Who they are
Young Baek is one of Australia's leading sensory specialists and a Q Arabica Grader. Based in Sydney, he works and trains across Ona Coffee Sydney and Yama Kim's Leible Coffee, and is part of the product development team at Breville Australia.
He is best known as the 2023 World Cup Tasters Champion, crowned at the World of Coffee in Athens, Greece on 24 June 2023 — only the second Australian ever to win the title, after Yama Kim (2018).
The road to the title
Young's competitive cupping journey began in late 2021, when Luna from Ona Coffee Melbourne handed him his first cupping spoon at the team Christmas party. Less than a year later he was Australian Champion; nine months after that, World Champion.
- 2022 Australian Cup Tasters Champion (ASCA): scored 7/8 cups in 4:53 in the final in Melbourne, beating Sinwu Nam (Code Black) and Karl Lee (KL Specialty Coffee Lab). Coffees supplied by Brazilian importer Minas Hill.
- 2023 World Cup Tasters Champion (WCTC): scored 7/8 in 4:08 in the final round in Athens, narrowly beating Mandie Soengkono (Indonesia) and Andrii Vasylieve (Ukraine).
He led the world field after round one with a perfect 8/8 in 3:02 and finished a perfect 8/8 in the semi-finals (6:47).
How he trains
Young practices daily — sometimes four to six times a day — and prioritises accuracy over speed. His approach blends classical sensory rigour with deliberate experimentation: structured triangulations, varied roast levels, and same-origin / different-process comparisons to sharpen palate memory.
Between rounds in Athens, he kept himself grounded by going for a swim at the beach after every cupping session.
Mentors and team
Young credits a deep Sydney/Canberra/Melbourne network for his progression:
- Yama Kim — 2018 World Cup Tasters Champion, owner of Leible Coffee, who provided his Sydney training base.
- Nuno Park (Fragment Coffee, 2022 ASCA Central Cup Tasters Champion) — his "Mr Miyagi" on sensory fundamentals.
- Mitch at Ona Coffee Canberra — intensive coaching grounded in science and experimentation.
- Hansel Tanadi — national sensory judge and long-time training partner.
- The wider Ona Coffee Sydney team (Alex Murfet, Jason Gao, Jim Lin) who covered shifts during his prep.
What he's doing now
Alongside his cupping work, Young is part of the product development team at Breville Australia, helping shape espresso and brewing equipment for home users from beginner to expert. He has spoken openly about wanting to "give back" by building a platform for the next generation of home brewers and coffee professionals.
Known for
- 2023 World Cup Tasters Champion (Athens)
- 2022 ASCA Australian Cup Tasters Champion
- Q Arabica Grader, sensory educator and product developer
- Sydney coffee community — Ona Coffee, Leible Coffee, Breville Australia
Championships
2023 · World Cup Tasters Championship
ChampionWorld of Coffee Athens, 24 June 2023. Final: 7/8 cups in 4:08, beating Mandie Soengkono (Indonesia) and Andrii Vasylieve (Ukraine). Led round 1 with 8/8 in 3:02; semi-final 8/8 in 6:47.
2022 · Australian Cup Tasters Championship
ChampionASCA Australian Cup Tasters Championship, Melbourne, August 2022. Final: 7/8 cups in 4:53, beating Sinwu Nam (Code Black, 2nd) and Karl Lee (KL Specialty Coffee Lab, 3rd). Coffees supplied by Minas Hill.