She know the secret to making a perfect cup of coffee.

Now Darja Krjukova is hoping her barista skills will impress the judges in the finals of a national focusing on all aspects of Italian cuisine in England.

Darja, who lives at Lockwood and works at Caffe Venecia in Market Street, Huddersfield, has been shortlisted in the category for best barista in the English Italian Awards.

She secured her finalist spot after submitting a detailed account of how the coffee shop ensures its beverages are brewed to perfection by using top quality Italian coffee, understanding the science behind the barista’s art and keeping the coffee machines in pristine condition.

She also recounted how the cafe won high praise – from a visiting Italian priest no less – who said the espresso served up at Caffe Venecia was the best he had ever tasted outside Italy.

She said: “We are proud of what we do and make sure every cup of coffee is perfect. We take care of our coffee and teas.”

Caffe Venecia, which has won a TripAdvisor certificate of excellence, is aiming to expand into Leeds and Manchester, but Darja said: “We want to get our name out all over England.”

Tony Singh, owner of Caffe Venecia, said Darja had played a big part in the cafe’s success, rising from assistant manager to joint manager.

She joined the business after a frustrating year-long search for a job – during which she notched up more than 260 unsuccessful job applications. Work Programme provider Ingeus helped her with interview techniques and writing CVs before she landed the job at Caffe Venecia.

The English Italian Awards also include categories such as best family restaurant, best Italian restaurant, best wine list, best cafe, best pizza and Italian chef of the year.

Finalists will be visited by members of the judging panel and the winners will receive their awards at the gala final which takes place on October 4 at Manchester’s Palace Hotel.