There is something uniquely fulfilling about the seemingly simple activity of preparing, serving, selling, and (of course) talking about tea. With this slightly sentimental thought in mind, I’m thrilled to announce the start of a new chapter in my tea journey as the new year begins – one that feels to me in many ways like coming home:
Starting next week, I will be returning to the world of in-person tea trade. You will regularly find me behind the counter (and the tea table) at Bamboo Tea Room in Cologne several days each week.
After spending the past few years deeply immersed in the digital world (beyond tea as well), I am closing a circle that began almost 15 years ago in Berlin: in the tea trade of Michael Graf and Anja Runge, where, alongside my then-main profession as a freelance copywriter and PR consultant, I first got a behind-the-scenes look at the tea industry – where I learned to sell tea, open tea chests, create blends, and communicate with a diverse customer base. This laid the foundation for my entire later work as a tea expert.
Making the complex world of international tea specialties accessible to a broad audience, while respecting quality, culture, and history, and aligning with business requirements, is a challenge that has engaged an ever-growing community (I hesitate to call it a distinct industry) of people, projects, and brands over the past few years, each with different accents or approaches.
This mission has also accompanied my own journey in the world of tea: as a founding partner at Paper & Tea, where we started with the idea of creating appreciation for tea specialties among an audience that values modern presentation; as a product specialist at Vorwerk Temial, where I was able to accompany the development and market launch of a tea device that translated traditional preparation into an automated form; and in my tea seminars, which have been a focus of my activities since my early days as Chief Teaist at P & T.
My personal credo after all these stations and years is that those of us who aim to popularize tea as something more than just another product must avoid two things in its marketing: bombastic exaggeration on the one hand and excessive simplification on the other. I deeply believe that it is possible to present tea (also sustainably from a business perspective) in a way that is both exciting and sophisticated – similar to wine or coffee specialties.
I am delighted that it is precisely this type of presentation that will connect Felix Weiß and me at Bamboo Tea Room from this year onwards. Founded in 2017, Felix and his team have made Bamboo Tea Room one of the leading addresses for tea specialties in Cologne and beyond in a short time. In addition to a strong focus on (mostly self-imported!) premium teas from Taiwan and Japan, the store’s range also includes a selection of teas that meet a broader audience where they predominantly are in the German market. Thus, one experiences tea at Bamboo Tea Room in a way that makes it accessible to new target groups, while always staying true to the idea of promoting appreciation for tea specialties and their culture, history, and origin.
A well-known Chinese quote says: “吃茶去” (go drink tea) – those who delve into the background of this phrase will quickly understand my desire to return to the core of what has given me my most fulfilling memories in all these years in various roles: inspiring people on-site about tea.
In this spirit, I look forward to welcoming you all to Bamboo Tea Room this year. Independently of this, you can of course continue to experience me in my tea seminars and workshops – in Cologne now even twice a month: for the “Journey into the World of Tea” at Teequartier 259 (always on the second Sunday) and for the “Gongfu Tea Workshop” at Bamboo Tea Room (every last Sunday). Additionally, I will be offering a “Tea 101” as an online workshop via Zoom once a month, covering the basics of tea.
Let’s fill this year with meaningful moments through good teas and pleasant conversations. To the journey! 🍵🍃
Thomas