What do you get when you put a food scientist, an artisan tea manufacturer, and an innovative chef in the same room? A unique and memorable dining experience. I had the pleasure of attending the first Sip and Savor dinner experience hosted by Crescendo Foods in collaboration with Aguma Tea and Chef Britney. It was a 3-course meal tea pairing. Did you know you could pair tea with every course? Did you know you can cook with tea, too? Let’s indulge, shall we?
The Dining Experience
The event included a 3-course meal specially created by Chef Britney Andoh incorporating tea from Aguma Tea as a key ingredient. Here was the menu:
With each course, both Clarissa, from Aguma Tea, and Chef Britney joined us at the dining table to explain the inspiration and taste expectations for each course. I was the resident vegan guest and I enjoyed each of my courses. This was my first time at a tea pairing experience and I was pleasantly surprised at how each tea added an extra layer of flavor and personality with each drink and course ingredient. The Vegetable and Mushroom Dumplings in Lippie Tea Soup was spicy and delectable. The Jasmine Tea Rice and Mushroom Steak Bowl had a nice blend of sweet and savory, while still being flavorful and satisfying. The Chai Vegan Cheesecake was yummy. Like, I have no words because I need seconds…yummy.
As a kid, tea was something I was only given as an aid when I was feeling sick or as an aid to fall asleep. However, my mother and brother drink tea casually. My adult experience with tea has been varied, with a few memorably delicious experiences. Trying the variety of flavors Aguma Tea offers has inspired me to step up my tea game and be more intentional in cultivating a worthy tea collection.
The space at Crescendo Foods provides a great ambience for intimate and collaborative dining events. You feel as if you are visiting a good friend’s home, which also happens to feature a private chef, for this event, a co-cooking space, a co-working space, and office space. It’s colorful and cozy.
The Collaboration
I love seeing brands and people collaborate because it provides room to innovate and grow. This event was a collaboration between three brands.
Crescendo Foods is the first food coworking space and shared kitchen hub in Ghana and West Africa. Dr. Wanida Lewis, founder and CEO of Crescendo Foods is filling the gap in food incubators by providing not only events and workshops, but also specializing in recipe development and food safety. Read more about her story here.
The Aguma Tea Company specializes in African teas, flowers, infusions, and herbals. They source their products and packaging from different African countries. Learn more about Clarissa and Aguma Tea here.
Chef Britney Andoh is one of the lead chef’s at NsuomNam Restaurant in Accra. Her dishes are known to be a fusion of traditional African ingredients and modern cooking techniques. She graduated from the Cesar Ritz Colleges in Switzerland with a Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Arts and Business Management.
Cheers To Pioneers
Sitting at the dining table with the other guests encouraged a variety of interesting conversations. The group of guests were a mixture of Ghanaian, 1st generation diasporan, and diasporan. Naturally, we had to talk about the thought process behind choosing to move, work, or invest in Ghana and Africa. It was lovely to hear and hold space for the different perspectives.
I feel this event is part of the answer to that never ending conversation topic. Part of the thought process is about feeling called to be a pioneer. Each of these ladies are bringing innovation, expertise, and passion to their industries. Filling a gap and contributing to community. The question should not be “why do this in Ghana or Africa when (insert endless list of problems and excuses)?” Instead, it should be “how can I support or connect this to reach who needs this?” Food for thought.
Overall, I enjoyed my time at the first Sip and Savor dining experience at Crescendo Foods in Accra. The collaboration with the Aguma Tea Company and Chef Britney Andoh was informative, delicious, and pleasant. Make sure to check out the other events each of these brands have coming up. It’s worth it. You will enjoy it.
Have you been to a tea pairing dining experience before? Are you into food incubators? Are you are tea enthusiast? Let me know in the comments. I love hearing from you.
Dagny Zenovia 
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