Dilmah to run ‘tea gastronomy’ competition for third year running
Family-owned tea company Dilmah Australia will run the ‘Real High Tea Challenge’ for the third year running, encouraging entrants to create a ‘culinary masterpiece’ using Dilmah tea.
The national competition, which Dilmah Australia says is “responsible for leading the emerging tea gastronomy movement”, is open to food service and hospitality professionals in Australia. The winner will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Sri Lanka, the home of Dilmah tea.
The Real High Tea Challenge, which is a World Assocation of Chefs (WACS) event, requires entrants to craft their own original tea-based cocktail or mocktail, create a tea-infused dish and present a harmonious tea and food pairing.
Entries are now open and are required to be submitted online by 20 May 2013. Short-listed with those short-listed then invited to a regional challenge event in their capital city to present and serve their High Tea entry.
The competition will be judged by Dilhan C. Fernando, Dilmah founder Merrill J. Fernando, Black Hat cheft Bernd Uber, and international mixology expert Robert Schinkel. The judges will award marks based on an understanding of the high tea tradition, as well as demonstrating of different brewing techniques, creative use of tea as a core ingredient, and outstanding presentation and service.
The Dilmah Real High Tea Challenge was inaugurated by the Fernando family in Colombo in 2007. It arrived in Australia in 2011.
“The aim of the competition is to elevate the understanding of tea gastronomy and emphasise the importance of tea within the high tea tradition,” said Dilhan C. Fernando.
