World Tea Championship^(TM)-
8:00 am - 11:30 am Exhibit Hall Closed during judging

Hot Tea Class top five entries for each category will be judged.  Show floor opens at 11:30 am and attendees will be notified of the winners shortly afterwards.    

Inspired by his grandmother’s Syrian cooking, Mike Minor has been artfully creating unique dishes since a very young age. With a diverse background in everything from fusion cooking at Z’Tejas and high volume cooking at Hard Rock Café to working for celebrity Chef/Owners like Wolfgang Puck and now Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger at Border Grill, Mike has worked in many well-known restaurants in Las Vegas. His passion for food is supported by his years of experience and study of regional cuisine in Oaxaca and Michuacan, Mexico.

Cooking with Tea- Chef Claude Cevasco, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Exhibit Hall
sponsored by: Hampstead Tea London

Claude Cevasco is a Chef  Instructor at the Famous Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School in Las Vegas since July 2005 before he was the General Manager of Lutéce Restaurant located at the Venetian Hotel. Mr. Cevasco served as Restaurants General Manager for the Neiman Marcus Corporation,  Mr. Cevasco served as a Consultant General Manager for Wolfgang Puck’s Spago restaurant in Las Vegas. He was also Director of Food and Beverage for Harrods in London and the Ritz in Paris.

Cooking with Tea- Chef Osama Fujita, Marssa Restaurant, Loews Lake Las Vegas
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Exhibit Hall
sponsored by: ITO EN

The only Sushi Chef in the United States to receive recognition of achievement given out by the Japanese Chefs Association, Chef Fuji brings a unique approach to Pacific Rim cuisine and to his position as Executive Sushi Chef at Loews Hotels’ newly opened Marssa restaurant at Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort.  Chef Fuji’s culinary technique is grounded in the traditions of Japanese cuisine and is strongly influenced by the flavors of the Pacific Rim and the California coast.

A drawing will be held one hour prior to each of the tea ceremonies at the AIYA Matcha Tea booth 428 to randomly select 4 participants to take part in the tea ceremony.  Selected participants will also receive a 30g tin of the ceremonial matcha tea by Aiya served at the tea ceremony, as a commemorative gift.  We thus encourage everyone to drop off their business cards to participate in this draw and be a part of this very exclusive and unique opportunity.  

Korean Tea Ceremony, Yoon Hee Kim, Korean Tea Culture Foundation
2:30 pm- 3:30 pm Exhibit Hall
sponsored by: TeaClassics & Hancha Tea

Premiered at the Atlanta 2007 Expo and returning by popular demand to this year’s World Tea Expo.., please join Korean Tea Culture Foundation’s director and tea master, Yoon Hee Kim, for another glimpse into the Way of Tea, Korean style.   Korean Tea Culture has had a long and distinct history - deeply steeped in 2,000 years rich traditions, practices and philosophy. Attendees at this year’s demonstration will experience the beauty of Korean Tea Ceremony through both “SaengHwal Darye” - Everyday Tea Service and “SeonBie Darye” – also known as Scholar’s Tea.   Time permitting, Q & A will follow the demonstration.   Tea tasting provided by Hancha Tea.

Chinese GongFu Tea Ceremony, Dan Robertson, The Tea House
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Exhibit Hall
sponsored by: World Tea Tours

Since before the Tang Dynasty (620-907 AD) the art of tea preparation has been both a personal ritual and a social custom.  The Way of Tea, or “Cha Dao” has been practiced by monks and laymen, aristocrats and paupers alike.  Whether to enjoy a quiet moment with ones self or share a simple yet moving experience with guests, the tea ceremony has offered a refreshing pause for both body and mind, and a nourishing breath for the spirit.  Cha Dao has evolved through the centuries and has undergone many transformations, influenced by the form of tea used, teaware of the day, and even personal style.  Today there are many variations in the ceremony and in fact, it continues to evolve.  Regardless of specific technique, all forms of the art involve developing a disciplined mind and a practiced hand.  Skills that are developed through dedicated study can be called “Gongfu,” including tea preparation.

Cooking with Tea- Chef Eric Bauer, Morels Restaurant, Venetian Hotel Las Vegas
12: 30 pm - 1:30 pm Exhibit Hall
sponsored by: Rishi Tea

Chicago native Eric Bauer brings his enthusiasm and knowledge of cuisine to Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro. A finalist for the U.S. Best Young Chefs Competition for Chaine de Rotisseurs 2003, Bauer was trained in Latin and Mediterranean cuisine under Chef James Cassidy at the Four Seasons Costa Rica and studied classic French cuisine under numerous notable chefs at four-star properties across the United States and internationally.  Mentored by Pascal Vingau, Bauer mastered the basics in French food and gained expertise in utilizing the best ingredients in simple ways, allowing a dish's natural flavors to be the highlight of a meal.

Cooking with Tea- Chef Tim Horrock, Marssa Restaurant,Loews Lake Las Vegas
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Exhibit Hall
sponsored by: Chamong

The restaurant XYZ, has been featured in many magazines, as well as receiving three stars from the most prominent food critic Michael Bauer. In April of 2000, Chef Tim was recruited to head the award winning restaurant Terrace Restaurant at the 5 star, 5 diamond Ritz-Carlton hotel.   In March of 2001, the Wild Hare Restaurant in Menlo Park hired Chef Tim to head the three star, wild game themed restaurant.  His second experience opening a new hotel took place at the Sheraton Sonoma County in Petaluma, where he became Executive Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine of the restaurant Jellyfish.  In 2004, he was recruited to work at one of the world’s largest hotels the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  His last experiences on the Las Vegas Strip before making Lake Las Vegas his home, was opening RM Seafood restaurant in Mandalay Bay and Luxor Steak House at the Luxor hotel. 

STI Certification-
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

STI will offer its certification program at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the certification classes offered are: Foundations of Tea Levels 1 & 2 and Level 3 Green & White Tea.