THIRD WAVE TEA

The coffee scene has, arguably, been the most exciting amongst the F&B industry for the past decade. Since the turn of the century, the 3rd wave of coffee swept through the world and created what is now known as specialty coffee.

From a simple commodity, coffee was transformed into an artisanal product, where great emphasis is placed upon every step from bean to cup. Traditional dark roasting that resulted in a heavy, bitter and almost uniformed product, gave way to lighter roasts that better showcase the quality and natural characteristics of the beans.

In contrast, the tea scene has remained largely unchanged, with exception to the bubble tea phenomenon. Tea practitioners tend to hold on firmly to the traditions, favouring heritage over innovations. The chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony) has also remained constant for centuries, and its students were taught to follow and master every action. But it hasn’t always been this way. There was a time when tea was about innovation, and ever changing to suit the needs of people.

Sen no Rikyu, the single most influential figure in the history of sado (Way of Tea), was extremely clear about this. When tasked to build a chashitsu for his master’s new castle, he abandoned the traditional 4.5 tatami-mat layout and created a 2 tatami-mat room using recycled material. In a time where the tea ceremony was used to display one’s wealth and status, the wabi sabi decor chosen was hardly befitting of his master’s supreme leader status.