But before tea can be considered a true peer of wine, Zhao believes Singapore’s tea culture needs to mature. “Local diners tend to have a traditional Chinese foundation, but are also shaped by Western influences and modern lifestyles, which often leaves their understanding of tea at a surface level,” he observed.
From what he has seen at many teahouses in Singapore, staff simply use pre-boiled water to make tea, without paying much attention to the finer details of preparation. “The teahouse staff feel that they just need to add hot water to tea to make tea, but in fact, this isn’t the case,” Zhao lamented.
“For Chinese people, half the experience comes from enjoying the sensation of tea in the mouth, while the other half comes from appreciating tea culture. That’s why we want to organise more tea-based activities at Jin Ting Wan – when you drink a cup of tea, you also get to know its origin, history and special qualities.”
From his observations, Zhao believes three key developments will take place in Singapore over the coming years. First, tea pairing will become standard in high-end Chinese dining, much like wine pairing. Next, traditional, more elaborate tea rituals will evolve into more modern, streamlined experiences. Finally, local diners will grow more discerning, looking beyond tea names to provenance, craftsmanship and vintage – signalling a more sophisticated tea culture.
