Project Description
France
Veda Viraswami
Le Café Alain Ducasse
Please tell us a little about yourself:
I was born in Mauritius and I have been living in France for the last 20+ years. My journey on the coffee planet started 12 years ago, and I currently work as Head of Coffee of “Le Café Alain Ducasse”. It’s a new-comer on the coffee scene just launched by the most-starred chef in the world. Our roasting lab is located in downtown Paris. We humbly try to make coffee within the standards and requirements of high gastronomy. Our values: radicality & creativity.
How long have you been roasting for?:
I have been roasting since 2006 and am still always learning.
What roaster do you currently roast on?:
I currently roast on two Diedrich roasters. One IR2.5 and one IR12. These roasters are really fantastic and they do allow me to stick to the roast profiles I need in my day-to-day work.
What is your coffee of choice:
I always try to get the best out of the coffees when it comes to roasting. I just adapt my roasting style to the beans with which I am working with.
How did you learn to roast? Did you have a coach or trainer:
It is a long process to become a roaster. There were very few courses and training on roasting at the time when I decided to roast on my own.
Who is your roasting hero?:
There are many people whom I consider as roasting heroes. They are the people who are dedicated to education in roasting for the coffee community.
What’s your favorite weather to roast in?:
We always have to adapt our roast according to weather conditions but I definitely prefer to roast when it’s sunny and warm outside.
What music do you listen to when roasting?:
To me, the sound of beans being roasted is the sweetest music possible. I also try to focus as much as I can and to not pay attention to anything else than my batch.
What is your secret weapon when roasting?:
Concentration and meticulousness are, I believe, the best weapons for a roaster if he masters the specificities of the green coffee he wants to roast.
What is your BEST roasting memory?:
I still remember the day I roasted my very first batch of coffee. The moment I dropped the coffee after the roast process was simply magic and this is one of the best roasting memory I have.
What is your WORST roasting memory?:
I was roasting an excellent coffee from Costa Rica and due to a fire issue I had to stop the roast in the middle of the process.
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