Copenhagen pairing pop-up — five courses + five teas

how the evening unfolds

The evening begins with an arrival tea — Bái Háo Yín Zhēn (白毫银针), a silver-needle white from Fuding served in slender glass cups. Its mellow, hay-sweet profile clears the palate and settles guests into the intimate dining room, where a single long table, candlelight and the faint scent of warm gaiwans set the mood.

The first course lands like a whisper: a chilled cucumber and fennel consommé with dill oil. Paired with Jūn Shān Yín Zhēn (君山银针), a quiet yellow tea from Hunan with toasted hazelnut and umami undertones, the tea’s slight body enriches the broth without overpowering it. The first infusion is poured at 75 °C, showing how temperature coaxes out that elusive nutty sweetness.

The second course brings a warm tartlet of chanterelles, caramelised leeks and chestnut cream. The tea moves into darker territory — a Mǐlán Xiāng Dān Cōng (蜜兰香单丛), a fenghuang oolong from Guangdong. Floral, with the deep honeyed fruitiness that gives it its name, the dancong cuts through the tart’s richness and leaves a long, clean finish. The tea’s roasted edge mirrors the caramelisation on the mushrooms — a pairing principle of mirror and bridge.

A slow-roasted beetroot with smoked ricotta and black garlic marks the third course. For this, the tea turns ancient: a Shēng Pǔ’ěr (生普洱) pressed in 2012, sourced from a small family garden in Yunnan. Its damp-forest aroma, wooden spice and gentle bitterness anchor the earthiness of the beetroot, while the tea’s evolving mouthfeel — silky, then gently astringent — mirrors the dish’s dual texture of soft flesh and crisp skin. Around the table, forks pause as guests rediscover each sip between bites.

A dessert of poached quince and crème fraîche sorbet ends the savoury sequence. The tea is a sun-dried Zhèng Shān Xiǎo Zhǒng (正山小种) from the Wuyi mountains — unsmoked, offering malt, cocoa and a hint of ripe cherry. The pairing feels inevitable: the tea’s natural sweetness lifts the quince, and the chilled sorbet makes the tea’s warmth more vivid.

As the evening closes, a Chén Nián Shú Pǔ (陈年熟普), a 2008 ripe puerh, is served as a digestif. Dark as coffee but smooth and earthy, it settles the meal and opens informal conversation. The dried leaves are passed around, wet-piling fermentation (wò duī, 渥堆) is explained, and questions about at-home brewing are answered. Attendees leave with a set of handwritten pairing notes — and an invitation to continue exploring tea’s role in the kitchen through tea.school’s food-pairing course. All teas served are available for purchase at shop.thetea.app, where the evening’s recipes will also appear as a downloadable guide.

What you get

• five-course vegetarian tasting menu designed by a Copenhagen chef

• five rare Chinese teas, each brewed gongfu style

• handwritten pairing notes with tea descriptions and brewing parameters

• a 20 g sample of one featured tea to take home

• access to a recorded masterclass on tea and food pairing from tea.school

• 15% discount code for teas purchased at shop.thetea.app within 60 days

• 30-day membership in tea.community with forum access and virtual tea sessions

logistics

• where — a private dining room in central Copenhagen; the exact address will be shared upon booking

• dress — smart casual

• food — entirely vegetarian; please notify us of any allergies or dietary restrictions when you reserve your seat

• accessibility — ground-floor access with no steps; accessible restroom; if you have specific needs, contact us in advance

• language — the evening is conducted in English; the host speaks English, and the chef is fluent in Danish and English

• kit included — tea tasting notes, a 20 g sample of tea, and a curated list of shops and readings

• weather note — November in Copenhagen averages around 5 °C; dress warmly for your journey — the venue is well-heated