to be exported.
I remember when I was in Melbourne and met Raymond Ali. He let me try a sample of his Semendo, it was incredibly good. I immediately asked for 1.5 tons, but there simply wasn’t enough available. And this same scenario happens in many regions across Indonesia.
Still, the future of Indonesian coffee is incredibly bright. And it would be even brighter if we could share more of its very best with the rest of the world.
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