Tea Party: Brewing Connections

Any tea lover will tell you that tea is all about sharing and enjoying the moment, far from a fashionable detox label as some marketing might suggest. Over the past year, a growing group in Paris has been making waves on social media. The group was started by Maxime, a young cancer researcher known on Instagram under the pseudonym @sciencesthe for his science and tea articles, as well as for his tasting reports, which are also shared on a blog. And Anh Truong, aka @croco_tea, a pharmacist who has moved into marketing, and whose taste for tea is rooted in her Sino-Vietnamese heritage…  

Let’s explore the behind-the-scenes of this Paris-based movement built on authenticity and shared joy!

How It All Began

As warmer weather and sunny days returned in the Spring of 2024, Maxime, newly settled in Paris, began hosting informal tea-tasting get-togethers on Instagram. Those interested in participating met on the banks of the Seine. Tea parties are open to everyone. All you need to bring is the tea you want to share and your teaware. The first gathering took place in July 2024. This was followed by a second themed event, also held outdoors, with a larger number of participants and a wider range of teas. And then another. Each meetup was accompanied by cheerful, music-backed videos that capture the relaxed and joyful moments of these tea-tasting gatherings. The Tea Party is born! 

The magic works, and the idea spreads. The Parisian gatherings quickly became a weekly fixture, sparking interest even among tea lovers who lived too far away to attend in person. Seeing this growing enthusiasm, Anh comes up with a solution: an online version of the Tea Party, designed to bring together those who can’t be there physically. Tea Mafia announced itself on Instagram with a fun video parodying a vintage prohibition-era film trailer. A master stroke featuring a smuggled suitcase, dark glasses, and suspenseful music… enough to intrigue.  

Good humour, conviviality, and a profusion of tea – that is what stands out in the videos posted after each gathering. So, who exactly makes up this vibrant Tea Party community? 

Tea Party: Who’s In and Why?

A researcher, engineer, tea shop assistant, marketer, cook, teacher, ceramist, pharmacist, IT specialist, etc. Aged between 20 and 60, with a core of people in their twenties and thirties, the profiles of these tea enthusiasts are diverse!  

The meetings often take place in the evenings after work, making it easier for everyone to join. Sometimes on weekends, too. According to one of the regulars, “It is a place for sharing tea”. The informal, friendly, free, and brand-independent atmosphere is one of the key factors contributing to the Tea Party’s success.

“I have always drunk tea alone, not really by choice, but because I did not have too many places to talk about it or share it. With the Tea Party, I can chat, taste, and discover a variety of different teas with other people. Everyone brings things from their collection, so I have tasted more teas this year than in my whole life before! I am no longer limited by what I can afford or by my tastes at the time: it is a great way to discover new things, and it teaches me a lot, beyond my preconceptions, as mentioned by one of the regular participants. Another highlight is that seeing how others prepare their tea has inspired her to explore new methods and create her own rituals. It has made me want to try other approaches and build my habits for my tea breaks”.

Discovering Teas and Meeting People

A place for sharing and exchanging ideas, meeting new people, and discovering new things, Tea Party allows them to broaden their horizons while being accompanied. “I used to drink mainly green tea, particularly Japanese, and black tea. Thanks to the Tea Party, I have been able to delve into oolongs. Earlier, I knew very little about them, and by tasting lots of them, I really started to appreciate them. I feel more curious now, and better able to assess them”, explains one of the participants.

Another was able to discover Japanese tea thanks to the Tea Party. Everyone is eager to share their finds from around the world! Tea, of course, but also ceramics. As a ceramics enthusiast who has been collecting beautiful teaware from French and international artisans discovered on Instagram, Maxime, the founder of Tea Party, naturally brought this passion into the gatherings. At the Tea Party, teaware is more than just functional – it’s an integral part of the experience! 

Tea Party: How to get started? 

According to Maxime, having a social media community from the start helps things take off faster because people already know and trust you. However, you can also begin with a small core of loyal followers and let it grow gradually.  

Here is his step-by-step advice: 

1. Find a venue: weather permitting, outdoors in a park, for example, or indoors at someone’s home who agrees to host the event, in a tearoom, or within a company that kindly allows the event to take place after office hours, like Anh’s workplace, which regularly opens its doors to Tea Party.
2. Set a maximum number of participants.
3. Essential step: Announce the news on social media with an Instagram story one week in advance and continue posting daily for 3-4 days.
4. Ask participants to confirm their attendance one to two days before the event.
5. Update the Instagram story to indicate that the Tea Party is fully booked.
6. Create an Instagram group to communicate with participants

On the day of the event, the organiser arrives a little early. They would need to find a spot if the Tea Party is taking place in a park. If it is taking place indoors, they would need to start setting up. Everyone usually expects to bring their cup and teapot. However, Maxime usually takes a few extra cups and a teapot to share with anyone who might need them.  

Laying Down the Rules

Setting a few rules helps keep things running smoothly and preserves the spirit of the gatherings. The first is that the Tea Party is all about sharing and conviviality. Any form of business or promotion is not allowed. Tea professionals (such as tea shop owners or employees in sales, marketing, or communications) are welcome to join, but only in a personal capacity. The organizers do not permit them to advertise or promote their brand, either during the gatherings or within the group.

The second rule, tied to the group’s spirit of freedom, is that there are no themed tastings. The idea is that everyone can bring whatever they like, and no one should feel excluded from a Tea Party just because the theme focuses on a type of tea they don’t enjoy.  

The third rule, a practical one, is to keep the choice of teas, ceramics, and water simple. Tap water is banned (editor’s note: it is extremely hard in Paris). 

Of course, everyone can adapt these rules. However, it is key to maintaining freedom and avoiding any commercial exploitation. Communities like the Tea Party can be very tempting for brands! 

The craze for tea in its purest form is growing in France. What began as the idea of a tea lover, supported by engaging and vibrant communication, now gathers around a hundred members. Tea Parties are about to start in Lyon (France) and Brussels (Belgium). Tea lovers, does this adventure pique your interest? Now that you’ve got the guidelines, it’s easy to jump in. With good communication, fun videos, and pretty photos, it is all up to you!