When I heard that there was a new Artist Residency at Rosewood London, a hotel which prides itself on championing emerging artists and offering guests unique cultural experiences, it seemed a good excuse to combine a viewing with the hotel’s renowned Art Afternoon Tea inspired by the al fresco works of Impressionist painter, Claude Monet and his beloved garden Giverny which he described as his “most beautiful masterpiece.”
And this is afternoon tea at its most beautiful – a must for food and art lovers. Guests can enjoy the Rosewood London’s Art Afternoon Tea in the beautiful Mirror Room, a grand salon-styled restaurant where sparkling crystal, gleaming silverware and plush seating provides a glamorous backdrop. Served as an opulent 3 course affair with expert tea pairings, the menu has been curated by award-winning Executive Pastry Chef Mark Perkins, an integral part of the hotel’s team since they opened their doors in 2013. An artist in his own field, Perkins loves the challenge of encapsulating the mood of any given artist within extraordinary desserts which also allow him to channel his own artistic expression.
As you’d expect from a chef who has been in the industry for over thirty years, was awarded the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards’ Pastry Chef of the Year in 2023, and has worked with renowned chefs including Pierre Koffman, the attention to detail of the Art Afternoon Tea is second to none. With past incarnations having paid tribute to iconic works by Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, David Hockney and Banksy, it’s thrilling to taste this season’s exquisitely crafted selection of patisserie drawing inspiration from some of Monet’s most beloved paintings. The art books on display as you enter, including one dedicated to the artist’s paintings of London, remind us why Monet is an artist who transcends time.
With 2026 marking 100 years since Monet’s death, Rosewood London’s new Art Afternoon Tea offers a poetic tribute to the artist who, through his colour palette and sense of light and movement, continues to resonate with new generations around the world. Mark Perkins said, “We wanted to capture the romance, delicacy and artistry of Monet’s world – from the blossoms of Giverny to the soft reflections of his Water Lilies, and translate that into an immersive culinary experience.”
After we had selected a tea for each of the three courses, proceedings commenced with a glass of premium alcohol free Wild Idol Rose and Champagne for my companion, the perfect partner to the savoury first course canapes of Camembert mousse custard tart with pear chutney and caramelised pear and a lobster and prawn profiterole with Dijon mayonnaise, lemon zest and forest fruit tea jelly. These were served alongside an elevation of the traditional sandwiches; egg mayonnaise with King’s Imperial caviar on brioche, cured salmon with creme fraiche, cucumber ribbon and trout roe on toasted brioche; roast chicken with baby gem lettuce and tarragon-infused mayonnaise in an onion seed bun. There is also the option, before moving onto the sweet delights, to recharge your glasses and elevate your Art Afternoon Tea with the’Caviar Ritual’, 10g or 30g (£35 or £95) of the Imperial selection caviar served with a traditional garnish and warm blinis. Why do anything by halves?
The second course was not only devoted to the temptingly golden freshly baked plain and raisin scones accompanied by individual portions of Cornish clotted cream, strawberry jam and lemon curd, but came with another surprise in the form of a Jasmine Tea Cream; an oolong tea-infused set cream with floral notes, finished with delicately sliced strawberries, a strawberry jelly and delicate petals, to be enjoyed with the most delicious lemon and vanilla madeleines imaginable in an elegant and nostalgic homage to Monet’s garden and summer afternoons in France. Transporting me still further was the ‘Vanilla Supreme’ tea featuring golden-tipped Assam and delicately enriched with Bourbon vanilla.
The grand finale began the moment the trio of Monet-esque desserts were presented; so beautiful that it’s impossible not to feel a pang of guilt for eating them. ‘The Water Lily Pond’ is inspired by Monet’s world-famous garden at Giverny and features a pistachio and cherry delight of Morello and Griottine jelly infused with cherry blossom whipped pistachio ganache, finished with matcha chocolate decorations; ‘Impression Sunrise’ is inspired by Monet’s morning scenes of Le Havre with an almond sponge, yellow peach and vanilla jelly, raspberry gel and vanilla mousse sitting on an almond Florentine base; while ‘Woman With A Parasol’ is a tribute to Monet’s sunlit scene of his wife Camille and their son Jean and includes a vanilla madeleine sponge, rosemary white chocolate Namelaku and apricot vanilla jelly, with a tea ganache and a pistachio crumb. Crumbs indeed!
We concluded our visit by exploring the works of the contemporary South African artist Zach Zono at the hotel’s ‘Living Gallery’, with canvases most strikingly situated on the grade II-listed marble staircase. Celebrating memory through a fluidity of colour and abstraction, Zono’s intuitive style allows him to convey the emotion of his colourful Cape Town upbringing with a vibrancy which permeates much of his work. Although Zono is now based in London, he has established an international following thanks to exhibitions of his work in New York, Copenhagen, Madrid, Mexico City, Bangkok and Beijing; an audience guaranteed to grow thanks to the championship of his talent by Rosewood London whose appreciation of art is clear the moment you step beyond the Bronze Hall entrance and take a look around the lobby.
While you may not initially see a connection between Claude Monet and Zach Zono, aside from using similar tools to earn a living, when I later read that the Impressionist painter once said, “Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love,” it’s instantly clear. What’s also clear is that Rosewood London have achieved their goal in granting guests a truly unique and memorable experience.
Art Afternoon Tea at Rosewood London, 252 High Holburn, London WC1V 7EN, priced £68 Monday to Thursday, £78 Friday to Sunday, £90 with a glass of Wild Idol 0%, £98 with Cocktail, £108 with a glass of Billecart-Salmon ‘Le Reserve’ Brut, £116 with a glass of Billecart-Salmon ‘Le Rose’. For more information and reservations please visit the website.
