Barista of the Month - Alvin, Pantry Eleven Eleven - January 2025

At Paradox Coffee Roasters, our café partners are family! This month, meet Alvin, our Barista of the Month, sharing his routine, love for coffee, and tips for home baristas.

What’s your name and where do you work?

Hi, I'm Alvin, and I currently work at Pantry Eleven Eleven in Carlton, NSW.

What inspired you to become a barista?

In the beginning, it was just so I could get a job in Australia. But as I was learning, the latte art aspect really grabbed my attention, and I became very passionate about coffee straight away.

What’s your favourite part of working at the café?

Firstly, getting to taste a lot of coffee. Secondly, meeting and interacting with all the customers and having the privilege to give them a good start to their day. I love seeing the smiles on people's faces!

Can you share a memorable interaction you’ve had with a customer?

In my first year of working, there was a time when a customer remembered my birthday and gave me a present without me even telling them!

How do you perfect your latte art? Any tips?

When it comes to latte art, I believe the texture and temperature of your milk play a huge role. Other than that, it's mostly about consistent training and having a good foundation of basics.

What’s your favourite Paradox blend or origin, and why?

My favourite Paradox blend would be the Purple Rain Organic blend. I find this blend to be very smooth and balanced, and it is a very good all-rounder, whether you have it black or with any milk or alternatives. I've been using this blend for over five years now, and it's been the most consistent and easy coffee to work with so far.

What’s a fun fact most people don’t know about you?

Although I may seem very outgoing and confident during competitions and service hours, I am actually very introverted and conservative outside of the coffee scenes. 😛

Give @pantry_eleveneleven a visit and say hello to Alvin!