Petra Reiserova

How did you start in coffee/tea?
Originally, I was the cupping assistant for coffee, and my knowledge of the specialty industry was fairly limited. I honestly wasn’t the biggest fan of coffee unless it was loaded with milk and sugar, as it had been introduced to me in high school.
Now that I’m on the tea side, I feel much more familiar. Growing up, my mother was always a big tea drinker, often asking if I wanted a cup from her personal tea bar. Working in specialty tea, I feel like I have to say that I enjoy a bold brew here and there, but I still mostly follow my sweet tooth by gravitating toward fruit-forward blends!

Favorite thing about the industry?
How incredibly passionate everyone is! Every question I ask is always answered with energy and a wealth of knowledge. I’m continuously learning and gaining perspective on the inner workings of the coffee and tea industries. It’s awe-inspiring to work in a setting where everyone is genuinely excited about their craft and loves what they do.

If you had control of RNY radio for the day (…without risk of any criticism/comments) what would you choose?
Oh…it would be a mess of different genres. There would be a mix of alt/metal, some K-Pop, ballads, and whatever pop songs are currently stuck in my head. If it’s a super rainy, super snowy, or perfectly sunny day? For get it—the music is being played purely based on vibes.