Can you guess what woke me up before the alarm clock?
There is a specific kind of magic in the things that shape us before we even realise they are doing so. For me, that smelled like black tea brewing back home, in Vacoas.
Growing up in Mauritius, black tea with milk was the start of the day. I am not exaggerating when I say the smell of tea was my alarm clock. Every morning, my mom would be in the kitchen brewing a pot before school for everyone, we were 4 at home. Sundays were extra special. My dad would go to baker, right next to a busy fritter stand, and bring home gato arouille: crispy, golden brown, grated yam dipped in batter and deep fried. We would sit around the table, spreading warm baguette with butter or cheese, and gato arouille served with hot tea, regardless of season.
By 3 00/3 30 PM, school was over, and it was tea time again. Same Mauritian black tea, but this time paired with local viennoiserie or sweets. My absolute favorites were feuilletée: rectangular puff pastry with vanilla custard or napolitaine, a ‘melt in your mouth’ shortbread sandwich filled with strawberry jam and glazed with pink icing sugar. And before bed, we would have a cup of green or herbal tea.
Three teas a day, fried food, pastry, please don’t judge our eating habits. Moving away from Mauritius made me realise how far it is from what people consider a “good” diet. But maaan, it gave us so much happiness. It was never about health. Euhem xD.
The Turning Point
In 2019, I went to France. I didn't pack light on the essentials, a 500g packet of Chartreuse black tea came with me in my suitcase. When that taste of home finally ran out, English Breakfast would do the work. Tea was a massive part of my daily routine, yet I was still entirely unconscious of its deeper hold on me.
Then, I experienced my first European winter.
Coming from an island, I was sooo happy to finally see snow but the cold was a shock to the system. I started carrying an infusion in a thermos everywhere I went, refilling it constantly just to stay warm. But tea transitioned from a survival mechanism to a soulful ritual when I got closer to my very good friend, Nazik, while we were studying in Yssingeaux.
Yssingeaux is a tiny town in the Haute Loire region in the south of France. It’s a place of stunning green beauty, endless hills, volcanic landscapes, and rivers. Life there was delightfully slow. There weren't many restaurants or distractions around, shops and supermarkets were closeed by 19:30, and the streets were empty early. The only thing opened until late was McDonalds, that was on the outline of the town, by the highway.
Nazik introduced me to Turkish tea. It was a ceremony and it was always accompanied by sweet bites, mini cookies, or Turkish delight. It became our "ritual." We would go for long walks, with no destination in mind, sometimes carrying our flasks, or we would come back home, either to hers or mine, to brew a pot and talk for hours. That’s when tea became the anchor for deep connection. We always had tea whenever we met.
Learning to slow down
Fast forward to 2 years ago, when the culture of tea truly became inculcated in me. I built a dedicated tea station at home. I started attending tea meetups. While working in Dubai, I met an incredible woman named Haiya, the founder of Haiya Tea. Meeting her opened a door to a whole new universe; I learned so much from her, and it made me realise how vast this world is and how much I still have to discover. (Currently, my absolute favourite tea is her Lychee Oolong!)
In the midst of a demanding, fast paced culinary career, I have learnt an important lesson from a tea video I watched: how to slow down. Tea demands patience. If you want to truly enjoy it, you cannot rush it. You have to measure, check the water temperature, watch the leaves unfurl, and wait for the brew. It forces you into the present moment. And at that moment, I really needed that realisation, and had to set my priorities right. While I love pastry and it is a huuge part of my life, the choices I made professionally at the expense of health wouldn’t take me far.
Bringing Pastry and Tea together
Over the past many years, I have given my absolute all to pastry. I have spent ten years mastering it. And during my time in Dubai, I discovered something else about myself: I love to lead. I love taking care of a team, pushing them to their full potential, and leaving a positive impact on their lives.
But fine dining is a grueling beast. While I love the artistry, I’ve struggled to see how a fine dining business model could give me the life balance I want: the time and financial freedom to enjoy other food related passions on the side.
Then an idea came up: A tea room.
A space that combines my 10 years of pastry expertise with this unfolding journey into tea. Tea is a new venture for me, I don't expect to master it overnight the way I have mastered pastry but it is a path I am fiercely passionate about.
Right now, I am in the thick of the exploration phase. I have a tasting notebook where I break down flavor profiles, notes, and characteristics. I am trying to network with the right people, reaching out to tea suppliers, farmers, and vendors globally. It has been incredible to see how generous and passionate the tea community is, everyone gets back to me, eager to share their connaissance. Even when logistics get complicated, the exchange of pure passion keeps me going.
Navigating the Unknown
I’ll admit, right now, I feel a little lost. I am someone who thrives on having a mentor for advice and guidance. But looking around, I don’t see anyone I know personally who has walked this exact path, moving from high level pastry kitchens into the slow, artisanal world and building a lifestyle around it. I do have a lot of doubts along the way. But I am comforting myself with a simple truth: when you climb higher up the ladder, the crowd thins out. It is entirely normal to feel alone when you are the one deciding to pave a new road. I have never followed the conventional way of doing things anyway, so why start now?
For now, my focus is simple. Try every tea I can get my hands on. Compare the nuances. Network with the right people. Keep learning, keep brewing, and trust where the ‘leaves’ fall.