Stevo Kühn

Stevo Kühn is one of South Africa’s most recognised figures in specialty coffee. A two-time South African Barista Champion (2023 and 2025) and the 2025 African Fine Coffee Association (AFCA) Barista Champion, Stevo combines technical precision, sensory science, and a genuine passion for people in everything he does behind the bar and in front of a classroom.

His journey into coffee began humbly, brewing French vanilla pour-overs with a R30 beehive brewer. What followed was a career defined by curiosity, discipline, and a relentless drive to understand the science behind the cup. Before coffee, Stevo was a qualified teacher with a background in psychology, and that foundation has never left him. It shapes how he competes, how he trains, and how he connects with the people around him.

Competition and Craft

Stevo’s competition performances are known for blending science, hospitality, and a genuine emotional conviction that stands out on any stage. His winning sets have featured sensory science elements, carefully crafted water recipes using mineral concentrates to enhance body, sweetness, and clarity, and coffees sourced from producers he has built real relationships with, including a honey-processed Sidra from Adrian Lasso and a memorable Kenyan coffee tied to a farm visit he made with World Barista Champion Sasa Sestic.

At the 2025 AFCA Championships in Tanzania, Stevo competed against representatives from across the continent, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Togo, and Cameroon, and came away as African champion. He describes the experience as one that reminded him why coffee matters beyond competition: the community, the shared knowledge, and the potential of the African continent as a producing and consuming force in the specialty world.

Education and Training

Away from competition, Stevo is one of South Africa’s most respected barista trainers. He holds SCA certifications in Barista Skills, Brewing, and Sensory Skills, and has been recognised as Barista Trainer of the Year by the Coffee Magazine Awards in both 2020 and 2021. He is the founder of Urban Brew Barista Academy and has worked with national and international brands to train baristas, optimise workflows, and develop coffee programmes. He now continues this work under his own personal brand Stevo Brews Coffee.

His teaching philosophy is built on empathy, adaptability, and connection. He believes the fastest route to learning is building trust, and that real growth happens in uncomfortable spaces.

Why Equipment Care Matters

As a Caffenu Brand Ambassador, Stevo brings firsthand credibility to the conversation around coffee machine cleaning and maintenance. In his words: “By omitting to clean frequently you will get grittiness in the aftertaste and even high and unpleasant bitterness that does not stem from extraction or roast level.” For Stevo, clean equipment is not a preference, it is a prerequisite for great coffee. Water does not dissolve oil build-up. Caffenu products do.

His message to baristas and coffee professionals is straightforward: a little goes a long way. Clean equipment produces great tasting coffee.

Connect with Stevo on Instagram or LinkedIn