Tea and gastronomy: collaborations that awaken the senses

Mathieu Dubus | 5/21/24, 4:29 PM

May 21 is International Tea Day. The beverage, hot and sometimes cold, is often a favorite at the end of a meal, including by chefs who carefully choose the houses they want to work with.

Since the beginning of the millennium, the famous beverage, known and enjoyed at all hours of the day throughout the world, has had the right to an official international day set by the UN. The first edition took place in 2005 in New Delhi, bringing together professionals from twelve countries. The phenomenon has grown over the years, even seeing the birth of the biggest tea-drinking competition on French soil in 2018. According to a study published in Forbes, 2 out of 3 French people drink tea, a phenomenon that continues to grow over time. So it's only half a surprise to see more and more top French chefs collaborating with tea houses for their establishments.

Tea houses at the service of chefs

Over the past few years, many multi-brand establishments have been collaborating with tea houses. Each has its own identity, whether in terms of the origin of the products that make up its beverages or the way they are processed.

Grands Jardins is a good example. What makes its approach special is the link between the Asian world - the origin of many of its tea references - and the "art de vivre à la française". In other words, at Grands Jardins, tea is cold-brewed and served in bottles, to be enjoyed in the same way as a traditional wine. This is why restaurants L'Axel (3 toques) and Nhome (2 toques) have chosen to collaborate with the house located on rue Michel Ange in the 16ᵉ arrondissement of Paris. This allows their guests to enjoy a different option for non-alcoholic pairings.

Also in the capital is the world's largest tea cellar, Maison des Trois Thés. Specializing in Chinese and Taiwanese products, no fewer than 1,000 different types of tea are housed in the cellar. In an ambience imagined to resemble Shanghai in the early 20ᵉ century, it's possible to sample the same tea served at David Toutain's for as little as 20 euros. In his eponymous establishment, the 4-toque chef has decided to work with the Jasmine-Jardin Andalou white tea range and the Sencha-Promenade de Jardin green tea.

Géraldine Martens

Heading for the south of France and the Provence region. This is Luciole, a Marseilles-based establishment specializing in products from the land of the rising sun. Its counter boasts over 200 varieties of tea from the Shizuoka region. Most of the products are organic. An approach that must surely have pleased chef Alexandre Mazzia. Indeed, the two Phocéenne restaurants decided to join forces to offer a selection of carefully chosen teas on the menu of the AM restaurant (5 toques).