Angelo is our Tea Tailor and has been part of our family since November 2017. We caught up with him to find out all about his unique role.
What a unique role, did you always have a love for tea?
I never imagined a role as a Tea Tailor, I grew up in Italy where tea is usually something you drink when you’re feeling poorly. I remember when I was younger my grandmother used to serve it with sugar and lemon.
Tell us about your journey as our Tea Tailor?
I used to be an actor in Italy. When I moved to London, my first role was at Harrods as a Christmas temp in the Toy department. After my temporary contract was up I was offered a role in the tea department which I decided at the time was something I wasn’t interested in.
After pursuing acting I moved back into the hospitality industry and found myself at a tea counter. That’s when I uncovered the whole world of tea with 150 varieties and incredible flavours. I found it fascinating - what was an interest became a passion. It must be fate that brought me back to Harrods as a Tea Tailor.
Tell us about your role?
My role entails creating personalised blends for our customers. I get to know a little bit about the flavours they like and begin to blend. Each blend comes with a story, history and sometimes even a legend. It’s great to be able to share this with our customers and bring tea to life.
Any advice on the perfect cup of tea?
The most crucial piece of advice; stick to the ratio, one teaspoon for a tea for two. And avoid letting the tea brew for over five minutes.
What is your favourite tea?
Tough question. I really like a smoky or spicy blend. Recently, I have been discovering a lot more about herbal teas.