Guatemala’s Culinary Awakening and the Future of Coffee Innovation
A blog from Matt Milletto about the upcoming World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards happening in Antigua and how coffee innovation plays a huge role in the culinary scene in Guatemala.
As I walk through the streets of Antigua, Guatemala, there’s a sense that something extraordinary is taking shape. The cobblestones hum with energy — chefs, baristas, farmers, and food lovers from across Latin America are gathering here ahead of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards on December 2nd.
It feels poetic that this celebration of culinary creativity is happening here, in the heart of Guatemala, a country whose rich soil, ancient traditions, and passionate people have long shaped how the world experiences flavor.
Where Coffee Meets Culinary Craft
For me, Guatemala has always been more than an origin, it’s a home of inspiration. Over the years, I’ve built deep friendships with producers, roasters, and chefs like Deborah Fadul of Diaca in Guatemala City, who just won Best Terroir Award from Beko here, each sharing the same belief: that coffee isn’t just a beverage, it’s a cultural expression.
In the coming weeks, I’m honored to be here brewing and collaborating alongside some of Guatemala’s most talented culinary minds, including my dear friend Lucía Barrios, who is organizing the 50 Best event and has been a driving force behind CoffeeCultureTravel.com. Her vision for connecting people through coffee and cuisine captures exactly what makes this country so special.
Together with her team, and a community of passionate producers, we’re showcasing how coffee can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with wine, spirits, and gastronomy, not as an afterthought, but as an essential ingredient in storytelling.
The Science of Flavor, the Spirit of Origin
As part of the week’s events, I’ll be brewing with ColdPerk, a system I’ve helped champion that’s redefining how coffee is extracted and served in modern culinary settings. Using controlled temperature and pressure, ColdPerk can produce a full-bodied, espresso-strength cold brew concentrate in under 20 minutes, preserving the integrity and terroir of single-origin coffees from regions like Huehuetenango, Atitlán, and Antigua itself.
What fascinates me most is how this method parallels the precision and care of top chefs, those who approach ingredients scientifically but cook with soul. The process allows the natural sweetness, acidity, and complexity of Guatemalan coffee to shine, a liquid snapshot of the land, from seed to sip.
It’s a bridge between the kitchen and the bar, the farm and the dining room, proof that coffee, when brewed with respect and intention, belongs in the center of the culinary conversation.
A Moment for Guatemala
Hosting the 50 Best here isn’t just a logistical win, it’s a symbolic one. Guatemala is having its moment. From the farms on volcanic slopes to the Michelin-level kitchens that now feature its ingredients, this is a country where innovation is rooted in tradition, and community is the secret ingredient behind every flavor.
To stand here, surrounded by people I admire, coffee producers, chefs, and visionaries like Lucía, is to witness the next chapter of coffee and cuisine unfolding in real time.