Going Beyond Your Staple Chai

Radhika Batra Shah is a celebrated tea sommelier and owner of organic tea brand Radhikas Fine Teas & Whatnots. She was recently invited to launch her signature line of handcrafted teas by the Kempinski Hotel Muscat, Oman, at their tea boutique. Her brand offers organic, plantation-fresh whole leaf teas and elevates the Indian tea palate to include characteristic variants like Darjeeling white oolong and black leaf barmagot. In a conversation with FoodService India, Batra outlines her professional philosophy of the art of serving tea.

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What inspired you to take up a career in tea pairing and blending?

Tea was an innate part of my childhood. My father, being in Merchant Navy, came back home with the choicest of teas from around the world and the global etiquette around it. I discovered white green oolong and many more phenomenal flavors. My mother used to brew the best slow cooked tea blended with her kitchen herbs each day. Some of my family’s most important decisions in life have been made over a cup of tea. I grew into my liking for the beverage and it seemed like the most perfect thing to happen to me. I was always sure of starting my own business in the segment. You could call it a well-built opportunity combined with my passion to serve the best tea leaf. Although it was a slow segment back in 2006, I started offwith a humble tea boutique which showcased the entire tea journey and encompassed elements like tea ware and accompanying savories. I collaborated with the best tea gardens in and outside India and have slowly built a strong value chain. I now sell teas from India, China, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Thailand.

What is it about being a tea sommelier that gives you the greatest professional satisfaction? What do you enjoy most in this line of work?