Festival Seminars
2022 FREE FESTIVAL SEMINARS
All are welcome! Free to attend. Participants must be festival ticketholders.
The Natural Wonders of Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea
Saturday & Sunday - 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Learn about the history and origination of this unique tea scientifically shown to boast more antioxidants and health benefits than green or black tea. Topics will include:
• History of Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea
• Unique attributes and health benefits
• Best practices for brewing your perfect cuppa
• Purple Tea impact on Kenyan tea farmers
The Natural Wonders of Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea
Presented By: Chinonso Okehie, Chixotic Founder
Sponsored By: Chixotic
About Chinonso Okehie:
Chinonso Okehie launched Chixotic in 2019 with the mission to enrich the lives of tea lovers with unique and authentic African tea while concurrently supporting the livelihoods of African farmers.
Chinonso has always had a passion for authentic tea coupled with a desire to make a positive impact on the lives of African farmers. Growing up in Nigeria, Chinonso’s grandmother as well as many other women in her life relied on farming as a main source of income. Africa has the highest poverty rate in the world and the women have even less opportunities to gain financial freedom.
In 2017, Chinonso embarked on a trip to Kenya, one of the top tea producing countries, with a mission to uncover what it takes to produce tea. Chinonso formed a partnership with the Kenya Tea Department Agency (KTDA) which is owned by small-scale farmers and responsible for over 60% of tea produced in Kenya. She visited various tea farms to connect with the farmers and learn all there is to African tea production. Chinonso's tea farm experience opened the gateway to pursue her passion in life. She made a commitment to give tea consumers a golden opportunity to experience the goodness of African tea while supporting and empowering African farmers, many of whom are women with limited opportunities for attaining financial stability.
Chinonso leverages Chixotic’s business model to give back by donating a portion of all proceeds to The Harvest Fund, an organization that cultivates independence for marginalized African women in agriculture.
Nepal Tea- The Best Kept Secret in the Tea Industry!
Saturday & Sunday - 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Nepal has been growing teas for over an entire century; however, it has only gotten recognition for about a few decades. In quite a short period of time, Nepali teas have gained a worldwide reputation for its quality and unique flavors. It has also finally achieved its international geographic trademark as “Nepal Tea: Quality from the Himalayas” and some of the teas have won international awards including the Global Tea Championships. We will delve into a brief history of Nepal Tea and most importantly identify what is so unique about the origin that makes it the newfound secret in the global tea market.
Here are some specific topics that will be covered:
• History of Nepal Teas
• What makes Nepali Teas so unique in the global market
• Tea, tourism and social impact through Nepal Tea
Nepal Tea- The Best Kept Secret in the Tea Industry
Presented By: Nischal Banskota, Founder, Nepal Tea
Sponsored By: Nepal Tea
About Nischal Banskota:
Nishchal Banskota is a 2nd generation tea producer and the founder of Nepal Tea which directly brings certified organic teas from Nepal to the American market. His vision is to create a tech-enabled transparent tea trade that bridges the gap between the primary producers and consumers. He is an active member of the European Specialty Tea Association (ESTA) working to define, educate and execute direct trade through the International Development Committee. His innovative work has been featured in major publications the New York Times and Forbes and he has been a regular speaker at various tea festivals. He is a young leader for the European Union Development Days and an active advocate for the UN Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.
2022 SPECIAL SEMINARS
Participation fees apply – all participants must be festival ticketholders. Seating is limited.
Vietnamese Coffee Tasting and Brewing Workshop ($25)
Saturday & Sunday - 1pm - 2pm
Join us for an introduction to the coffee culture in Vietnam and interactive experience on how to make yourself a perfect cup of Vietnamese coffee at home! Together we will debunk some interesting unknown facts about Vietnamese coffee.
The event runs about an hour and comprises two parts: (1) Coffee Tasting and (2) Brewing Vietnamese Coffee with Phin Demo. A sample box of three coffee varieties and a classic coffee filter (phin) are our gift to you.
Our workshop is designed as a “safe space" for those who are new to Vietnamese coffee and cupping experience so there's no need to think too hard!
*Just a friendly reminder, if you're afraid to have a stomach upset or caffeine crush, do eat a light breakfast at least 1 hour before we start in order to preserve your sense of smell and taste.
Vietnamese Coffee Tasting and Brewing Workshop
Presented By: Tu Nguyen, Founder of Vietnam Ca-phe Project
Sponsored By: Vietnam Ca-phe Project
About Tu Nguyen:
After graduating from New York University in 2017, Tu embarked on her journey into the world of food and beverage where she'd been specialized in restaurant operations and later discovered her passion for coffee. Tu officially launched Vietnam Ca-phe Project in 2019 after spending two years brewing the dream of introducing specialty Vietnamese coffee and the slow-drip culture to all coffee lovers in the US.
Vietnam Ca-phe Project focuses on curating high-quality and fair-trade Vietnamese coffee beans sourced and roasted in different regions across Vietnam. With an extensive portfolio of coffee varieties, now including tea, you can always find something at its store to suit your taste and every mood.
Don't forget to add the special seminar ticket to your cart at checkout!
Additional seminars to be posted.