There’s no shortage of debate about the flat white. New Zealanders have tried to claim it. Coffee ‘historians’ have argued about it.
However, there’s no denying I was the first to put Flat White on the permanent menu at Moors Espresso Bar in Sydney’s Chinatown. Photographs from the time show it there in print. From that point on, the humble flat white has gained popularity across Australia and the globe.
I grew up and worked in North Queensland, where espresso culture was already evolving in its own way. Drinks were described in practical terms. A “white coffee – flat” distinguished it from the frothier styles that followed.
As I expanded into additional cafés across Sydney, the flat white stayed on the menu. Over time, it became part of the everyday language of Australian coffee.
There are earlier references to milk-based espresso drinks, and others have made their own claims about the name. I’ve never shied away from the discussion but simply maintained that the first official flat white went on my menu in 1985.
But what matters more than the debate is what the drink represents.
The flat white marked a moment when Australian coffee found its own identity – a maturing café culture that was no longer copying Europe or America, but refining its own standards.
That mindset sits at the heart of Alan Preston’s Flat White Academy.
When you train here, you’re not just learning how to steam milk or extract espresso. You’re stepping into a tradition that values precision, restraint and getting the fundamentals right.
The flat white didn’t become global by accident. It earned its place because it was done properly.
That’s the standard I still uphold today and will continue to teach.
