Cynthia Gold

Tea Sommelier, Boston Park Plaza Hotel

Boston, MA

Capitalizing on her diverse culinary background, Cynthia Gold is using her current position as Tea Sommelier to put the Boston Park Plaza’s Afternoon Tea Service on the map. She has increased the hotel’s revenue for Afternoon Tea Service by over 400%.  Gold has created Tea Weddings and other noteworthy tea events with a unique combination of traditional and cutting edge techniques to create “Tea Cuisine.” Promoting the use of fine loose-leaf tea, Cynthia creates custom tea blends for individuals as well as for serving at the largest events.  The hotel has won numerous awards for its tea service since Cynthia has joined the staff.  Previous to joining the Boston Park Plaza, Cynthia Gold owned a restaurant and a tea room, both of which won numerous awards including Boston Magazine’s best place for tea (twice), The Boston Globe Best Place for Dessert and Best Chai,   The Boston Phoenix , the Best Pot of Tea. Harper’s Bazaar , the Best Place for Tea and Desserts.

Plate Magazine, FRESH Magazine, Tea, A Magazine, Tea Almanac, TEA, Sante, Yankee Magazine, and most recently Art Culinaire, the premier International Culinary Magazine, have featured Cynthia’s “Tea Cuisine” and “Tea Cocktails” as hot, new trends and not just gimmicks. In response to this recognition, Gold says, “This is a major milestone in my mind for the world beginning to acknowledge and respect the incredible potential of fine teas.”

Cynthia is a summa cum laude graduate, Phi Theta Kappa of Johnson and Wales in Providence, RI.  She also attended the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, CA and Hyde Park, NY taking advance classes in chocolate and pastry and baking.  Gold has been a guest lecturer and instructor at many culinary schools and culinary conferences around the country.

As the keynote speaker for the 4th Business to Business Tea Conference hosted by the Southern Association of Tea Businesses, Inc., Cynthia will be introducing attendees to “Tea Cuisine” and “Tea Cocktails.”  She will also be conducting a class in “Tea Blending Techniques.”  Lisa Boalt Richardson, President of the SATB, Inc., says, “We are privileged to have Cynthia share her expertise in the area of Tea Cuisine.  She is extremely knowledgeable and will be able to show tea room owners and tea business owners how to successfully implement her innovative techniques to increase sales and recognition.”

Cynthia Gold holds freshly plucked tea leaves in the Wuyi Mountains.