Kazuki Yamamoto takes latte art to the next frontier

all images courtesy kazuki yamamoto | click to enlarge

Latte art – the method of using steamed milk foam to “draw” and create designs over coffee – arguably first developed in Italy in the early 1990s, if not earlier. But with advancements in microfoam, which has enabled a stiffer, more permeable foam, latte art has advanced into the realm of 3D. And Osaka-based Kazuki Yamamoto is being called the chief pioneer of the art, dazzling audiences with cute, realistic recreations of their favorite characters, which include Snoopy, Totoro, and Jack Skellington, as well as more generic yet equally awe-inspiring generic animals like cats and giraffes.

One of my personal favorites has been a melting clock from Salvador Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory.”

Over on his twitter account Yamamoto has amassed more than 100K followers by posting “daily leisurely cappuccino” pictures of new pieces. One day he wants to open his own store. But for now those wanting to actually sample his three-dimensional coffee art will have to check his blog regularly, where he posts locations that he’ll be temporarily making coffee at.