Tea, Tradition and Triumph: Yeji’s Journey from Angliss to Sri Lanka
After winning first prize in the inaugural 2024 Dilmah Tea Maker’s Tea-Inspired Dessert Competition, William Angliss Institute graduate Yeji Kim deepened her tea-inspired culinary skills at the renowned Dilmah School of Tea. The immersive experience in Sri Lanka formed part of her prize, offering a unique opportunity to explore tea culture at its source.
Now a pastry chef and baker at Austro Bakery in North Melbourne, Yeji says her training at William Angliss Institute gave her the solid foundation to stand out.
Joining more than one hundred participants from nearly fifty countries at Dilmah’s tea estate in Sri Lanka’s central highlands, Yeji undertook the Advanced Tea Inspiration Certification, receiving in-depth training in tea preparation, food pairing, mixology and tea gastronomy. Through hands-on workshops and demonstrations, she deepened her understanding of tea’s versatility and its growing role in contemporary cuisine.
“I was surprised to learn how versatile tea is, not just for drinking but also for infusing in desserts or pairing with alcohol,” Yeji said. “At the Dilmah School of Tea, I learned how to select and apply different types of teas based on the dish. For example, for pastry cream, fine tea particles are best because they extract maximum flavour quickly.
“Since the competition last year, I’ve been enjoying black tea,” she shared. “It’s so adaptable and perfect with both savoury and sweet dishes. I wasn’t much of a tea drinker before, but now I enjoy Earl Grey with citrus.”
Pathway to Patisserie
Originally from South Korea, Yeji began her culinary career with a commercial cookery course in Sydney. Inspired by YouTube tutorials and pastry chef Claire Saffitz, she shifted her focus entirely to baking. After gaining hands-on experience at Sydney’s Pioik Bakery, Yeji enrolled in the Certificate IV in Patisserie at William Angliss Institute in Melbourne.
“My head baker encouraged me to study at Angliss,” she recalled. “He said school would provide different kinds of knowledge than the workplace and help me become a more skilled, professional baker.”
During her studies, Yeji participated in two competitions: the Dilmah Tea-Inspired Dessert Competition and the John Patrick Conway Competition.
“Competitions help boost creativity, she said. They push you to research, ask questions, get advice, and stay sharp mentally. That mindset doesn’t end when the competition does, it becomes part of how you approach your craft.”
Growth and Global Connection
Her time in Sri Lanka broadened her palate but also opened doors for personal and professional growth.
“Meeting chefs and tea professionals from around the world sparked my curiosity about global cuisines and the world outside Australia or Korea,” she said. “It gave me confidence to keep learning, experimenting and developing my skills.”
Yeji is currently focusing on mastering international bread-making techniques, incorporating native Australian ingredients like wattle seed and strawberry gum, and continuing to craft innovative tea-infused desserts.
Her journey reflects the passion and innovation that William Angliss Institute fosters in its students. Through extensive industry connections, students gain year-round access to competitions, work placements, and industry-led events.
2025 Winner
The competition returned to our Melbourne campus this year, where Dilmah Culinary Ambassador Peter Kuruvita said of the competitors, “The quality was so high that the judges struggled to figure out who was going to win. It was so close”
Congratulations to Madison Cross for being crowned the 2025 winner of Dilmah Teamaker's Tea-Inspired Dessert Competition. We look forward to hearing about her learnings and experience at the Dilmah School of Tea in Sri Lanka.
Dilmah’s commitment to connecting tea and food is evident in its partnership with William Angliss Institute and the establishment of the Dilmah School of Tea training facility at the Melbourne campus.
The Institute also maintains a strong link to Sri Lanka, with a campus in Colombo and a vibrant Sri Lankan community in Australia.
Learn more about studying Patisserie, email enquiry@angliss.edu.au or call +613 8595 5334
