The Chef and The Barista: How Artem Coffee Roasters Became One of Perth's Best
Most roasters have one obsession. Artem has two. A fine dining chef who won't cut corners on flavour. A specialty coffee expert who won't cut corners on the bean. Together, they make some of the best specialty coffee beans in Perth.
You know those people who can't do anything halfway?
Artem Coffee Roasters has two of them.
Darren Ho grew up in his family's Chinese restaurant kitchen, served a four-year apprenticeship at Burswood's Alure, then worked his way to head chef at North Perth's The Classroom. He's the precision. The discipline. The reason everything at Artem is made from scratch.
Tracey Koh brought years of expertise from the specialty coffee industry. Before Artem, she was head barista at one of Perth's most awarded specialty coffee operations and competed in the ASCA Western Region Cup Tasting Championship. She's the coffee knowledge. The palate. The reason Artem's beans taste the way they do.
They puts it best: Artem is "the discipline of a chef, the soul of a barista." That's not a tagline. That's literally how this business is built.
We're thrilled to feature Artem as this month's Roaster of the Month. And we've worked with Darren and Tracey to create something you can't get anywhere else.
From a Coffee Farm in Hawaii to a Garage in Perth
The spark for Artem didn't happen in a kitchen. It happened on the coffee farms of Kona, Hawaii. Darren and Tracey travelled there together, and Darren came home with a new mission: to master the art of roasting.
He honed his skills in Melbourne and worked with established roasters in Perth before taking the leap. He bought a second-hand roaster and started roasting small batches out of his father's garage.
From there, Artem's first chapter was mobile. A high-end coffee cart bringing specialty coffee to events and pop-ups across Western Australia. It was during a pop-up residency in Fremantle that the two sides of Artem really clicked into place. Tracey managed the coffee. Darren introduced his signature smoked Reuben sandwiches. A chef-led take on a classic that quickly earned a cult following.
In 2018, they found their first permanent home in Mt Pleasant. A small but mighty space where they could finally plant roots, roast their own beans, and refine their craft.
Today, the journey continues in their Applecross café and roastery. More room to innovate. A roasting program that gets more exciting every year. And food that continues to push what café fare can be. 4.8 stars on Google. Featured in Broadsheet, Urban List and Perth is OK.
A Name That Means Something
The name Artem comes from Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon. The complementary symbol to the moon (feminine) is the sun (masculine). Together they represent Artem's two founders in the logo.
It's a small detail. But it tells you something about how Darren and Tracey think. Nothing is an afterthought. Not the name. Not the logo. And definitely not the coffee.
What's Inside This Month's Roaster of the Month Box
Every month, we partner with one standout Perth roaster and build a box that gives you the full experience. Not just one bag, but a curated selection that shows you what the roaster is really about. If you've been looking for the best coffee subscription box in Western Australia, this is what it looks like when it's done properly.
This month, you're getting up to four Artem coffees. Including a limited-edition exclusive blend you literally cannot buy anywhere else. Limited run. We won't be making it again (unless there are pitchforks 😂).
Here's what that means for you:
You don't have to guess. Figuring out how to choose coffee beans as a beginner is overwhelming. Hundreds of bags, vague tasting notes, no idea what'll work on your setup. We've tasted everything Artem makes and picked the four that best represent their range. From their safest crowd-pleaser to the single origins that'll stretch your palate. If you're not sure how to choose coffee beans for your first home setup, this box does the work for you.
You'll learn what you actually like. This month's box includes both blends and single origins, medium and medium-dark roasts, chocolatey and fruity profiles. If you've ever wondered about the real difference between single origin vs blend for home espresso, this box will show you in a way no article can. By the time you've worked through all four, you'll know more about your own preferences than most people figure out in a year of random buying.
Every coffee is chosen for home espresso. We know most of you are brewing on Breville machines at home. Not commercial setups. If you've been searching for the best coffee beans for your home espresso machine, these are selected to perform in your kitchen, not just on a cupping table. Each one comes with a milk or black recommendation so you know exactly how to get the best out of it. Not sure how to dial in your espresso at home? We've got a video for that too.
You're trying a roaster you might never find on your own. Artem doesn't have the marketing budget of the big guys. They've built their reputation one cup at a time in their Applecross café. This is your shortcut to discovering some of the best specialty coffee beans in Perth, delivered to your door. No driving across town required. See all the roasters we work with.
This Month's Selection
Artem PCX Exclusive Blend
Medium Dark Roast | Dark Chocolate, Cherry & Wine
Exclusive to us. Limited run. We won't be making it again (unless there are pitchforks 😂). Rich, complex and it changes as it cools. Dark chocolate up front, cherry and wine that keep revealing themselves. If you love chocolate and cherry tasting notes in your coffee, this one was built for you.
☕ Great with milk or black.
Artemesium
Medium Roast | Milk Chocolate, Honeycomb & Red Apple
Artem's most-loved blend for seven years. Milk chocolate, honeycomb richness, bright apple lift. If you're after the best medium roast coffee beans for everyday drinking, this is the one. The everyday coffee that never gets old.
☕ Made for milk. Worth trying black.
Fazenda Samambaia Single Origin
Omni Roast | Brown Sugar, Cherry & Pineapple
Sweet, fruity, dangerously drinkable. Brown sugar and cherry with a pineapple finish you won't expect. Ever wondered what single origin coffee actually tastes like compared to a blend? This is the one that'll show you.
☕ Syrupy espresso. Dessert-like with milk.
Arturo Arango Single Origin
Omni Roast | Mandarin, Cacao Nibs, Figs & Stone Fruits
The one that makes you stop and pay attention. Bright mandarin, rich cacao, jammy figs. If you've wondered what people mean when they say coffee can taste like fruit, start here.
☕ Best black or a splash of milk.
Chiapas - Decaf
Tasting Notes: Papaya, Mango, Pineapple
Looking for the best decaf coffee beans that actually taste good? This is it. Tropical, sweet and full of flavour. Papaya, mango and pineapple in a cup that most full-caff coffees would envy.
☕ Bright and fruity with milk. Lively black.
Not Sure Where to Start?
If this is your first Roaster of the Month box, or your first time trying specialty single origin coffee, start with the Artemesium. It's approachable, forgiving with milk, and it's been converting coffee lovers for seven years for a reason. It's also one of the best coffee beans for a Breville Barista Express if that's what you're brewing on.
Once you're comfortable, try the Fazenda Samambaia as a black espresso. That pineapple finish is the moment most people realise specialty coffee is a completely different thing to what they've been drinking.
And if you're wondering whether decaf can actually be good, the Chiapas will settle that debate permanently.
New to specialty coffee? Start with our beginner's start up routine video for making espresso with beans like these!
Want more coffee in your box? Just let us know and we'll sort it for you ☕🤍
