Arrive early, appoint a leader and say yes: why I get all steamed up about yum cha

‘What better way for someone to experience yum cha than just to say yes or no to whatever comes along?’ Photograph: Leisa Tyler/LightRocket/Getty Images

I recently went to a yum cha in Sydney with my friend Happy, who’s from the Philippines. She’d never been to yum cha before in Australia and I felt a huge sense of responsibility to use my 30-something years of yum cha experience to make hers the best first time ever.

It began when I suggested we meet at 10:30am to avoid the queues.