Building People, Not Just Coffee: Inside Duc’s Journey at ZeroToOne

When you first meet Duc, he doesn’t lead with his titles or his trophies.

He talks about water. He talks about the "stretch" of milk. He talks about the tiny, invisible details that most people swallow without thinking.

At ZeroToOne Coffee, Duc is our Head of Coffee. But if you watch him work, you realise he’s actually in the business of building people. His move from the streets of Vietnam to the competitive heart of London wasn’t a loud, cinematic explosion. It was a quiet, intentional migration, built one cup at a time.

It Started as Survival

Duc didn’t grow up with a "calling" for caffeine. At first, coffee was just a way to pay the bills. He started as a part-time barista in college. It paid for daily expenses. That was the purpose at the beginning.

“I just needed a job” he says, almost laughing at how simple it was.

But something shifted. The more he learned, the more he stayed after shifts. He found himself staying late after his shifts, obsessed with the why.

• Why did one espresso taste balanced while another felt sharp?
• Why did milk texture change the perception of sweetness?
• Why did workflow matter so much during busy hours?

Curiosity turned into commitment. He became a manager and trainer at Starbucks Vietnam. He began understanding not just how to make drinks, but how to build systems, train teams, and hold standards.

Coffee stopped being income, and it became identity. 8 years ago, he opened his own coffee roastery in Vietnam.

“At first, it felt like trying something new. After a few months, I realised it was not temporary. This was my life.”

Choosing to Leave Comfort Behind

When Duc met Alex years ago in Vietnam, they bonded over a shared frustration: “Vietnamese coffee was being ignored on the world stage”

When ZeroToOne began building in London, Duc faced a decision. He could support from afar. He could collaborate remotely. Or he could move.

He chose to move and he had never lived in London before.

London is one of the most competitive and developed specialty coffee markets in the world. It is fast paced. Customers are knowledgeable. Expectations are high.

“London is one of the most developed specialty coffee cities in the world. If Vietnamese coffee can work here, ….it can work anywhere.” Duc says.

It was not simply a career move. It was a statement of belief.

The Physics of London: Challenges Most People Never Notice

Relocating to a new country brings cultural adjustments, but for Duc the transition wasn't just about culture shock; it was about chemistry!

London water is significantly harder than what he was used to in Vietnam. The mineral composition affects extraction, sweetness and clarity. Milk also behaves differently. The protein and fat structure influence texture and balance in ways that are subtle but important.

“If you want consistency, you cannot ignore the environment,” he explains.

He began recalibrating everything. Brewing ratios changed. Espresso recipes were refined. Water solutions were reconsidered. Milk techniques were adjusted. Workflow was optimised to match London’s speed while maintaining quality.

Specialty coffee in London must be both excellent and efficient. Customers appreciate detail, but they also expect their drink without delay. That balance became one of his daily disciplines.

Leading by Letting Go

When Duc first joined ZeroToOne, he sensed that something was not fully aligned. It wasn't that the coffee was bad; it just lacked intention.

“I felt something was missing, but I could not immediately explain it,” he says.

So he observed. He tasted every drink. He spoke with customers. He watched how baristas moved during peak hours. He adjusted recipes weekly. He refined standards quietly.

Gradually, the shift became visible. Consistency improved. Service felt more intentional. The space began to reflect the care behind the coffee.

It was never about dramatic change. It was about steady improvement. Now, he measures his success by how little the team needs him.

“If someone practices one thing a hundred times, they become strong,” he says.

He’s looking for discipline over "talent." To Duc, a barista isn't a temporary role; it’s the starting line for a career as a roaster, a sensory judge, or a champion.

One of the most noticeable growth journeys in the team has been Joseph. When he first started, he was learning the fundamentals like everyone else. Dialling in espresso. Understanding extraction. Adjusting milk texture. Tasting again and again.

But he kept practising. He kept refining. He kept pushing himself to be better than the week before.

Later on, Joseph went on to become the UK AeroPress Champion 2025.

For Duc, that moment was not surprising. It was the natural result of continuous practice and discipline. He says.

“Not just because he won. But because I saw how much work he put in.”

The championship was a milestone. But the real story was the journey behind it: Countless cups brewed. Honest feedback. Small improvements repeated every day. That is what Duc believes in.

Quality is not an accident.

A Win for the Team

Last year, Duc entered the CAFEC Brewers Cup almost unexpectedly. There was one ticket left. He decided to take it.

“I wanted to understand the UK standard,” he says. “I wanted to see where I stand.”

He did not approach it with ego. He approached it with curiosity. He placed second.

The preparation was intense but collective. The ZeroToOne team tasted every test brew. They gave honest feedback. On competition day, they arrived early and supported him fully. Around twenty to thirty cups were brewed and evaluated during preparation alone.

“Competition forces you to make coffee that is objectively good,” Duc reflects. “Not just something you personally like.”

For him, the experience reinforced discipline rather than status.

The Future: Beyond the Exotic

Duc is tired of Vietnamese coffee being treated as a "novelty" or a "cheap robusta." He wants people to see the craft: the high-altitude Arabicas and the experimental fine Robustas coming out of the highlands.

There is a common myth that "Specialty Coffee" has to be a luxury reserved for a payday treat. Duc is on a mission to dismantle that. His goal for ZeroToOne isn't to be a "trendy" spot. He wants to be the shop you trust every single morning. 

“A good cup of coffee shouldn't feel like an expensive decision,” he says firmly.

He believes that by optimizing his systems and sourcing directly, ZeroToOne can offer a world-class experience at a price point that fits into a daily routine. 

“People deserve a great cup to start their day. Not just on weekends. Every day.”

When asked to sum up the mission in three words, he doesn't use fancy descriptors like floral or complex. He chooses Service, Quality, and Consistency. They are simple words. But building them into everyday reality is the real work. And that is the work he chooses to do, one cup at a time.