EXCLUSIVE TO HOTELS OF UAE
DUBAI, UAE: Every morning, as the espresso machine hisses to life at the Sheraton Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, Jason Alfonso, the barista, does more than just brew coffee. The Filipino expatriate, pours a lifetime of hard work and deep-seated emotion into every cup. His journey, from a young boy selling sweet potatoes by the roadside in the Philippines to a successful barista in the heart of the Middle East, is a powerful testament to faith, humility and the extraordinary strength of family love.
Jason recently won second place at the UAE Marriott International Barista Championship 2025 on 9 September.
For the final round, a signature drink was required. While his competitors, seasoned baristas, opted for sophisticated flavors, Jason chose an ingredient that held the entire narrative of his life: the humble sweet potato.
The bitter roots to a humble beginning
Jason’s easy smile belies the tough road he travelled. He was born into a simple, struggling family in a Philippine province. His father was a local electrician, mending neighbours’ broken appliances, and his mother took on laundry and house cleaning to make ends meet. Jason was the youngest, growing up watching his parents’ tireless labor.
“We were selling this sweet potatoes,” he recalls, his voice breaking as he caught his emotions.
“During summer, if I wasn’t at school, I would tell mum: ‘Mom, let me help you.’”
After school, around 3pm until dusk, he would sell the cooked sweet potatoes by the roadside. He wasn’t ashamed; he knew he was doing “clean work” to support his family and his own schooling. All the money he collected went straight to his mother, who would budget for their dinner and his school expenses for the next day.
This routine instilled in him a foundational lesson. One of hard work and perseverance.
Despite financial strain, which prevented him from finishing his college degree, Jason knew he could not burden his parents any further. He began his career path in fast-food chains as a service crew member before getting his first break in 2017 as a barista at a Starbucks branch.
This was the start of a passion that would take him across the globe.
The journey to the Middle East
The call to work abroad came in October 2022, when Jason grabbed an opportunity in Qatar. It was during the FIFA World Cup and the work pressure was high.
But, just one month later, in November, his life paused.
He remembers checking his phone after a long shift, seeing countless missed calls, and the profiles of all his siblings turned black. His sister delivered the devastating news: “Dad passed away.”
“My life was stopped that time,” he says, tears welling up as he recounts the hardest experience of his life.
His father, at 77, passed just as Jason was starting his international career.
Yet, there was comfort in the sorrow: “Before my father passed away, I had done everything to make him happy, and he was so very proud of me.”
Driven by his responsibilities as a husband and father to a two-year-old son, Jason sought opportunities that offered long-term growth. He moved to Dubai and joined Marriott, a five-star property, to secure a future for his family, who remain his ultimate inspiration.
“The team and the management here are extremely supportive,” he added.
Championing a signature drink
Jason’s dedication paid off in a spectacular way when he won second place at the recent contest.
The moment he shared his concept, his voice cracked with emotion, explaining that not only did the root crop help him pay for school, it was also his late father’s favourite.
Jason’s ‘sweet potato coffee’, was a masterpiece that stunned the judges.
“I think I’m the only one can make this kind of drink,” he notes with a humble confidence. “They are just surprised that, how did you make that?”
His success, he insists, is not a product of his own genius but a “big blessing from God.”
The future and dreams
As a Barista and Food and Beverage Service Expert at &More cafe, Jason sees his role as more than just serving a beverage; it is about creating an experience and making his guests “feel special.” He believes his consistent customer service is why people return.
His life, even now, is one of disciplined routine, a habit learned from his parents. He wakes up at 4am for his morning shift, and before leaving for work, he calls his wife, mother, and son back in the Philippines. This daily chat is his “vitamins.”
“If you have discipline from yourself, the rest will follow,” he advises, adding that for aspiring baristas, attitude is greater than skills, because skills can be learned, but attitude must come from within.
Jason’s, his final goal is to take his passion home. He plans to work for another four to five years to save enough capital to open his own café in the Philippines, sharing his signature drinks with his own community and neighborhood.
Have a success story to share with us? Write to us at editor@hotelsofuae.com.
