Hong Kong 3D latte artist takes milk foam to the next level
The coffee shops setting themselves apart from the competition, with ingenious coloured latte art to decorate their artisanal brews
The interior of Leo’s Espresso in Admiralty is decorated with cartoons depicting its proprietor, Leo Chau Tsz-leung. “They tell my life story and its big transitions – how I went from being a manual labourer to renovation worker, transport worker, waiter, coffee shop worker, barista and finally coffee shop owner,” he says.
The art is not confined to the walls of his coffee shop, though. Leo’s Espresso, with another branch in Kwai Hing, is known for its 3D latte art of colourful kittens. Chau’s is one of a few independent cafes in Hong Kong that aim to set themselves apart from the chains by creating original and highly Instagrammable latte art.
Although 3D latte art originated in Japan, Chau claims he was the first barista in Asia to add colour to his creations after discovering edible pigments that blend with the foam without changing its texture.
He first came across the frothy coffee feature when a colleague at a Tsim Sha Tsui cafe showed him a photo of simple 3D latte art kitten from Taiwan. Chau decided to see if he could do it better, and taught himself to create cats that look cuter and more lifelike.
Chau says his coffee creations also gave him a second life. “I used to be a drug addict, and 3D latte art gave me with an opportunity to overcome my past. I was born on an outlying island, but after becoming an addict I left. Later, even when I’d turned my life around, I knew no one would just take my word for it, so I thought maybe 3D latte art could help me prove that I was a changed person,” he explains.