UAE National Tea Masters Cup debuts at Dubai International Coffee &Tea Festival

• Unilever Gulf’s ‘The Tea Company’ & ‘Pure Leaf’ sponsor competition
• Winners to represent Middle East at 2018 World Tea Masters Championship

Sponsored by ‘The Tea Company’ and ‘Pure Leaf’ by Unilever Gulf, the engaging and intense UAE National Tea Masters Cup is making its debut this year at the Dubai International Coffee & Tea Festival (DICTF), the Middle East’s only exhibition dedicated to coffee and tea. Winners of the inaugural edition of the Tea Masters Cup in Dubai will represent the Middle East on the international stage at the World Tea Masters Championship 2018.

Competing tea masters will face off in the Cup’s UAE National Tea Preparation Challenge and the UAE National Tea Mixology Challenge, where they will have an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and make their mark in one of the fastest-growing global industries.

Competitors at the UAE National Tea Preparation challenge will be required to brew two distinct beverages, the House Tea Brew and the Tea Masters Brew, and present the same to the judges within a 15-minute time frame.

The House Tea Brew is prepared from a single tea sample chosen from a set of samples and is the same for all competitors, while the Tea Masters Brew is a tea chosen by the competitor from among the range of set samples provided on stage. Each competitor can choose their preference of tea and the preparation process. A panel of judges will evaluate each brew according to the five criteria of aroma, flavor, aftertaste, brewing and serving technique, and presentation.

The UAE National Tea Mixology Challenge, on the other hand, will stage competitors showing off their skill while they prepare and present multi-ingredient tea-based beverages, referred to as the House Tea Mix and the Tea Masters Mix. Similar to Tea Preparation, participants are given 15minutes to complete their entire performance.

The House Tea Mix is prepared from a chosen tea sample and is the same for all competitors. Mixing of flavors is allowed and the tea master is free to add any other beverages and ingredients permitted by the local laws in the preparation process. The final beverage can be served hot or cold. The Tea Masters Mix is a tea chosen by the competitor from among the range of set samples provided on stage.

A panel of judges will also evaluate each brew according to the qualities of the beverage; preparation and presentation technique; visual appeal; the degree of synergy between the components of the beverage; and practical potential.

Anselm Godinho, Managing Director of International Conferences and Exhibitions, DICTF’s organizer, said: “The Middle East is one of the regions in the world with the highest tea consumption. Despite the high consumption of Tea over the world and the immense business potential of Tea as a product, there are only few events that provide an ideal platform for knowledge and expertise sharing among stakeholders. DICTF is among these events that also aim to highlight the substantial opportunities being offered by the tea industry. With the debut of the UAE National Tea Masters Cup, we seek to attract higher public and business interest to Tea and pave the way for more recognition of Dubai’s involvement in this sector.

DICTF will be hosted at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC) from December 14 to 16, 2017.

The Tea Masters Cup is an international event in 18 countries that uses education and competition to recognize and improve quality in tea delivery and service. The Tea Masters Cup Community includes trendsetters who create innovative ideas to aid in the development of tea as a commodity, a passion, a business, and a profession.