UKTA reason for being
To provide outstanding education for tea professionals and tea enthusiasts worldwide
The UKTA was established in 2015 to raise the standards of tea service in hospitality. One of the UKTA founders and Director of Studies Jane Pettigrew, is a passionate advocate of high quality tea, prepared correctly to draw the best flavour from the leaf. Jane is among the best-known and most highly respected professionals in the tea world. She has worked as a writer and educator for over 35 years and is tirelessly committed to sharing her knowledge of tea with anyone who has an appreciation for this fabulous leaf. She teaches all over the world, has written 17 books on tea and was awarded a BEM (British Empire Medal) for services to the tea industry.
Jane has created engaging and informative multi-media courses with our highly-regarded tutors who all have specific areas of expertise, from a native understanding of key tea-growing regions, and the history and culture of tea in Britain, to tea science and health.
A certificate from the UKTA is recognised in the hospitality industry as representing a high level of achievement and means the holder has attained a deep understanding and serious appreciation of quality tea. On completion of the introductory Level 1: Tea Champion, most of our students are inclined to develop an even greater knowledge of this fascinating world and enrol in Level 2: Tea Sommelier. Some go even further, to the ultimate challenge of Level 3: Tea Diploma.
The UKTA is recognised as the UK’s leading provider of tea training and now with online global reach and courses in several languages, we have students choosing the UKTA above all others in the international tea training arena. They are never disappointed and all become part of our close UKTA community of tea lovers.
Jane Pettigrew
Co-founder and Director of Studies
Jane is one of the best-known and most highly respected professionals in the tea world and was voted Best Tea Educator at World Tea Awards, World Tea Expo 2016.
Juyan Webster
UKTA Tutor
From a tea-growing family in China, Juyan is our Chinese tea expert. She teaches the Tea Sommelier Chinese tea modules and Chinese and Post-Fermented Tea Masterclasses.
Beverley-Claire Wainwright
UKTA Tutor
Tea cultivation expert Beverly processes tea at her factory in Scotland, and shares her hands-on knowledge to our students at every level.
Sam Kimmins
UKTA Tutor
Sam has decades of experience as a professional Tea Blender and Buyer and has frequently shared her expertise on TV and radio. She teaches Tea Sommelier modules.
Asako Steward
UKTA Tutor
Asako is a true expert in Japanese tea. She is a Qualified Senior Tea Instructor with the Japan Tea Association and was appointed Japan Tea Ambassador to the UK in 2017.
Carri Hecks
UKTA Tutor
Carri has extensive tea knowledge and teaches modules for Tea Champion Theory and Practical, and is a specialist in the perfection of tea-brewing.
Chau-Jean Lin
UKTA Tutor
Chau-Jean, our Taiwanese tea expert, grew up on her family’s tea farm in Taiwan. She has her own tea business and teaches the UKTA Taiwanese Tea Masterclass.
Alex Probyn
UKTA Tutor
Alex is a Master Tea Blender and tasting expert with over 20 years experience. He runs several UKTA Masterclasses both online and at his own blendatorium in Kent.
Sujin Lee
UKTA Tutor
Our Korean tea specialist, Sujin is dedicated to the Korean way of tea. Passionate about the tea and the ceremony she teaches the UKTA Korean Tea Masterclass.
James Suranga Perera
UKTA Tutor
Suranga teaches our Ceylon Tea Masterclass. He is the former CEO of Ceylon Tea Brokers PLC and has a vast knowledge of the individual estates and teas from across the island of Sri Lanka.
Dr Tim Bond
UKTA Tutor
Tim is a member of the Tea Advisory Panel and Chair of the British Standards Institute tea committee. He has created the UKTA Tea Science and Health Masterclass.
Kurush Bharucha
UKTA Tutor
Kurush is our India origin expert. He is the former Global Tea Expertise Director of Unilever/Lipton, with an amazing 39 years of deep Industry experience. He teaches our Indian Tea Masterclass.
Elizabeth Escobedo
UKTA Tutor
Elizabeth has a lifetime of experience growing, harvesting and infusing herbs. She has her own tea company, based in the USA, and she teaches our Herbs and Infusions Masterclass.
Knut Marius Uddu Skjerve
UKTA Tutor
Tutor of our “How Tea Changed the World” Masterclass, Norway-based Knut Marius is an aficionado of tea and international politics.
Chandra Bhushan Subba
UKTA Tutor
Bhushan has worked at the forefront of the Nepali tea industry for over three decades. With his vast wealth of knowledge, we are delighted to have him teach our Nepali Tea Masterclass.
International Licensed Tutors
Teaching UKTA courses online in another language or in person in another country
Asako Steward
Japan
Asako teaches UKTA Tea Champion and Tea Sommelier in Japanese at Tea Academy Japan in Tokyo and Kyoto.
Beverley-Claire Wainwright
Scotland
Beverly teaches the UKTA Level 1: Tea Champion in person, at The Scottish Tea Factory near Crieff, Perthshire.
Gabriella Scarpa
Italy
Gabriella teaches UKTA Tea Champion and Tea Sommelier in Italian, online and in person at Ar-Tea Academy, Venice.
Isaline Lannoy
France
Based in France, Isaline teaches the UKTA Level 1: Tea Champion course, online, in French.
Kyoung-sook Her
South Korea
Head Trainer at the Tea Speciality Korea Center in Seoul, Kyoung-sook teaches UKTA courses in person in Korean and English.
Pilar Serrano
Spain
Pilar teaches UKTA Level 1: Tea Champion online in Spanish, and in person at the Tea Academy Spain,
Sabine Gullatz
Germany
Based in Germany, Sabine teaches the UKTA Level 1: Tea Champion course, online, in German.
Stefania Gilardi
Italy
Stefania teaches Tea Champion and Tea Sommelier in Italian, in person at the Tea Academy Italia in Abbiategrasso near Milan.