Most of us dream of turning a hobby into a profession — and that is exactly what Mariam Erin did. She fell in love with coffee while still at university, took a leap of faith, and gave herself two years to build a future in an almost entirely new field.

And it paid off. Mariam is now the UAE Coffee in Good Spirits Champion 2026, UAE Brewers Champion 2021 and 2025, and UAE Barista Champion 2023 — an impressive list by any standard.

We spoke with Mariam about coffee for hours — with much more to come in Part Two. For now, we focus on her place in the coffee industry: how her journey began, how coffee competitions work, and just how many cups of coffee Mariam actually drinks in a day.

— How did your journey into coffee begin, and why did you choose this path?

— It definitely didn’t happen overnight. I didn’t wake up one day thinking, I want to work in coffee. In fact, even my family questioned it — especially after I had graduated. About ten years ago, I was working in a food laboratory, doing physical and chemical analysis for food and beverage manufacturing companies. I was young, and I was grateful to be applying what I had studied, but I also felt the urge to explore beyond that world.

While I was at university, I worked part-time at Starbucks, and that is where something shifted. I started enjoying the atmosphere, the people, the rhythm of cafés. I became a home brewer, a coffee enthusiast — visiting cafés not to work, but to observe and connect. At that point, it wasn’t about business at all. I just knew I wanted to create that feeling for others one day.

I didn’t have the finances or the knowledge to open anything myself, so I looked for ways to learn. Australia was my first plan — my grandfather lives there, and the coffee culture is strong — but I was rejected. So I moved to Dubai instead, thinking it would be temporary. One year turned into many, and somehow, I am still here. There were moments when I thought about leaving the industry entirely, but in the end, coffee chose me as much as I chose it.

— Can you tell us a bit about your childhood and family background?

— I am the youngest in the family and the only girl, so you can imagine how difficult it was for them to let me move abroad — especially as I was the first to leave the country. In the Philippines, working as a barista is often seen as low-paid, so changing careers raised a lot of concerns.

At the time, I was already working for a reputable food manufacturing company, and all my brothers are degree holders, so there was definitely pressure. Still, I told myself I would give it two years. If it didn’t work out, I could always go back.

Ironically, during my first year in Dubai, my family were the ones sending me money — not the other way around. They still saw me as the baby of the family. It was incredibly sweet, but it also became a huge motivator. I wanted to prove that my decision made sense and that there was a future in what I was doing. Now, they are very proud. I think the journey — the experience, the recognition, the awards — helped them see that this path is valid and meaningful. And I hope I have proven, both to them and to myself, that it was the right decision.

— If coffee hadn’t worked out, what field do you think you would be in today?

— I would probably still be working in food manufacturing — and most likely bored by now. It is a very structured, repetitive environment, with little room for creativity. You follow processes rather than create them.

That said, I might have ended up in the art world. It was another path I seriously considered while I was still figuring things out. In a way, coffee has allowed me to exist somewhere between science and art.

— Has your background in food technology helped your coffee career?

— Absolutely. Everything connects now. My background in food technology and chemistry helps me understand coffee beyond brewing — from farming and processing to the science behind flavour development.

There is a lot of chemistry involved in coffee, but to translate that into what is in the cup, you also need craftsmanship and intuition. Understanding both sides — the science and the art — helps me respect the farmers’ work and express it properly through brewing.

— For those outside the industry, can you explain how coffee championships actually work?

— The competitions I take part in are organised by World Coffee Events, which run the official global championships in specialty coffee. There are several categories. I have competed in Brewers, which focuses on filter coffee; Barista, which includes espresso, milk drinks and a signature beverage; and Ibrik, which celebrates traditional Turkish coffee — a category where I placed third in the world.

More recently, I competed in Coffee in Good Spirits, where contestants create drinks using specialty coffee and alcohol. Hosting this competition in the UAE was a significant milestone — it was the first of its kind in the GCC, and I won it this year.

Across all categories, judges assess coffee quality, technical skill and storytelling. They look at how clearly your message connects to the cup, whether it highlights farmers and contributes positively to the wider industry, and how effectively the overall experience is communicated. Technique matters, of course — but ultimately, it is about the story you are telling.

— How did you first learn about coffee competitions and championships? Was there a specific moment when you decided this was something you wanted to pursue?

When I moved to Dubai, I was incredibly goal-driven. I had something to prove — not just to myself, but very much to my mum. It wasn’t only about earning money; it was about showing that I had chosen the right path. That mindset pushed me to go beyond my day-to-day role and learn everything I possibly could.

At the time, I was working as a barista and later managing a café, and I started looking for ways to connect my background in food manufacturing with my growing experience in coffee. Coffee is still part of the food industry — just another product — but one with a far deeper story behind it.

That curiosity led me to research specialty coffee companies in the UAE that truly prioritised quality: those who travelled to origin, worked closely with farmers, and were part of the global coffee community. That is how I discovered my first specialty coffee company. They only had one shop at the time, but I remember thinking, that is the kind of professional I want to become.

I knew I needed to surround myself with people who knew more than I did, so I joined the team, began working in the roastery, and learned the science behind roasting — a completely different world from brewing.

Eventually, I was given the opportunity to represent the company in a competition. That became my first championship in 2020, just as the industry was starting to recover from Covid. From that point on, everything opened up — not because I wanted more titles, but because competitions became the most powerful learning platform I could imagine. They force you to study beyond standard knowledge, to innovate, and to constantly challenge yourself. Once you step into that world, the desire to keep learning becomes second nature.

— How long does it usually take you to prepare for a competition, and how do you approach innovation in your routines?

— For a national competition, the intensive preparation usually lasts at least a month — that is when I polish the routine, build muscle memory and refine every detail. But in reality, the process starts much earlier. Around six months beforehand, I am already thinking about the story I want to tell. That early stage is all about trial and error. Inspiration can come from anywhere — a book, a conversation, someone you meet, or an idea you want to explore. Gradually, all those small fragments come together into a 15-minute routine on stage.

Innovation is another key element. In every competition, you are expected to go beyond the existing system and present something truly unique. I always start by deciding what I want to highlight. If, for example, I am focusing on water, I will speak to someone with a background in water chemistry.

The coffee industry is surprisingly open — it is big, yet very small. You can message people you admire, and more often than not, they are happy to share their knowledge. Learning from those who have already been there is a huge part of the process.

— The creative industries are often described as emotional, competitive, and unstable. How would you describe the coffee industry from the inside?

— It is messy and wonderful at the same time. There is certainly competition, but it is the kind that moves the industry forward. It is not about being better than someone else — when one person improves, it pushes everyone else to grow as well. In that sense, it really is a win-win.

Coffee is also a relatively young industry compared to others, like alcohol. Those fields have decades — even centuries — of established rules, language, and reference points. Coffee doesn’t. It is constantly evolving. And because of that, no one truly has all the answers yet. Everyone is still researching, experimenting, and learning. People who work in coffee tend to be naturally curious, creative, and generous with their knowledge — sharing it not just with other baristas, but with café owners, consumers, and even farmers. What you learn today might not apply tomorrow, and it is that constant sense of change that makes the industry so exciting.

— From your experience, is the coffee industry in the UAE developing faster than in other regions?

Yes, it really is — and it is becoming increasingly noticeable. I have travelled to places where finding true specialty coffee is genuinely difficult. You might find only five or ten cafés in total, and perhaps one or two will be actually meet specialty standards. When you compare that to the UAE, the difference is huge.

Here, the coffee scene grew incredibly quickly, almost like a rocket over the last ten years. Wherever you go, there шs a specialty café — sometimes several on the same street. That level of growth brings both positives and challenges. The market is saturated, but at the same time, consumer knowledge has advanced dramatically.

A big reason for this is cultural. Coffee here is part of daily life. People sit together until late at night, ordering coffee again and again, talking, sharing time. That lifestyle naturally pushes the industry forward. On top of that, many coffee businesses have invested real effort into educating customers. As a result, we now have a much more informed and curious coffee audience.

— How much coffee do you actually drink in a day?

— Surprisingly, not that much. I usually drink one full cup of filter coffee at home in the morning — around 250 ml. That is the only cup I properly finish.

Once I am at work, I mostly taste coffee rather than drink it. Cuppings, quality checks, testing grinders or machines — all of that involves sipping and spitting, not consuming full cups. It isn’t about drinking coffee for energy; it is about assessing it.

And another thing — if I ever do end up consuming too much caffeine, I make sure to move — running or light exercise helps release it. Otherwise, your body doesn’t feel energised; it feels drained and overstimulated.

— What does a typical working day look like for you?

— I work at Brewing Gadgets in Dubai. While we sell coffee equipment, our work goes far beyond retail. We test, analyse, and deeply understand machines and tools before recommending them.

A big part of my day involves testing products — grinders, brewers, machines — and comparing them. The goal is to understand what suits different people: beginners, home brewers, professionals looking to level up. That means constant learning, experimenting, and evaluating.

Alongside that, I create coffee content. If there is a new product, I need to understand it fully and then translate that knowledge clearly for consumers — often through social media. Education and communication are just as important as the technical side.

— How do you unwind when work becomes overwhelming?

— I play padel with friends, I run, and I paint — painting is probably my reset button. When everything feels too much, that is how I recharge. I also spend a lot of time with people outside the coffee industry. We see each other almost every day, which is both a blessing and a curse.

— How did art become part of your life, and is it connected to coffee?

— Art has always been around me. My father and my three older brothers are all very talented — they draw, paint, and exhibit their work. Growing up, I watched them closely.

I started painting later, during university. I asked my brothers to teach me, and I found myself really enjoying the process. Being surrounded by artists and creative people made it feel natural. For a while, I even considered pursuing art full-time.

I have exhibited work here in the UAE, including in Abu Dhabi. Today, art is something I take seriously, but without pressure. It is not my main profession, but it is an important part of who I am.

— Is there one artwork you feel especially proud of?

Yes — a large portrait of my grandmother and grandfather. It is my most important piece and completely irreplaceable.

I painted it after my grandfather passed away. I was in the UAE at the time, and coping with the distance and loss was extremely hard. Painting that portrait helped me process my emotions and find some peace. It covers almost an entire wall, and it holds a lot of meaning for me.