Elmwood Inn

Fine Teas

Celebrating 22 years

of introducing America

to the art of tea!

Links to our

Graduates

Listen to a one hour

interview with the

Richardsons on

Public Radio.

Listen now.

Bruce Richardson

talks with CNN

Tea and Etiquette

Consultant Outline

TEA 101 MASTERCLASS: The Art of Owning a Tea Business

SESSIONS BEGINS MONDAY AT 2:00pm

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF TEA
Tea is more than a commodity or drink, it has shaped human history for thousands of years. Learn the roots of tea in Asia and its translation into western society.  This session sets the tone for the entire weekend.

FOUR CUPPING SESSIONS: GREENS/WHITES, OOLONGS, BLACKS, HERBALS/TISANES
From single estate teas to flavorful tisanes, you will taste some of the world's great teas while you learn the art of making great tea time after time. We'll help you design a tea list.  Six hours of hands on tastings over two days will include an introduction to tea grades and blending procedures. Learn how to taste teas using a traditional professional cupping set and the Asian Gong Fu method.

FROM THE BUSH TO THE CUP

Experience the story of tea production brought to life through the photography of Bruce Richardson.  This feature has appeared in Fresh Cup's TEA ALMANAC and a portion is taught at World Tea Expo by Mr. Richardson every year. 

TEA & GIFT SHOP RETAILING

You can't stay in business unless you make a profit.  Learn what tea drinkers love to buy and how you promote your best-selling items. Participants receive the valuable Elmwood Inn vendor list with information about ordering best-selling tea related merchandise. Our staff has walked the aisles of trade shows for 20 years. This list is priceless and will save you hundreds of hours of research!

DESIGNING TEA FOODS

No American tea venue developed as many recipes as did Elmwood Inn over its 14 years of existence.  Hear the details behind the beautiful tea foods you've seen in Shelley Richardson's three best-selling cookbooks. This idea-filled session is always a highlight of the weekend.

BACK OF THE HOUSE BASICS

Do you know your "back of the house" from the "front of the house?" Are you starting a tea room, tea cafe, or tea bar? What agencies do you contact? What equipment will you need? How do you go about setting up a kitchen, sampling station, or tea bar that works for you while keeping the local health codes in mind.

TELLING YOUR STORY

Are you media-savvy? Enhance your public relations skills by learning how to send effective press releases. Learn how to get free press exposure using a press kit and photographs.  We give you a sample press release to take home and use with your business.

STAFFING AND RESERVATIONS

How do you find staff. How do you train employees? When is it feasible to take reservations and how do you avoid "no-shows?" Whether you are opening a tea room, tea bar, or tea store, this session will save you a lot of money and headaches over the years!

TEA AND HEALTH

You've read Bruce Richardson's magazine articles about tea and health as he reports from such resources as The International Tea & Health conferences held at the US Department of Agriculture. Learn about the latest research and its implications for the tea industry.

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS: DEVELOPING A BUSINESS PLAN

What should I charge? How much should I invest? Can I make a profit? What agencies do I have to contact? We will help you research these important questions before your banker asks.  We give you a complete sample tea business plan (Word document digital file) to use at home.  Tailor it to your business, print it off, and take it to the bank!

ALSO INCLUDED: Tuesday luncheon, Wednesday afternoon tea at a local tea room, and our opening evening reception.

All classes are held at historic Gratz Park Inn, Lexington, Kentucky.

Take me to the Fee Schedule page.

I loved how Bruce would start each morning with a story that not only involved tea but also art, literature and inspiration. 
Cheryl Davis, Missouri

Thank you for a wonderful weekend of education and hospitality.  Your masterclass was the perfect place for me to start my tea education.  Since my return home I have been amazed at the number of people who have expressed interest in learning more about tea.  I feel blessed to be able to pursue this interest and bring it to others in the form of a tea shop and tea room.

Eleanor Freund, Iowa

Thank you for imparting to us your love and passion of tea as a lifestyle.  You have given us the greatest tool for success.

Nanci Ramos, Virginia

Bruce Richardson Answers a Reporter's Questions about Tea Education.

Why would someone want to attend a tea school?

There was no instruction available for starting a tea business when we began in 1990. Shelley and I were both educators so we became our own teachers. We learned by talking to anyone who knew anything about tea, traveling to Europe, walking the tradeshows and honing our craft. We could have saved a great amount of time and money if we had had a seminar to jumpstart us into the tea profession. 

I am amazed at the number of people who tell me they are on a journey to begin a tea business but they haven't thought of investing in a roadmap.

Who are the classes for?

Our classes have evolved over the years from a primary emphasis on opening a tearoom to a broader scope of starting any tea business. We still have tearoom owners attend but we also have a good number of people interested in tea bars, tea stores, B&B teas, and restaurant tea service.

We have one graduate who now teaches a college course in tea and another who started a quarterly tea event for cancer survivors.

Will I be a "Tea Master" upon completion?

No.  Hopefully you will become a student of tea. No one becomes a master without a lifelong study of the art of tea.  

Are TEA 101 classes available online?

No.  We believe that the art of tasting teas is best learned in person. 

What can students expect to learn?

One of our main goals is to challenge our students' preconceived ideas. We show them that not all tea businesses are Victorian tearooms catering only to ladies with hats. We give them an overall view of the global tea market. Since I travel to tea producing countries and tea businesses worldwide as I research future books and articles, I'm able to share my experiences with our students and guide them in upcoming trends.

Our attendees often come with a dream that needs to be either realized - or put away. Many have never thought about how they will make a profit. Someone recently told me that they "didn't care about making a profit, they just wanted to be around tea people." That is a noble mission but it won't encourage your banker to give you a start-up loan. We show our students the steps to making a profitable business. Sometimes reality sets in during the weekend and they realize their tea dream is only a dream and they are not up to working the hours needed to be a tea professional.

No tea business is any better than the owner's knowledge of the main ingredient - tea. We spend hours tasting teas from every family, but we do it in hour-long sessions that tea novices can tolerate. We give each student a copy of The New Tea Companion before they come so that they have a reference book they can turn to again and again.

Our students learn to market to a large geographic area by getting their story to the media. One class session is devoted to public relations and advertising. We want them to realize their customers will come from 50 to 100 miles away, as well as from their local community.

What quality should students look for in choosing a tea school?

There are a number of options these days for budding tea entrepreneurs. Match the school with your style and plans. Talk to former attendees. Study the syllabus. Call and ask questions about the instructors and their credentials. You are going to invest thousands of dollars and years of hard work in your future tea vocation. A good education should be the first investment you make!