In conversation with Nkateko Ngobeni

Today, we’re brewing something special. Not music – but mastery in a cup. Our guest is a Soweto-brewed creative who has turned coffee into canvas and competition into consistency. Known in the industry as Kat, he’s not just making lattes – he’s shaping African coffee culture one pour at a time. Nkateko Ngobeni, wildly known as Kat in the coffee industry, is a passionate barista whose journey began straight after school with what started as just a job – and quickly became a calling. Raised and brewed in Soweto, Kat didn’t just learn how to make coffee; he immersed himself in the science, the art and the culture behind it. Over the years, he has refined his craft into a signature style, especially in latte art – where precision meets creativity. Since 2024, he has taken first place in every in-house competition he’s entered, establishing
himself as not just talented but consistently excellent. For Kat, pouring a cup of coffee is a performance – temperature control, milk texture, extraction and timing.