ITEI Certified Tea Courses
Course Overview
Camellia’s Tea House launched the Tea Steward qualification in 2016. The ITEI Tea Steward Course is ideal for all those working in tea companies, hotels, restaurants, coffee houses or those who have a general interest in tea. This foundation level course will build confidence when discussing, recommending, presenting, pairing and serving teas from around the world.
The course consists of 4 modules which will be covered in an intense one day class in London, some additional reading from materials provided prior to the course and a final exam. The focus of the course is on the essentials of tea tasting, tea on the menu, tea and food pairings suggestions, and tea service from different cultures around the world.
During the onsite classes, participants are invited to practice tea tastings, tea recommendations from the menu, tea service, tea & food pairing suggestions and much more.
The next ITEI Tea Steward courses will take place in 2021 in London.
If you are interested in attending this course, please email us at teaschool@camelliasteahouse.com or call 0203 489 7676.
MODULE 1
- Let’s discover tea and its origins
- When did tea become a beverage?
- Tea cultivation and consumption spread to other countries
- Tea reaches Europe
- Main tea producing countries
- Tea & the “Terroir” notion
- One plant and six different types of teas and colours
- What defines tea quality?
- Seasonal vs all year long tea cultivation and harvest
- What teas are usually found in hotel restaurants, lounges, Five Star restaurants
- Loose leaf or teabags
- Organic and Fairtrade certifications
- Tea service intro
- Tea service type
- Tea preparation and steeping general rules
- Tea utensils/ Vessels importance in making a satisfying cup of tea
- “Faux-pas” of adding sugar, milk or lemon to tea
MODULE 2
- What’s on the Tea Menu
- Enrich your tea vocabulary – Tea Tasting Lexicon for the Tea Steward
- Tea Tasting basics, specific vessels & tools
- White tea manufacturing
- Taste and discover 2 white teas from China
- Chinese vs Japanese green teas manufacturing
- Taste and discover green teas from China vs green teas
- from Japan
- Taste and discover Oolong teas from 2 different countries, Green Oolongs vs Dark oolongs
- ITEI Tea Steward sphere of responsibilities
- Tea & Food pairing basics
MODULE 3
- Tea trends
- Matcha tea on the Tea Menu or at the bar?
- Matcha Tea service & requirements
- Black teas manufacturing and grades
- CTC teas vs Orthodox teas
- Taste black teas from different countries, grades and
- styles incl fun blind tastings
- Puerh teas manufacturing & aging
- Comparative tasting of 2 Puerh teas (Sheng and Shou)
- Tea storage challenges and rules in the restaurants, hotel restaurants
- Tea vs Tisane on the Tea Menu/ Caffeine
- Taste 2 tisanes
- Blended teas basics
- Flavoured teas vs single origin teas incl tasting of 2 aromatized teas
- Tea cocktails/ Mixology
- ITEI Tea Steward role during an English Afternoon Tea
- Gongfu Tea service basics when offered in certain venues
- Japanese Tea service basics when offered in certain venues
- Tea Service Excellence
FINAL EXAM
Closed book written exam of 30 multiple-choice questions. During the classes, participants are invited to practice tea tastings, tea recommendations from the menu, tea service, tea & food pairing suggestions.
Upon completion of both written and practical tests, participants receive the ITEI Tea Steward Diploma.
