Coffee Insurrection Heroes
Chapter #12Davide Cobelli
Davide Cobelli is an Italian coffee consultant, trainer and roaster based in Verona. After more than a decade in specialty coffee, he founded the Coffee Training Academy in 2016 and Garage Coffee Bros in 2019, later becoming Italian Roasting Champion in 2020. In this Coffee Insurrection interview, he shares his approach to coffee education, roasting, brewing and the people who continue to inspire his work.
Davide CobelliThe Interview · 13 Questions
Key Insights from Davide Cobelli
- Coffee consultant and trainer with more than a decade of experience
- Founded the Coffee Training Academy in 2016
- Founded the artisan roastery Garage Coffee Bros in 2019
- Became Italian Roasting Champion in 2020
- Prefers paper-filter percolation for clarity and sensory transparency
- Loves Ethiopian coffee for its diversity and Honduras for its people
Introduce yourself: who are you, where are you from, where do you work and what’s your job.
Hi, I’m Davide Cobelli and I live in Verona (the city of Romeo and Juliet), I’ve been in the world of coffee for a decade as a consultant and trainer; in 2016 I opened the Coffee Training Academy and in 2019 the Artisan Roasting Garage Coffee Bros. In 2020 I became Italian Roasting Champion.
When and why did coffee become important to Davide Cobelli?
From an early age I saw my father tinkering with a coffee machine (Baby Gaggia) at home: I was less than 10 years old and I already felt that the scent of coffee attracted me. For me, coffee is a memory of home and family.
What was the first coffee that changed Davide Cobelli’s understanding of flavor?
Yes, it was at Stumptown in NYC; a cup of coffee from Ethiopia, a washed one. Coming back from that trip, I tried to make an Espresso at home and I realized that the coffee could be much more than only burnt and bitter. It all started from there.
What does Davide Cobelli enjoy most about working in coffee?
I think that what I love most is waking up happy to go to work. I think it’s a privilege that everyone should feel. Do what you like and make it profitable and sustainable.
What’s your favorite brewing method and why?
I would say percolating paper extractions. The cleanliness and sensory transparency that allow coffee to express undoubtedly make me love these methods.
What is the best coffee Davide Cobelli has ever tasted?
The next one I drink! It will certainly be different from the previous one and the thing is exciting and never predictable.
Which coffee origin does Davide Cobelli favor most?
I love Ethiopia for the incredible variety and quality of coffee it gives us; I love Honduras for the people I met there, whom I call stepbrothers.
Suggest us a roastery to check (not the one you working at/you use at work).
I think it would be right to taste them all (or as many as possible), it is the only way to compare and be able to choose your favorite.
What has Davide Cobelli learned from working in the coffee industry?
This sector has given me a lot, first of all the opportunity to travel all over the world, something that I would never have dreamed of until 10 years ago. Meeting people, sharing experiences, absorbing and discovering new cultures.
How your work and the specialty coffee world are coping with Covid and the newchallenges for hospitality?
It is a difficult period but we will get out of it by continuing to persevere in the pursuit of quality, there are no great compromises and I believe that being true to yourself is the winning weapon for the future.
How does Davide Cobelli see the future of specialty coffee?
If I look back, I can see that we have come a long way in a few years. I hope that the future will always be centered on the quality and sustainability of the supply chain. On the right value, of things and people.
Where does Davide Cobelli see himself in 10 years?
I don’t make such long-term predictions 🙂
What advice does Davide Cobelli have for someone starting a career in coffee?
Believe in yourself and never give up.
Best Cup
"The next one I drink! It will certainly be different from the previous one, and that is exciting and never predictable"
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Author
Tanya Nanetti is a specialty coffee journalist, writer, and coffee educator dedicated to documenting the people, places, and stories behind the global specialty coffee movement.She writes about specialty coffee shops, roasters, coffee origins, brewing techniques, sensory experiences, and the professionals shaping the future of coffee culture.As a certified coffee trainer and contributor to international coffee publications, including Barista Magazine and Standart Magazine, Tanya combines journalistic research with hands-on coffee knowledge to explore the evolution of third wave coffee worldwide.Through interviews, guides, and coffee stories, she helps connect coffee professionals and enthusiasts with the communities, craftsmanship, and innovation behind every cup.
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