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“Customers can look at every cup of matcha we in Japan. Apart from those higher ranks that are drinkable whisking is simplified in Japanese tea ceremony. This step is
make. When they are used to matcha, they will be able directly, those lower ranks shouldn’t be wasted, and bakery to fully mix water and tea powder. Some Japanese teahouses
to judge based on bubble thickness and lasting time, is a good way to use them. But I can’t understand the way skip this step, and whisk the tea just by hand. This is tiring
and the level of Tiaogao (meaning ‘mixing concen- to remove bitterness and create “natural” sweet tastes. and increases the risk of failing. If it is not well processed,
trate’), and their suggestion can help our staff make Sometimes it even doesn’t smell like seaweeds, a normal customers will drink unmixed tea grounds. Nowadays, many
adjustment. Such mutual-thinking and interaction is smell of authentic matcha, but like buckwheat. normal customers may sieve matcha powder. This is a mistake.
part of tea competition spirit for me, and this pattern No matter what the level of matcha is, it is produced through
may fit Chinese customers at the current stage.” Is Japanese matcha the same as our traditional nearly 20 procedures like selection and grinding. It is essence.
But he doesn’t mean to just stop here. While “tea whisking”? The tea blocks are the result of incomplete stir, and it is a
promoting the store and the brand, he wants to, taking No. There is one difference: the Tiaogao in Chinese tea waste to sieve these blocks.
Ting He Zheng as his first station, be an advocate to
make a standard for Chinese matcha. “I want to pro-
mote quality and make a public standard.”
The first step is to bring the domestic matcha
with highest quality. Only when customers have tried
the best one, can they tell the difference in quality. In
the near future, Ting He Zheng will introduce different
matcha from more tea factories, and list information
on the menu like place of origin, matching tea and
flavor. This will allow customers to make their choice
while training sensitivity of their taste buds to matcha.
“It is a good vision, and I hope I can lead the Chinese
standard.”
When customers develop a consolidated drinking
habit and understanding of modern Chinese matcha
culture, Zheng wants to hold a blind tasting in the store
to host customers and compete tea powders. With crafts-
man spirit, Zheng says he will not change products
regularly to please the market, but he will introduce
seasonal products, such as matcha chocolate for Christ-
mas. He may also join pop-up events and markets to
spread and cultivate matcha culture.
Q&A In your opinion, what

does matcha represent?
I think matcha represents a
spirit of Chinese people. Each
country has its own features, but our shining points are not
amplified. Matcha is one of them. I want to revive matcha,
and make Chinese people proudly tell others “Matcha comes
from us” when the world sees the drink. Matcha is a heritage
with many thousand years of history, and I want to spread
the happiness engraved in matcha to everyone.

I think matcha For the matcha used to complement baked des-
serts, what influences do you think they bring to
represents a spirit of matcha itself?
It is understandable. As the price of matcha is really high
the Chinese people. and the making process is very complicated, it is important
to reduce the cost. Also, there are seven ranks for matcha

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