We are delighted to have recently partnered with the inspirational duo at Endeavour Tea. Based in Canberra, Endeavour Tea is a dream given form for Matthew Petrucci, a Certified Tea Blender with a culinary background, and Jasmin Wong, an art director with a love for aesthetic and simplicity...
Endeavour have created a beautiful product, the perfect inclusion in a personalised gift. Their mission is to explore the fascinating diversity of tea blending and appreciation as we know it today, which is the result of a fusion of old and new world conventions.
A few questions for the Endeavour ...
As we are in the business of celebrating Australian talent, what is your favourite place to visit in Australia?
Many years before it became the tourist hotspot that it is now, my high school photography teacher took our class on an excursion to one of her favourite hidden gems in North Sydney. The place turned out to be Wendy Whiteley’s garden at Lavender Bay. At the time we visited, it really was something of a secret, given that only the local residents knew about Wendy, her tranquil urban garden and the tragic story that spurred her to create it. I remember feeling completely awestruck by this intensely secluded enclave and its carefully curated greenery; sadly, I didn’t process my film properly in class and I lost all of the best photographs. Nowadays I consider it a personal mission, my pilgrimage, to visit at least once a year and reconnect with my former self there.
A little closer to home, what is your favourite coffee haunt?
I’m partial to a consistently great flat white at Atlas, a hole-in-the-wall and eatery nook located in Gungahlin, one of Canberra’s northernmost districts. The baristas are ex-staffers of the renowned Two Before Ten, a cafe and roastery where they continue to source their beans. You can find great food, great coffee and a friendly chat with the waitstaff (if you’re in the mood for one).
I'm currently reading The Other Wild, the fifth and latest novel in the Earthsea fantasy chronicles by Ursula K. Le Guin. For professional reading, my desk is piled with Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties, The Art and Craft of Tea and How to Make Tea: The Science Behind the Leaf.
Crafted; Thoughtful; Honest
Where do you see your business going in the next 5 years?
As Australians, our love affair of coffee is world renowned; our consumption of single origin coffee is among the world’s highest, and we even export our baristas and coffee culture to other parts of the world. In contrast, there has been little change in public consciousness about single origin teas. The local demand for tea has been overshadowed by non-tea based tisane blends, promoting health and wellness.
Over the next five years, Endeavour will likely focus on advocacy, education and supply of single origin teas, which will supplement our range of blends. Overall, the aim is to bring Australia in line with the rest of the world for our appreciation of the world’s second most consumed beverage.
Who has influenced you most in your life?
When I was at cooking school, the chefs who taught us became personally invested over the course of the year and imparted some passive life skills to become resilient and maintain perspective under pressure. In the kitchen, they would chant ‘in the kitchen there are no problems, only solutions’ and ‘do it once, do it right’. Being pushed emotionally and physically while teetering on the end of your tether might not seem very pleasant, but it helps you to develop grit. And grit is what sometimes gets you through.
What is your philosophy towards your work and life?
Honour the traditions that have stood the test of time, for too many have been forgotten and suppressed. In your work, strive to be authentic and willing to share everything you have learned.
As we are in the gift giving business, what was the most recent gift you gave someone?
I recently bought a stash of Bahen and Co chocolate for my partner, Jasmin. It’s a mystery how we have lived all these years without it.
Which Bindle would you pick for yourself?
Entertaining is one of life’s great joys: my choice would be The Works
Favourite fictional character?
Phillip Marlowe, the hardboiled detective of Raymond Chandler’s crime novels. The classic lone wolf and pauper who is quick-witted and tough as nails, but utterly vulnerable and burdened by his own moral compass.
For more information about Endeavour and their beautiful tea range visit https://endeavourtea.com
