Coming from the most extensive tea consuming country per capita, Isilay grew up with brewing and drinking tea. Moving to the UK widened her tea horizons. However, only when she relocated to China, she was tea-struck and became a big fan of fine Chinese teas. She completed her tea sommelier training at the International Tea Academy in 2019 and with the urge of spreading the word on exquisite artisanal teas, she founded Not Just A Cuppa.