{program_image_alt Activity Exhibition

Tea Blending Workshop (SOLD OUT)

Saturday, August 2, 2025, 2025

Join Danielle Chutinthranond of Monsoon Pottery and Melanie Molnar of Third Season by The Roof Crop for an inspiring tea tasting and blending workshop.

This thoughtfully curated workshop will include:

  • A brief introduction to herbalism, planting and saving your own herbs
  • A brief introduction and classifications of tea
  • A tea and botanicals tasting led by Monsoon Pottery and Third Season
  • A discussion on production of custom teacups and methods led by @monsoonpottery
  • One wheel-thrown, porcelain teacup from Monsoon Pottery. The cup is hand-inlaid with a blue peony, which is which is considered the queen of flowers in Chinese art and can represent ideals such as wealth, love, peace, and honor.
  • A PDF info sheet that neatly summarizes everything you will learn from this workshop
  • 1.5oz of your own DIY custom blended tea

About the Artists

Danielle Chutinthranond earned a BA in Physics with a specialization in Astrophysics from the University of Chicago and worked in the tech industry for 8-10 years following her undergraduate studies. Danielle found clay in 2015 through a class at Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago. In 2016 she started making and selling work under the name Monsoon Pottery and has since been creating functional work for food enthusiasts, chefs, and tea lovers.

One of Danielle’s major points of inspiration is Asian Art History. Studying handmade objects from the past ignites Danielle’s creativity. Her practice is centered around taking traditional Asian forms and finishes and updating them so they fit seamlessly into homes today.

You can find her work at local establishments: Giant, Loaf Lounge, Omakase Room, Third Season by The Roof Crop, and Feld (opening in West Town Spring/Summer 2024). Danielle’s work has been featured in cookbooks: Plant Based India by Sheil Shukla, Grist by Abra Berens, and Pulp by Abra Berens. Her plates at Giant were featured in S2E3 of FX’s The Bear. For more on Danielle, visit her website.

Melanie Molnar earned a BA in Psychology from Illinois State University with a minor in Spanish and worked in project management for 5 years following her undergraduate studies. Melanie’s culinary journey began with formal training in New York, with formative experiences at renowned establishments in the midwest, allowing her to master advanced techniques in food preservation, fermentation, and butchery while cultivating a deep respect for seasonality and traditional skills.

In Chicago, Melanie spearheaded the creation of a Good Food Award winning preservation program at a local northside café. The program focused on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and sustainable practices to enhance both flavor and shelf life. During this time, Melanie also earned her Master Gardener certification, further expanding her expertise in plant health and cultivation.

Melanie is currently the Associate Creative Director at Third Season by The Roof Crop creating custom tea and tisane blends, bath and body products, and naturally dyed textiles using crops from The Roof Crop’s network of green roof farms to promote local, zero waste, and sustainability initiatives.

Image courtesy Danielle Chutinthranond