Kiona Malinka is a tea fanatic, she has been traveling the world for about twelve years in search of knowledge, stories and tea. From Nepal to Japan, from Sri Lanka to Taiwan. She always travels alone, to get so close to the farmers and to be a part of life there for a while. And the teas? She sells them under two tea labels in mainly European hotels and restaurants. Her brands are called Kiona Malinka Tea (brand inventions) and Crusio tea. She is one of the first ESTA certifiers and she is very proud of that.

Tea, How it started

Tea was a nice moment in my youth for me, but I didn't associate it with gastronomy. Later during my studies at the hotel school, this did not change. And after I found out that hotel management was not for me, I quit my job and became a barista. Soon I took over our family business, but tea was still a bit of a source of uncertainty. How do you brew it? Where is it from? Who is behind this product? From the wine I was spoiled, all the answers on the bottle but with tea in those days? One big mystery. Then I decided to book a ticket to China, and from the moment I knocked on the door of a random farmer and tasted a mini cup, my life has changed. So much layers. So much complexity. I had to find that out!

Gathering and sharing knowledge

By getting the knowledge from the source, I hope to collect it as pure as possible. Sharing this is a big responsibility that I have always felt as a trainer of the customers of our tea brands. When you first learn something, it's hard to ever forget it, so you better get it right!  I have given hundreds of training courses in the field of tea making, tea pairing and the traditional uses, but iced brew training is also possible! To me tea is an ingredient and not a concept, so you can develop endlessly. I have clients mainly in Europe, more than 40 Michelin star restaurants but also coffee bars, anyone who is interested can add the knowledge to the product and make a difference, I enjoy working with them!

ESTA

For years I had one wish, to create a mature craft of making tea. And without certifications that are recognized in Europe, that is very difficult as far as I'm concerned. Increasing knowledge, making it measurable, being able to test Europeans and perhaps worldwide, that is very important to me. And developing this together with tea professionals, that's crazy, I love it! In the meantime, dozens of students have already attended the introduction to tea course and I have to say, it leaves us wanting more. Let’s raise the standards on tea together!