International Tea Masters Association Acquired
The International Tea Masters Association (ITMA) announced that it has been acquired by Claudia Zárate, one of the association’s course trainers. The San Diego, California-based association was originally founded in September 2007 by Chas Kroll to educate, train, and certify tea sommeliers, tea blenders, and tea masters.
Zárate is both an ITMA certified tea master and ITMA certified tea blender, and an expert on high-end sophisticated teas. She is also a professional wine sommelier, an expert on sake, tequila, and vodka, and a gourmand of fine cuisine. Her expertise is vast in each of these arenas.
Zárate graduated from the Universidad Anahuac in Mexico City and then attended the University of California, Davis Campus, where she studied wine and winemaking. To further her education, she travelled extensively to vineyards in France, Germany, Spain, and California. Zárate is also a member of the Dallas Sommelier Society and Mexican Sommelier Association.
Zárate is just as passionate about tea as she is about wine. She had the good fortune of studying imperial tea and its preparation under the tutelage of ITMA certified grand tea master Roy Fong during a special training event in San Francisco. She participated in the celebration of the Royal Wedding of Prince William and the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The acquisition was effective 2 April.
For more information, visit: www.teamasters.org.
