The Essential Ingredient talking to The Chai Room

Thank you very much to our friends & stockists The Essential Ingredient for this wonderful write up. Find out more about The Essential Ingredient here.

Who, What, Where, Why and How.  The story behind The Chai Room 

The Chai Room is a product of culture, experiences and a passion for creating healthy and fragrant chai tea blends.  Founder, Fatema has an inspiring story behind The Chai Room; read about the 'where's' to the 'why's' of The Chai Room. 

The Essential Ingredient has plenty of blends to try, from the signature, original masala chai to a sweeter, roasted wattle seed and carob spiced chai.  These now come in refillable pouches, and make a lovely last gift.

 

Bringing Chai to Australia

Who crafted The Chai Room and where does the passion for bringing chai to Australia come from? The Chai Room was born from a love for authentic masala chai, and a passion for the spices and rituals that create each unique blend.  Moving from London to Sydney in 2008, founder Fatema Khanbhai left behind an exciting career as a fashion designer. 

Feeling homesick and isolated, Fatema reconnected with the craft she most intimately knew, her family's tradition of making chai.  

 

 

As a child, Fatema's mum cooked for the family using fresh raw ingredients she ground herself.  These rich memories of helping her mum hand-blend spiced chai for social occasions, led Fatema to brew her own Indian masala tea. Fatema would share her chai’s with friends when they dropped in, finding a demand flourishing for her beautifully blended chai.  She had created something special.  These simple beginnings and a legacy steeped in tradition inspired Fatema to open The Chai Room - the sole mission to share her passion of authentic spiced chai with the greater community.

 

The Chai Room's Philosophy

To create the perfect chai is to have a deep understanding of the ingredients, just as a chef has when creating the perfect meal.  The Chai Room are experts in spices with extensive knowledge of spice characteristics and their origins.  It's not just about what is perfect on the palate, but how each blend of spices marry together to play an integral part on maintaining good health. 
 
For instance, turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory spice loaded with antioxidants. Coconut, rich in minerals and amino acids, is low GI and also a natural sweetener.  When balanced together in the Turmeric & Coconut Nectar Chai – they deliver a healthy, indulgent chai that strengthens immunity & improves overall wellbeing.

 

The Blends & Products

The Chai Room uses premium single origin tea and ingredients sourced from sustainable producers.  Wherever possible local ingredients are used- honey is harvested from the hill tops of NSW, carob grown in South Australia.  The range of chai's mean there will be one for you to fall in love with.  The Original Masala Blend is akin to English Breakfast, a perfect introduction to chai.  Black tea and fresh spices coated in honey or organic coconut blossom nectar deliver the perfect balance of spice and sweetness.  Simply brew and add a splash of milk.  The loose tea is stored in glass mirin jars, which not only make elegant refillable jars, but enhance the quality and lifespan of the chai tea by acting as a light filter.  The new refillable pouches are in store now, so come in and try a new blend or grab one for a gift.