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Jameel Lalani
I founded Lalani & Co 12 years ago, out of a desire to bring incredible small-batch teas to discerning drinkers. I've adored tea since I was 4 years old. To those of us who are tea drinkers, tea is not the ubiquitous functional 'cup of tea'. Tea is a 4,000 year old craft drink. It has terroir, vintages, varietals, seasons. Each sip will tell you its story. If you're reading this you either know that already or you're about to discover it.
In 12 years we've grown organically to supply some legendary restaurants, very artisan coffee shops, and discerning private clients across the world. We also advise gardens on their strategy and manufacture, have trained the butlers at Buckingham Palace, and guest lecture at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. When I can escape the paperwork, I'll be writing tea lists for some of Britain's most famous establishments, moving through the world's tea gardens, and ensuring that our library contains the very best single-batch teas for which it is known.
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Mederic Hauchard
Mederic joined us at Lalani & Co in 2016 to look after our growing list of hospitality and trade clients. Mederic is a drinks professional hailing from the wine and spirits world, who has made the move from wine and spirits to fine tea.
Mederic has been a wine and spirits explorer for about 20 years, looking for unique terroirs and fine products with provenance. He studied the gastronomic table art then become a sommelier; studied winemaking then become a winemaker; studied about spirits and then become whiskynologue and spirit specialist. Mederic works with our trade customers as an extenstion of their team, writing tea lists and teaching them about fine tea from the terroir up to table service.
(Photo Credit: Marie deChesse) -
Alykhan Kassam
Chief-of-Operations, AK makes it happen. Meticulously organised; perfectionist. AK was on board right at the start of Lalani & Co. He took a detour into another industry for a while, but just couldn't stay away! Everything is exactly as it needs to be, when it needs to be, because AK is exactly where he is.
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Mario Antunes
Mario heads up the accounts department at Lalani & Co, keeping the books in fine shape. He has worked for several successful companies in the F&B and consumer sectors, and is now discovering the world of fine tea.