Dilmah Tea challenge being held at FHAM

Food and Hospitality Asia Maldives (FHAM) is currently hosting a "Dilmah Natural Luxury Sommelier Challenge" at Hulhumale' Central Park.

The challenge started yesterday and will finish this evening at 4:00pm. This is the first time Maldives is experiencing a "sommelier" challenge. The challenge was organized by SIMDI Group and Dilmah Ceylon Tea. This is the only team-based challenge being held by FHAM.

The teams participating in the challenge will have a mixologist and a chef. Each team will have to prepare a Dilmah Tea drink, along with a sweet or savory food item that compliments the experience of the drink. Three categories have been specified in the tea making portion of the challenge, which are:

This will be a 30 minute challenge.

SIMDI has said that this challenge was made to make tea drinking an even more complete experience, create various tea-based drinks, learn tea making techniques and become even more familiar in the art of tea making. The challenge is centered around a theme of "respect" to encourage respect for tea leaves, natural ingredients, the people and places that grow them, natural wealth, health and nutrition and respect for the guest experience.

The challenge judging panel will have former World Chef Association President Chef Thomas A. Gugler, Cargills Retail (Pvt) Ltd, Managing Director Trevine Gomez and Dilmah Senior Tea Tester Angelo Jensen.

The challenge has a first place prize of USD 500 along with an all-expenses-paid (accommodation and travel expenses) trip to Sri Lanka's Dilmah School of Tea. The first runner-up will win USD 300. The second runner-up will win USD 200. Medals will also be given out for Best Teamwork, Best Tea Sommelier, Best Tea Inspired Drink and Best Food Pairing.

Dilmah tea products are brought and sold in Maldives via SIMDI. Along with loose tea, tea bags and premium tea products are available for purchase.