Afternoon Tea Awards 2025 - 'Award of Excellence'

Origin Kensington at the Royal Garden Hotel, winner of two AA rosettes, is delighted to announce a special Afternoon Tea collaboration with luxury accessories brand Grace Han, launching a beautifully crafted culinary experience that celebrates shared values of artistry, refinement and royal-inspired elegance.

Rooted in the wisdom of Eastern master artisans and shaped by an ongoing dialogue between East and West, Grace Han is celebrated for its meticulous craftsmanship and sculptural leatherwork. The brand’s refined aesthetic and timeless silhouettes have earned admiration among those who appreciate understated elegance, including the Princess of Wales, further reinforcing its reputation for grace and sophistication.

Reflecting this dedication to detail, the culinary team at Origin Kensington have created an Afternoon Tea in which each piece pays homage to the brand’s most iconic designs, mirroring the textures, forms and tones of Grace Han’s signature creations, while gently infusing Asian flavours throughout. The result is a thoughtful blend of classic British Afternoon Tea tradition with modern creative expression.

Guests will begin with savoury favourites including a buttery Forman’s smoked salmon croissant with cream cheese and lemon followed by a Clonakilty black pudding and apricot sausage roll and a delicate sweet pea and morel tart with shallots. Freshly baked plain and sultana buttermilk scones are served alongside strawberry and lime jam, kalamansi curd and rich Cornish clotted cream.

The sweet selection is where the collaboration truly comes to life. The Love Letter Handbag pastry captures the elegance of Grace Han’s signature Love Letter collection through a refined composition of dark chocolate mousse with mandarin and kumquat compote, set upon chocolate sponge and a sesame base, a nod to the collection’s distinctive envelope flap and its graceful curve. Inspired by the iconic pleated leatherwork of the Ballet Lesson collection, the Raspberry & Szechuan Pepper Pleated Delight layers a sablé biscuit with raspberry and yoghurt cream and a Szechuan pepper whipping ganache, finished with a pleated Jivara chocolate designed to echo the artistry of the original bag.

Each Afternoon Tea guest will receive a gift certificate upon dining, to redeem a complimentary stationery set at Grace Han’s flagship store. Available on first-come-first-served basis.

A Love Letter Afternoon Tea with Grace Han will be served from 15th January -19th April 2026, available Thursday to Sunday, between 2pm and 5:30pm.