Session 90 of the Dilmah School of Tea (SOT) marked a significant milestone in professional tea education, welcoming 189 participants from 48 countries. Designed to enhance the understanding of tea in the context of food, beverage and hospitality, the session combined technical knowledge with hands-on practical experience across four full days in Sri Lanka.
The programme began with culinary demonstrations showcasing tea’s versatility in gastronomy. Renowned chef Peter Kuruvita, cheese expert Betty Koster and award-winning mixologists Tomek Malek and Alberto Pizarro led segments that integrated tea into both sweet and savoury applications, as well as innovative non-alcoholic and low-ABV beverages.
Participants then engaged in classroom-based modules covering tea and wellness, tea’s health benefits, flavour pairings, and food service trends. Led by Dilhan C. Fernando, Chairman of Dilmah Tea and supported by local and international experts, the sessions emphasised the role of tea in contemporary hospitality. Practical yet fun components included the design of personalised high tea presentations as well as tastings and sensory evaluations.
The visit included community engagement facilitated by the MJF Charitable Foundation, reinforcing Dilmah’s commitment to ethical and sustainable tea. A field visit to the Craighead Estate in Nawalapitiya offered direct exposure to the tea gardens and tea production, from handpicking to grading. The programme concluded in Colombo with visits to the Dilmah Tea Room and the factory & packaging facility. More than 5,000 cups of tea were brewed, but the value of Session 90 lay in the professional knowledge shared and the community of global culinary and mixology practitioners it helps to build.
To learn more about Dilmah School of Tea, visit https://www.dilmahtea.com/all-about-tea/school-of-tea.
