Don Mei : Hey teaheads! This is Don from Mei Leaf. In this video: Bringing True Tea To
London. For all of you that know Mei Leaf you know that our mission is to bring the
transformative power of "true tea" into more people's lives - pinnacle teas brewed in a
Gong fu style. We call it "true tea", and it is our absolute goal to spread the word
to as many people across the world as possible. And what about the UK? What about London?
Well, of course, London is our home. London is where Mei Leaf has its HQ, and we have
our tea house in Camden Town, where we are pushing forward the boundaries, and really
presenting true tea to everybody who walks through our door. But it is a source of frustration
for us that there aren't more people doing it in our great city - until now. I'm so happy,
and so pleased, because "Tate Modern" - one of the most influential and respected art
institutions in the world, and one of the most iconic tourist destinations in London
- is now serving Mei Leaf "Nectar Raider" Gu Shu Puerh in a Gong Fu style, all the way
up on the 9th floor at the Tate Modern Restaurant. It's a very exciting time for us, because
true tea has found another home at such an important hub in London. So we are here to
interview the person who made this all happen - Chris. We're going to go and have some tea
with him, and have a quick chat. Let's go... Welcome everybody to the Tate Modern Restaurant,
level 9. I am joined here by Chris Whitelaw, who is the Hot Beverages Manager for Tate
Galleries in the UK. Thank you Chris...
Chris : Thank you.
Don: ... for inviting us. It's the beginning of the day [and] people are just setting up,
so it's all ahead of the day, and we are sitting [and] enjoying - of course - "Nectar Raider"
Puerh, [which is] Chris's pick. But I have to say, good pick.
Chris: Thank you.
Don: So why don't you tell us about this amazing space here?
Chris: The "Level 9 Restaurant" at Tate Modern [is] aiming to be a destination restaurant
for the Tate. Our aims are: to have a modern approach - with seasonal ingredients - and
using modern techniques, and to provide a really detailed service, but in a relaxed
environment.
Don: Yeah, you can feel that. It feels like everything has been thought out, but it doesn't
feel stuffy in here. It doesn't feel like you need to mind your manners. It feels relaxed.
What Chris has not mentioned is the view. The view here is one of the best views, I
think, you can get in London, in general.
Chris: Oh, thank you.
Don: You get 360 [degrees] panorama. Level 9 is a really nice height, actually, because
you're not feeling like you're above everything. You're in the city but you can see everything.
We'll get some cut-aways, for sure, so you can see. So, [imagine this], you guys can
be drinking Gong Fu style Gu Shu Puerh with a view of London that is incredible. And I
have not had the opportunity to eat here yet, but I will.
Chris: You will.
Don: So tell me a little bit about the food. What's the approach to food, in terms of the
style?
Chris: Hmm. Well, the menu changes seasonally, but also changes with new exhibitions. So
we're working hard to tie in our [food and drink] offering with the exhibitions that
are held at Tate Modern.
Don: Is there a particular sort of genre of food, or culture of food? Is it modern European,
British, or is it a whole mix?
Chris: It's kind of a mix, but again, quite influenced by as the exhibitions change the
menu is changing. But also, yeah, just getting really great seasonal ingredients.
Don: Yeah. So key is sourcing here. I've taken a look at the menu, [and] we've obviously
had lots of discussions, and what really has struck me is the level of detail that goes
into the sourcing. So that's really incredible. But [we] really want to hear about your background
- how you got involved in hot beverages in the Tate. how did that all come about?
Chris: I've worked as a barista in London from around 2010. I got into coffee first,
as a kind of real interest. Growing up in the Northwest of English I'd always had kind
of Yorkshire tea, or "PJ Tips".
Don: So you're the original Yorkshire tea drinker. [LAUGHTER]
Chris: Yeah, from a very young age I'd drink maybe five cups a day.
Don: Oh, right. Proper. It was a habit.
Don: Yeah. Yeah, and it was just that moment in a day that I would be able to chat with
my family. We would all have a cup of tea. My mom would brew in a teapot - [with] a really
big tea pot - and take quite a lot of care and pride in brewing that tea. So I grew up
really loving tea, and also got my interest, probably, in coffee from my mom as well, because
we would drink coffee together.
Don: So it would be tea in the afternoon [and] coffee in the morning? Or how would it be
in your house?
Chris: Coffee was special occasions, and tea was like just kind of continuous.
Don: Tea was the necessity.
Chris: Yeah, and so that was kind of [my early] stages. But I think when I got older I came
to London, and started to - I think maybe - want to connect back with those things,
and that's I think when my real interest in coffee began. So it was around the time that
[it was] kind of like "third wave" was really taking...
Don: Yeah, "third wave" coffee.
Chris: ...yeah, [really] moving forward a lot in London.
Don: So you were working as a barista at various different cafes in London?
Chris: Yeah, I worked in a lot of different cafes, and in one place that I was working
- a lovely place - we moved over to loose leaf, and we did blind tasting. And that [really]
started to open up my eyes to just within black teas, because [that was] the options
available.
Don: Yeah.
Chris: And [tasting blind, and] not knowing what you're drinking really opens your mind,
so that was really useful. But even before that my friend had been visiting China, and
she brought me back some tea. I didn't know what it was.
Don: Yeah, the ubiquitous "gift tea" that comes from China. [A lot of people] have that
as their first experience of some higher quality tea - those little packets. [LAUGHTER]
Chris: Yeah, I was really lucky. [I think it] was quite a good quality "Dragon Well".
After that it was a "Phoenix Honey Orchid". Just the peachy note [that were in that was]
really amazing. And again, [I was] just trying to figure out [what other] companies I could
taste that from. And then I think - again, like I was mentioning revelations - each time
[when I had] a Wu Yi roasted Oolong that was - like a "Big Red Robe" - that was a big kind
of moment, I think . Then, more recently, just having [a cooked Puerh] on our menu,
and trying to figure out more about Puerh, like why do people love it so much? And they
really love it when they have it? Why is that? So I started to tea different cooked Puerhs,
and different raw Puerhs, and that lead me to... Actually, I was speaking with "LT" from
the "London Tea Guide", and we were just talking about what are the current places that I can
go and experience teas in London. One that I had never been to was Mei Leaf the tea house,
so I popped in one weekend [and] had a lot at the menu, and "Nectar Raider" really jumped
out to me.
Don: Had you drunk much raw Puerh at that point?
Chris : Never.
Don: Okay. Right. Nice.
Chris: So it was just seeing the options available, and the care and attention, and the flavor
notes, and just trying to guide that experience a little. And [I really] appreciated that.
Don: So this is [where] your exploration in coffee started as a barista, and then you
started to get into tea, and there was a connection with [your childhood memories] of tea.
Chris: Yeah.
Don: And [how] do you feel that the tea scene has sort of changed from then to now in London?
Has it changed? [For all the people] watching, who are going to visit London, what would
you say is the sort of highlights, and where things could improve, in the tea scene in
London?
Chris: I think [the tea] scene in London is changing. I think that a majority of guests
are still fixed on [simply] requesting a "Breakfast" tea, and I think that's probably - in my experience
working different cafes - it's the trend, [or at least] the history. But currently I'm
seeing [a greater] interest - or an emerging interest - in green teas; so Sen Cha and "Dragon
Well" in particular here. And I think that sort of Oolongs [and Puerh] are two areas
in tea that I think can really be explored. I hope to see a greater uptake of those [styles]
of tea.
Don: Yeah, well you're certainly pushing that forward. You're jumping from Assams to Gu
Shu Puerhs. You're taking a pretty big leap.[I should say that] they haven't just brought
Nectar Raider the Tate Modern Restaurant. They've brought the entire [Gong Fu] Guru,
[and] they've brought the Gong Fu style of brewing. So the clients are brewing themselves,
just like at Mei Leaf.
Chris: Yeah.
Don: So you basically are pioneering something [which is] really kind of groundbreaking.
Was that a risk for you? Or is that a risk for you? How are you feeling about that? [Is
it just sort of] a trial period? What's your thinking?
Chris: We want to exceed our guest's expectations, and we want to give them a really good experience,
[and] something that surprises them. We want to provide them with something special - the
opportunity to have something special. And I think it would be more of a risk not to
try to provide something really unique, [that shows] care an attention for our guests.
Don: Yeah, sure. Sure.
Chris: I think [it's something that is new] and we're introducing. What I love about Gung
Fu brewing, actually, is its simplicity, and what I love about this style - the style of
service we'll provide - is that we can guide the guest in brewing, but they'll be left
to brew the remaining infusions themselves. So they can immerse themselves, [and] they
can connect with the [tea] fully, and hopefully, again, then connect to the origin of the tea
- [since] it's tremendously traceable - so to connect back to where it was produced;
where you sourced it.
Don: Yeah, and that's a growing trend that's much more meaningful for your clients. I assume
you get those kinds of questions a lot?
Chris: Yeah, it's something [that definitely] people have a greater interest in, traceability,
and I feel like people are more interested in trying new things.
Don: Well, I think [that] also [it's] the platform of the Tate Modern as a place to
experience new things, because of its reputation - because everybody around the world knows
that the "Tate" name, and the "Tate" brand is all about pushing art, and [pushing] sort
of culture dialogue, and discussion and experimentation. So for me, when I found out that Chris was
interested in bringing Nectar Raider to the Tate, it was obviously a very exciting time.
And we need to shout-out "Tea Guide London" for making that happen. You need to check
those guys out as well, on Instagram. So Nectar Raider is your first foray into raw Puerh,
and the first offering at the Tate in Gong Fu style.
Chris: Yes.
Don: Any particular reason why Nectar Raider? Feel free to drink.
Chri: Yeah, Nectar Raider [SIPS TEA] really stood out as a unique tea. The thing that
really hits me is [the] dry leaf in the heated pot. Those sort of forest-honey aromas are
really comforting. [You] really start to think about its origin - those sort of subtropical
forests. It really takes you there. And then with that first infusion you get the kind
of syrupy body of the tea, and that kind of [cookie dough and] honeysuckle element, which
is lovely. And then [just that] long-lasting aftertaste.
Don: Yeah, that aftertaste [is in] my mouth. It's so perfumed, isn't it?
Chris: Yeah. I swear there's times when I've had this tea that hours later I still taste
it, just as I'm walking around doing other jobs. And [every time] we brew this - every
time I experience this tea - it's always a very special experience. So having enjoyed
that I brought the tea into our team, and we tasted [it] together. [I just] brewed Gong
Fu style, for Chris Aspinall, who's manager of the restaurant. Chris has a great deal
of experience with teas, providing the highest level of service with teas, [and] he immediately
wanted to add Nectar Raider to the menu.
Don: Great. It's always good to have the support of your colleagues [LAUGHTER], isn't it?
Chris: Completely. Completely. So yeah, he really saw this as something special too.
And [I think] what's also really interesting about the tea [is] it's a Gu Shu Puerh, so
[it's from] ancient trees, which [is something really special in itself, [that] these trees
are 200 to 300 years old. And it [seems to start] to move more towards the kind of similarities
with wines in that respect.
Don: Yeah, sure, sure.
Chris: Our [CEO] is [Jamie Shanderson]. He's a wine expert, and I think [that] looking
at the menus in the restaurant, I've been working to get our team menu on a par with
the quality and diversity of offering of our wine menu.
Don: That is so refreshing to hear, that that's the sort of approach - to [look] at all of
your beverage options, and go, 'Well, how can we just raise the standards for all of
them?'
Chris: Yeah. Yeah. And one of the things that we do is buy our wine and age it. So we have
a cellar at Tate Britain - an award-winning cellar - and one of the things that really
struck me with the opportunity with the raw Puerh is that we could age it ourselves. So
that is something that we are looking into at the moment, as to how we can do that in
the best way, and maybe we'll be able to serve Nectar Raider in 30 years time at Tate.
Don: I have a feeling that the Tate vaults are going to become some of the most prized
tea collections.
Chris: [LAUGHTER]
Don: I can imagine [that] the hunt is now on. Once you start that aging process you're
going to be like, 'Mmm. I need another mountain. I need an Oolong...'
Chris: [LAUGHTER] Yeah.
Don: [In] 20 [or] 30 years time it's going to be the place to drink all the aged stuff,
for sure.
Chris: Yeah.
Don: That's so exciting, and it's such a pleasure. [I'm sure] you guys agree [that] it's such
a pleasure to hear such passion for tea, and such understanding [of the potential] and
the future of tea, [and] looking back at the traditions, but taking it forward in this
incredible environment. I have to say - I can't overstate it - [this] is a place that
has the most amazing views, incredible service, and you now get to drink some raw Gu Shu Puerh.
Thank you so much, Chris, for taking on the mantle, [and] for pioneering "true tea" in
such a prominent location. It means a lot to us, and thanks for sharing your time this
morning.
Chris: Thank you for sourcing it, and for all the training, as well, [that] you've provided
us - [the] visits , and helping us with this. Yeah, thank you.
Don: Absolute pleasure. Cheers.
Chris: Thank you, Don.
Don: Thank you.
Chris: Thank you.
Don: It gives me such joy to know that such an iconic destination - like Tate Modern - in
my home city, is championing 'true tea". And I'm so thankful for people like Chris who
are pushing the boundaries, and clearly have such a passion for "the good stuff". And to
know that the throngs of people that visit every single day, to this place, are just
footsteps away from tea that we sourced with our own hands over there in Yi Wu, in Yunnan,
in China. So you guys know [that] if you are ever in London then get over to the Tate Modern
Restaurant, on the 9th floor, and experience "true tea" in a setting unlike any other.
And this sets a precedent, [so] all of you people out there, go talk to your favorite
restaurants [and] your favorite cafes, [and] tell them that Tate Modern [is] doing it so
they can do it too. Let's spread the word even further so that all of us teaheads can
have more destinations to enjoy the best tea possible. That's it teaheads. Check out our
other videos, fire over any questions, comments, or video ideas. Other than that, I'm Don from
Mei Leaf. Thank you for being part of the revelation of "true tea". Stay away from those
teabags, keep drinking the good stuff, and spread the word, because nobody deserves bad
tea. Bye [WAVING]