Liu Wenzhuo
Prof. Dr. Hartwig Bohne is a professor and international expert in hotel management who is pushing for greater visibility of tea cultures from Europe, and supporting tea-related producers, brands, and attractions, e.g., tea、teaware and museums, to get connected and promoted successfully. In 2024, he took the lead in founding the European Tea Culture Institute in Berlin, Germany. As editor, he has continuously published articles and books on European tea culture, one of which was named the “World’s Best Tea Book” in 2025. He hopes these books will provide guidelines for tea-related training and education. Hartwig emphasises the role and application of tea in European hotel management and suggests ways in which Chinese tea and teaware can be integrated into European daily life.
As editor, he has continuously published articles and books on European tea culture, one of which was named the “World’s Best Tea Book” in 2025. He hopes these books will provide guidelines for tea-related training and education.
Since April 2018, he has been employed as full professor at the Dresden Campus of SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences, where he lectures bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in international hotel management. In the summer of 2019, he initiated the founding of the Institute of Global Hospitality Research and has since served as its CEO, since 2026 as its academic director. Hartwig grew up in cities such as Bremen in northern Germany and, influenced by the tea-drinking customs of East Frisia, has enjoyed drinking black tea since childhood. After participating in numerous European tea events, he observed that Europeans, especially Berliners, showed greater interest in Asian tea culture, while European tea culture was neglected and even marginalised. The knowledge about the beauty of European tea traditions, but also about the tea plantations in European countries, such as in Turkiye, Georgia, on the Azores, or also as niche productions in Switzerland, the Netherlands or Scotland, has not been spread intensely. Recognising this issue, he began deliberately raising the topic at academic seminars and conferences, hoping to draw attention from relevant parties, gradually build further connections, and provide support for the future protection and development of European tea culture.
Hartwig grew up in cities such as Bremen in northern Germany and, influenced by the tea-drinking customs of East Frisia, has enjoyed drinking black tea since childhood.
Hartwig, together with several European professors, founded the “European Tea Culture Research Circle” in February 2021, with representatives from countries such as the Netherlands, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and France. In January 2024, the European Tea Culture Institute (ETCI) was established in Berlin, with Hartwig as a founding president. This unique institute provides an interdisciplinary environment for research and education on European tea culture, as well as training and seminars related to tea heritage, tea tourism, and tea traditions, and it hosts the bi-annual European Tea Culture Conference. In addition, the ETCI supports students with their thesis, is connecting the stakeholders of the European tea industry with teashop owners, students in logistics or tourism or destination management, and also tourism associations and stakeholders of tea tourism, to encourage all of them to interact and to develop cross-industry, and interdisciplinary projects and activities, such as the European Tea Culture Route. In May 2024, Hartwig edited and published his pioneering book about tea in Europe: “Tea Cultures of Europe: Heritage and Hospitality” (De Gruyter publishers), which is regarded as the first comprehensive book on European tea culture, intended to provide guidelines for tea-related training and education. The following May, this book was awarded the “World’s Best Tea Book” at the Edouard Cointreau Gastronomy Awards in Estoril. In 2026, Hartwig again served as lead editor for a book about tea: “The Cultural Heritage of Tea in Bremen and East Frisia” (Kellner-Verlag), a book focusing on the tea culture in northern Germany, including the region awarded as national cultural heritage and “World Record in tea drinking” (300l per capita per year).
In January 2024, the European Tea Culture Institute (ETCI) was established in Berlin, with Hartwig as a founding president. This unique institute provides an interdisciplinary environment for research and education on European tea culture, as well as training and seminars related to tea heritage, tea tourism, and tea traditions, and it hosts the bi-annual European Tea Culture Conference.
Hartwig explains that European hotel management offers many tea-related scenarios. The most common is providing free tea bags in hotel rooms to leave a positive impression on guests. More familiar is afternoon tea: Europeans are accustomed to enjoying afternoon tea in a pleasant setting during the afternoon hours – mostly with loose-leaf tea. Again, in various publications, Hartwig analysed that European afternoon tea culture combines (themed) tea and food; although delicious food often steals the spotlight and not many people pay close attention to the tea’s flavour, the atmosphere of afternoon tea is far more relaxing than that of coffee. In addition to traditional strong black teas, refreshing green teas are also offered, and the diverse forms of afternoon tea are certainly a good way to attract guests to stay at a hotel. Some hotels also provide leisure and wellness amenities- guests participate in fitness, sauna, and similar activities, and they are naturally concerned with health and well-being, so fruit and herbal infusions, but also white and green teas make excellent beverage options. Moreover, European hotels use the breakfast services to impress guests, and tea is definitely a standard accompaniment – a “must-have”. An impressive tea samovar underlines this setting, again loose-leaf tea is used for differentiation, and also a wide selection of teas and infusions can show the knowledge of the F&B managers but as the awareness of guest’s need for tea and infusions of choice. Hartwig is convinced that offering tea has a positive and healthy impact on hotels, and star-rated hotels in particular should offer a wider variety of teas for guests to underline the reputation of real good hospitality, especially in regions with deep local tea traditions, such as the UK and northern Germany.
Hartwig is convinced that offering tea has a positive and healthy impact on hotels, and star-rated hotels in particular should offer a wider variety of teas for guests to underline the reputation of real good hospitality, especially in regions with deep local tea traditions, such as the UK and northern Germany.
Asian cuisine is very popular in Europe, and Chinese food is widely appreciated by Europeans. Hartwig suggests that, leveraging the good reputation of Chinese cuisine, Chinese tea can be subtly integrated into European life as a beverage. For example, serving fine tea and Chinese sweets to guests during the leisure time between lunch and dinner at Chinese restaurants would be a good idea. In recent years, many major European cities have hosted tea-related events on weekends, and local tea enthusiasts’ gatherings have also attracted more curiosity about tea drinking; some avid tea lovers even make it a weekly ritual. Hartwig proposes that some star-rated hotels could consider setting up indoor tearooms with Chinese cultural themes, as well as themed outdoor garden settings, using distinctive porcelain tea sets and serving Chinese tea and tea snacks. For Hartwig, tea should be seen as a bridging element of culinary heritage and cultural exchange. It is not about politics, but about the same passion for tea, for tasting, for excellence of agrifood, and a very special cultural pride. And, it is worth it to be supported, valorised and sharished.
For Hartwig, tea should be seen as a bridging element of culinary heritage and cultural exchange. It is not about politics, but about the same passion for tea, for tasting, for excellence of agrifood, and a very special cultural pride. And, it is worth it to be supported, valorised and sharished.