<aside> <img src="/icons/leaf_green.svg" alt="/icons/leaf_green.svg" width="40px" /> My upbringing between Singapore, Cambodia, and Texas pushed me into appreciation of gongfu cha and chai ചായ.
I’ve been able to use my love for tea to create my own blends, host workshops, craft gatherings, and dive deep into the art of tea.
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My goal is to design accessible, educational tea gatherings while maintaining the integrity of its connection to cultures around the world.
Arka Masala Chai is an Assam black tea blended with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, fennel, pepper, cloves, & saffron. It is based off the spices I was surrounded with in my Keralite upbringing.
My tea journey started in 2016, when an internet rabbit hole and trip to San Francisco sparked my passion. In 2018, I had the chance in high school to pursue mentorship and study in the fields of entrepreneurship and tea.
My mentor, nationally renown tea expert Kyle Stewart, worked with me to expand my palette and create a chai blend reflective of my cultural upbringing.
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Since 2018, I have been hosting Masala Chai: A Ritual Steeped in Tradition workshop to share the history, culture, and significance behind chai.
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Masala Chai: A Ritual Steeped in Tradition Workshop Slideshow
Masala Chai: A Ritual Steeped in Tradition Workshop Slideshow
A gongfu tea ceremony event for the AAPI-focused club (un)Jaded at The University of Texas at Austin
<aside> 🍵 What I love most about hosting tea gatherings is how they start with an informative focus — then the tea itself becomes a gentle backdrop for meaningful conversations and a sense of community.
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Throughout my college experience, I hosted tea events through university organizations, supper clubs, and home gatherings.
I seek to cultivate a love of tea for others so that they can understand the historical, social, and cultural backdrop of this universal beverage. This allows them to gain a better sense of the art of tea appreciation.
I love to use a storytelling approach, weave together analogies, and drop scientific insights — all while meeting the audience where their tea journey begins.
My latter events have been driven by my daily practice of gong fu cha, a style of brewing tea that originates from Chaozhou, China. To the right is a slideshow I used to conduct a tea meditation + ceremony for students at The University of Texas at Austin.
In Summer 2025, I volunteered with Brooklyn-based nonprofit Tea, Arts & Culture to share the history and culture behind masala chai.
Alongside traditional milk chai, I prepared masala tisanes with fresh mint, lemongrass, ginger, rose, and jaggery.
In May of 2025, my friends and I collaborated on an art gallery showcasing physical, digital, and textile arts crafted around the stories of our childhood.
I served Da Hong Pao, Zhen Shan Xiao Zhong, and Fukamushi Sencha alongside my friend Sara.
In March 2024, I was able to design the presentation for World Tea Expo’s Tea Primer Certification: Covering The Basics class. Kyle (my mentor) and I spent countless nights to create this 4 hour presentation designed to give students a holistic overview of tea.
We ended the presentation with a deep dive into the rituals of tea, with chai at the heart of it. It was a joy to serve my chai to over 200 people!
Prepping 15+ teas for the presentation!
World Tea Expo, Mar. 2024