Five Minutes with James Perry, Bedst Coffee

Who are you?

James Perry, I’m a coffee professional and I own Bedst Coffee.

Tell me about Bedst Coffee

Bedst is a small cafe that focuses on light roast coffee from around the world.

How did you get involved in the coffee industry?

My dad was a mad coffee drinker and that definitely influenced me as a kid. I thought, “I want to have that!” I actually studied public relations and advertising, but the whole time, I was interested in food and coffee. So when I had the choice, I decided I wanted to stay in cafes because I’ve never found anything else I prefer. I just keep on grinding away!

What is your coffee philosophy?

Maybe it’s a standard answer, but for me, it comes down to quality. High-quality milk and high-quality coffee beans, sourced and roasted with care. It’s worth everyone’s time.

What is your current food obsession?

At the moment, I’m obsessed with putting dashi (Japanese fish stock powder) in everything. If I’m making potatoes, sprinkle on some dashi. Making a pan sauce? Sprinkle dashi. It’s the best.

What’s an underrated Canberra venue that you love?

The mixed veggie plate at Flavours of Ethiopia is the best $11 you can spend in Canberra. It’s filling, consistent and just always so good.

Who do you admire in the Canberra food scene?

So many people! I couldn’t talk about staying in Canberra without mentioning Bar Rochford. When we moved here, we didn’t know anyone, but we’d go to Rochford on a Friday night and it always made us feel so well taken care of and loved.

I also have to shout out Lachy at Under Bakery – we got our start working with him.

Who is your dream dinner party guest, and what would you make them?

Chef David Chang has been a big inspiration for me in the food world. I love the unapologetic attitude he brings to everything he does. And being based in New York at that time, there was just this hustle and energy that was so unique and groundbreaking. The problem is that I might be too intimidated to cook for him, so maybe I’d just make him a coffee.

What food reminds you of your childhood?

Classic Australian spaghetti bolognese. Mum’s a big cook and that made me love the world of food. I have two brothers and we’d eat like a kilo of meat each. I’m mostly pescatarian these days, so I don’t eat much meat anymore, but that big red spaghetti bolognese reminds me of home.

When you can’t be bothered to cook for yourself, where do you go and what do you eat?

Sometimes, I stop at Sushi Bell on the way home and get some sashimi, do a poke bowl, or get a couple of sushi rolls. I’ve been really into making pickles and sauerkraut, so whatever I’ve pickled recently will go with that.

Tell me about your recent Europe trip

It was great. I had pretty much no bad coffee on the trip, including in Rome, which we were warned about. Amsterdam and Paris cafes are on another level, and it really inspired me to try to be a bit more creative with milk-based coffees. It was cool to see what they’re doing with single-origin beans paired with organic milk. The flavours really shine through.

Tell me something you love about living in Canberra

When I was overseas, I really missed the relaxed city vibe of Canberra. I just love how you can get in your car and go to some of the nicest places in Australia in 10 minutes or two hours.

What TV show or movie are you watching right now?

I’m watching The Boys and The Bear. I like how authentic the food writing is on The Bear, like jokes about buying teaspoons. You’re only writing those jokes if you’ve worked in kitchens.

An easy one to finish – what’s your go-to coffee order?

If I’m going out for coffee, I usually have a strong flat white. But espresso is my favourite, so if I know I’m going to get one that I really like, I’ll get a single espresso.

Bedst is located at Unit 185/20 Allara St, Canberra. They are open from 7 am to 2 pm Monday to Friday and from 8 am to 12 pm on Saturday. Visit their website or follow Bedst on Instagram.