Alec Guerzoni
Head Barista, YTB (Yugen Tea Bar)
With over a decade of experience in Melbourne’s dynamic café scene, Alec Guerzoni brings warmth, curiosity, and a passion for approachability to his role as Head Barista at YTB (Yugen Tea Bar), a venue that celebrates global tea culture through a distinctly modern lens.
Passionate about demystifying the specialty coffee and tea space, Guerzoni sees his role as one of translation: making vibrant, complex beverages feel exciting to every guest. A firm believer that quality should never come with pretension, he is currently focused on showcasing lesser-known coffees, such as those from Burundi, Papua New Guinea and India, countries producing exceptional beans but often overlooked on traditional café menus.
Originally from Tasmania, Guerzoni relocated to Melbourne 11 years ago, quickly immersing himself in the city’s thriving specialty coffee scene. His journey has taken him through some of Melbourne’s most respected venues – including Fieldwork, Path Melbourne, and ACOFFEE – where he developed a reputation not only for technical excellence behind the machine, but also for his approachable, guest-focussed style.
Prior to joining Yugen Tea Bar, Guerzoni served as hospitality manager at menswear institution Up There, and as head barista and FOH supervisor at Japanese café CIBI.
Beyond coffee, Guerzoni is energised by the growing public interest in global beverage traditions, from single cultivar matcha and fermented Chinese pu’er to the rituals of mate brewing, and sees YTB as a place where these threads come together in unexpected and innovative ways.
A lover of great pasta (thanks to his Italian heritage), Guerzoni also has a soft spot for Japanese cuisine – particularly the perfect chicken sando – and names Path in North Melbourne, April in Copenhagen and Fruitas Selectas in Barcelona among his all-time favourite coffee spots.
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Hi-res imagery: via Google Drive
About YTB:
605 Chapel St at the Capitol Grand, South Yarra VIC 3141
YTB is a specialty café and eatery located in South Yarra, offering a menu inspired by Asian flavours with a modern, Melbourne twist. Part of LK Hospitality (Omnia, Yugen), YTB brings together quality coffee from specialty roaster ONA, inventive dishes, and matcha lattes in a thoughtfully designed space, catering to locals, office workers, and brunch lovers alike.
