We caught up with chef Dave Kennett, Head of Pastry at art’otel Battersea Power Station to find out about the inspiration behind the Festive Afternoon Tea.

Can you begin by briefly describing your journey to TOZI?
For as long as I can remember, I have always been interested in cooking and specifically pastry. My father is a baker and I worked with him part time from the age of 13 until 18 around school and eventually college where I studied catering. After college I moved from Kent to London and have moved around several hotels and restaurants, before ending up on the opening team for Tozi last October.

Describe a typical day in the kitchen
A typical day in the pastry section for Art’otel begins very early. There are five of us on the team and we’re never not busy, with multiple outlets to supply for. Early each morning we check in with a host in Tozi to get numbers for the day’s afternoon tea bookings, to make everything fresh every day.

What is your favourite pastry on the Festive Afternoon Tea?
My favourite element of the Christmas Afternoon Tea is the caramel and cinnamon mousse with hazelnut praline. I really like the flavour and texture profiles.

What challenges did you face creating this menu?
One of the main challenges we faced with creating this menu, specifically because it’s Christmas themed is not wanting it to be about style over substance. Obviously novelty festive décor is fun, but we really wanted to keep the integrity of the flavours of each item at the same time as presenting something whimsical.

What’s your creative process for making new menus?
My creative process for making new menus usually begins with a notebook! I consider all that’s available to me in season, chat with my peers to bounce ideas around and often refer to previous things I’ve made, to develop those recipes and ideas further, as well as keeping in mind time factors so as to keep the work load manageable so that consistent results are always achieved.

What do you think makes the Afternoon Tea at TOZI special?
Afternoon tea at Tozi feels special because it’s different from a traditional afternoon tea. Because Tozi Grand Cafe is an Italian restaurant we wanted to create something that was in keeping with the vibe, so the little twists such as charcuterie and cheese instead of finger sandwiches and maritozzi instead of scones make it stand out.

What tea would you recommend with the Afternoon Tea?
If I were sitting down for a Tozi afternoon tea, I would a pot of Earl Grey to have with it.

Which wine would pair best?
I would choose a glass of Prosecco to go with the Afternoon Tea, a classic Italian pairing after all and bubbles always feel like an occasion.

Last but not least - cream or jam first on your scone?
Cream first on a scone, always. You can’t spread cream on top of jam - you wouldn’t do that with butter! 

The Festive Afternoon Tea at TOZi Grand Cafe @ Battersea Power station is available until 2nd January 2024. Find out more about it here or press the gold 'book now' button to book.