How team and workplace bookings work
A corporate tea session is not a lecture — it’s a pause. When the kettle sounds and the first round is shared, the habits of a busy office give way to something quieter. The purpose of this page is to walk through the practical details that make that moment possible inside a company setting, whether you are planning a team offsite, a wellbeing day, or an executive retreat.
We design these sessions around Chinese tea. That means the menu draws from sheng pu’er pressed in Xīshuāngbǎnnà, white tea from Fúdǐng, or an oolong grown on the rocky slopes of Wǔyí Shān. The master may pour a 2015 Bái Háo Yín Zhēn (白毫银针) that opens with a dry hay sweetness, or a Lǎo Bān Zhāng sheng whose wet leaf releases a deep, camphor-edged warmth. One sensory detail per pour — the infusion colour shifting from pale apricot to amber — is enough to refocus attention.
A workplace booking is flexible, but not improvisational. We ask for a minimum of eight attendees, a flat surface for the tea tray, access to fresh water and a power point, and fourteen days’ notice so we can align a master with your geography. Masters like Zhou Xiang, a senior tea expert who specialises in Hunan black and yellow teas, often travel to on-site events; others, like Fang Ting, whose oolong-led sessions are rooted in the tea culture of Hénán, can adapt a ceremony to a boardroom or a rented villa. You will be guided through the steps: a brief opening, two or three teas, a quiet tasting, and time for questions that often go beyond flavour — into processing, terroir, the stone-rubbed warmth of a yíxìng pot.
Pricing is per person, with a deposit of 30 % to hold the date and the balance due seven days before. Cancellation is free up to 48 hours for a full refund of the deposit; after that the deposit is retained. You can reschedule up to 72 hours ahead at no cost. Invoices are issued directly to your company and payable net 30.
For public tea ceremonies that follow a set calendar, explore tea.events. For broader conversation around tea and group practice, tea.community holds space for peer exchange. If your interest extends to sourcing the leaves themselves, puerh.app documents aged sheng and single-origin pressings in detail.
Reading on here will answer the specific questions we receive most — from AV requirements to dietary adjustments. By the end you will know exactly what to expect, what to prepare, and how to begin.
Common questions
What is the minimum group size for a corporate session?
We require at least eight participants. There is no strict upper limit, though groups above fifty benefit from a second tea master or additional assistants to keep the pace unhurried. For smaller teams, a private ceremony might be a better fit — still bookable here, with the same calm approach.
Can the session be held at our office, or must we come to your venue?
We come to you. The session can take place in a meeting room, a quiet lounge, a hotel suite — anywhere with a sturdy table and access to fresh water and a power point. If you prefer an off-site location, we can suggest a handful of partner venues, but most bookings happen on the company’s own premises.
What setup and AV requirements are needed?
A clean, flat surface large enough for a tea tray (approximately 60 cm by 80 cm) is essential. The master will need a nearby sink or access to a water source to fill the kettle, and a standard power outlet. No screen or projector is required unless you have asked for a lecture-style presentation; the session is designed to be experienced without slides. For groups over twenty, a small microphone can help, but it is rarely needed.
How long does a typical workplace session last?
The standard length is 90 minutes. That includes a brief introduction, two or three teas poured in quiet rounds, and a closing circle for questions. We can shorten it to 60 minutes if your schedule is tight, or extend to two hours when you want to explore a specific tea region in depth — a Wǔyí yán chá focused on Bàn Yán and Zhèng Yán grades, for example.
Can we customise the tea selection or the theme?
Yes, absolutely. Once the date is held, the assigned master will speak with you about preferences — perhaps a session built around aged sheng pu’er to mirror a reflective year-end meeting, or a bright flight of yellow teas like Jūn Shān Yín Zhēn to mark a milestone. The master will propose a menu that balances taste, season, and the mood you want to create.
What is the cost, and how does payment work?
Pricing starts from €320 per person for groups of eight to fifteen, with a lower per-head rate as the group grows. A 30 % deposit confirms the booking; the remaining 70 % is due seven days before the session. We issue a company invoice with clear line items. For international teams, we quote in major currencies and can accept wire transfer or card payments.
What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy?
If you cancel more than 48 hours before the session, the deposit is fully refunded. Inside 48 hours, the deposit is retained but nothing else is charged. To reschedule, let us know at least 72 hours ahead and we move the date at no cost; later rescheduling carries a 20 % fee of the total booking value to cover the master’s blocked time.
How does invoicing and company billing work?
After we receive the deposit, we email a pro-forma invoice that you can forward to your finance team. The final invoice is sent once the session concludes, reflecting any adjustments for final participant numbers (we allow a floating range of ±10 %). Net 30 terms are standard, and we can accommodate purchase orders from larger organisations.
Are there cultural protocols our team should know?
There is no formal dress code or script to learn. The master will explain the few simple gestures — how to receive the cup, the quiet nod of thanks — at the start. The only expectation is that phones are set aside. The ceremony itself is gently led; it is less about performance and more about shared attention to the tea.
Can the tea session be part of a larger team-building day?
Often it sits best after lunch or as a closing ritual. The session acts as a counterweight to brainstorming or outdoor activities, offering a calm, sensory space. We have combined it with sound baths, forest walks, and leadership reflection workshops. The master needs only the quiet period described; anything around it is yours to design.
Do you supply all the tea ware and tea?
Everything is brought by the master — the tea tray, gàiwǎn or zhìchá pot, fairness pitcher, cups, kettle, water filter, and the teas themselves. You provide the table, access to water, and a low-traffic corner. If the venue has a professional kitchen, we can also set up a small gōngfū chá station for self-service between meetings.
Can you accommodate dietary restrictions or caffeine sensitivity?
We can and will. Although all our teas are pure Chinese teas, some contain minimal caffeine. For those who prefer to avoid it entirely, we can include a caffeine-free tisane like chrysanthemum blossom or a later steep where the caffeine has mostly receded. If any participant is particularly sensitive, we plan the sequence so everyone has something to enjoy.
How far in advance should we book?
A minimum of fourteen days gives us enough time to match a master to your location and date. Summer and year-end periods fill sooner; for a large group (40+), six to eight weeks is wise. We do accept last-minute requests with a 15 % surcharge when availability allows, but we never rush the preparation.
What happens if our headcount changes closer to the date?
We allow a final headcount adjustment up to 72 hours before the session. The invoice will be recalculated accordingly. If the number drops significantly, we will discuss whether a private ceremony format is more suitable, but the deposit remains non-refundable inside 48 hours as per our cancellation policy.
Can we request a specific master?
You are welcome to request a master by name — for example, Zhou Xiang for a session rooted in Hunan black and yellow teas, or Fang Ting for an oolong-led workshop. We will confirm availability and, if the master is travelling from another city, will add a modest travel fee. If your preferred master is unavailable, we propose another with comparable expertise.
Do you offer remote or hybrid options?
Currently, the experience is designed to be in person — the feel of a warm cup in hand is hard to replicate. For hybrid teams we can send a curated tea kit in advance so remote participants brew along with the master via video. This add-on requires at least three weeks’ notice to arrange shipment and live-stream setup.
Still have questions?
Every workplace is different. If your scenario isn’t covered here — a multi-city series, a deep-dive cupping panel for your product team, a tea-pairing dinner with your executive chef — the shortest path is an email to [email protected]. We can build a custom scope that fits a budget cycle, a leadership retreat, or a wellbeing initiative.
For those who want to go further, the constellation holds deeper resources. tea.school offers certification programmes for anyone on your team who wants to understand Chinese tea more formally, from leaf grading to advanced brewing. For the sourcing behind the teas, puerh.app documents pressings, terroir, and ageing conditions with archival care. And tea.community is the place for open conversation after the session — stories, taste notes, and the quiet continuity that tea quietly demands.
We also keep a small library of case studies at tea.services/case that show how other organisations have used a tea masters’ presence — from a design sprint reset to a board-level afternoon. Those are never a script, only a reminder of what becomes possible when a group pauses together over a few rounds of Líncāng shu pu’er.
A session is short, but the impression often lingers past the wash of the leaves. If you are ready, we’ll help you choose a date, a master, and a menu that belongs unmistakably to your team.