Jaycee Quitiquit has two passions: brewing coffee and creating art. So, when he became a barista at, it was only natural for him to take up latte art.

“When Café Fili hired me, they didn’t have a wide coffee program—they were more focusing on food,” he says. “I was like, ‘I love coffee and I love art—why not combine them?’”

From Technicolor rainbows and sunflowers to cats and pandas, the self-taught 26-year-old can craft a wide array of designs, but what really sets his work apart is his use of color. “I love the mixing of colors,” he says. “Coffee is brown and dark. Color makes it beautiful.”

As a gay man, he also sees the rainbow hues as part of his personal pride.  “I’m part of the LGBTQ community,” he says. “Putting color on my cup of coffee means I’m part of that society—I want to convey how beautiful that is.”

Quitiquit, who moved to the U.S. in 2017 from the Philippines, comes by his love of coffee by way of his hometown Baguio city, where coffee is king.

“I’m from the mountains,” he says. “In my city, people drink coffee because the climate is cooler. We do a lot of latte art because we love hospitality. We like to go above and beyond.”

Before working at the Mt. Vernon cafe, he had never made java art. “I just started looking at pictures and videos and applying what I learned,” says Quitiquit, who adds food dye to the foam, pushes and pulls it to create shapes, then outlines it with chocolate syrup, all in under a minute so the coffee doesn’t get cold.

Despite his hard work, Quitiquit is not bothered by the fact that his milk foam masterpieces are ephemeral.

“People say, ‘I don’t want to sip this coffee and ruin the art.’ I tell them it gives me a chance to make a new design when they come back.”

Whole Latte Love

To make your own latte art at home, it’s
important to start with whole milk because the fats create a velvety
texture. Also, when steaming milk, hold the pitcher at an angle to
create a swirl.

1. Tilt your cup to one side so that, when you start pouring your steamed milk, it goes underneath the espresso.
2. Once your cup is about 3/4-full, you begin to see the milk form a blob
   on top of the espresso. Pour slowly until the single blob gets larger.
3. Once you get toward the top of the cup, lift the pitcher up and push it
   through the blob of milk, creating the indent of the heart.
4. Remember to hold the handle throughout the entire process, so that
   you’re not touching the parts of the mug from which people will be
   drinking. Enjoy!

Tools of the Trade

• 
  Kettle
  Dowding says a good kettle is key and recommends a Bona Vita kettle, which is affordable and has a narrow spout so water doesn’t get dumped all at once.
• 
  Digital Timer
  The most accurate way to make home-brew coffee so you’re not just guessing.
• 
  Grinder
  A burrs grinder allows you to grind your beans more consistently and won’t dull as fast as a blade grinder.
• 
  Espresso Machine
  Dowding recommends this Rancilio Silvia V3 for its reasonable price and ability to pour the perfect shot and achieve foamy, steamed milk.

Which brewing method is right for you?

Brewing For A Few: French Press

This classic tool allows you to place coffee grounds at the bottom, hot water on the top, brew for four minutes, then plunge.

Brewing For You: Single Pour Over

Dowding recommends a v60 or Bee House coffee dripper for this method. It fits over most coffee mugs.