Under the Mediterranean Sun: Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi Serves Up French Riviera Afternoon Tea

This summer, joie de vivre unfurls in the Tokyo sky. Starting July 1, 2025, THE LOUNGE at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi welcomes guests for an afternoon tea inspired by the picturesque charms of the French Riviera.

Winding along the southern coast of France, the Cote d’Azur is best known for its vivid scenery and relaxed glamour, synonymous with destinations like Monaco, Nice, and Cannes. Drawing on their French culinary training, Pastry Chef Michele Abbatemarco and Executive Sous Chef Kensuke Kuze present a selection of light, bright and breezy bites to evoke the region’s famed pleasures, best enjoyed at an unhurried pace.

French Riviera Afternoon Tea

Served in the light-filled interiors of THE LOUNGE, the afternoon tea conjures a dazzling escape to the Cote d’Azur, where the brilliant Mediterranean sun shines down on azure waters.

Sweets are crafted by Michele Abbatemarco, the Pastry Chef at Michelin-starred est, who spent the early years of his career in Monaco and Nice. Guests can look forward to creations that reflect Chef Michele’s intimate understanding of the refined tastes of French Riviera vacationers.

Savouries are overseen by Executive Sous Chef Kensuke Kuze, who has honed his skills at renowned establishments such as Le Jules Verne (the Michelin-starred restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower) and under Alain Ducasse. Chef Kensuke’s dishes incorporate ingredients and recipes beloved in the south of France, including Monaco’s national dish.

Menu highlights include:

• Debuting the Ice Bar at THE LOUNGE
  Chocolate Mint Ice Cream, Fig Confiture
  Recalling a cherished summer tradition, Chef Michele’s mastery of French pastry techniques transforms the humble ice cream into a work of art. Making its debut at THE LOUNGE, the emerald-green Ice Bar features fig and mint, both specialties of southern France, coated in pistachio chocolate — a combination rarely found in Japan. Each bite reveals a perfect harmony of flavours, delivering a new and surprising ice cream experience.
• Peach Mousse, Peach and Groseille jelly, Peach compote
  Joy is a perfectly ripe peach, enjoyed on a summer’s day in southern France. Looking exactly like the real thing, this dessert recreates the luscious delight of a just-picked peach, from its juicy succulence to its sweet fragrance. Made with French and Japanese peaches, it unites the acclaimed flavours of two famed fruit-growing regions.
• Miyazaki Mango and Orange, Passion Fruit Baba, Chantilly Cafe
  Paying homage to France and Japan’s shared love for tropical fruits, this creation combines sun-ripened Miyazaki mangoes and refreshing oranges with a touch of passion fruit. Its naturally sweet and tart notes rounded out with a coffee Chantilly cream, this dessert brings a taste of the tropics to Tokyo’s city centre.
• Barbajuan with Olive Tapenade
  Another standout is the Barbajuan, Monaco’s beloved national dish and popular casino snack. Spinach, Parmesan cheese and marjoram are wrapped in dough and fried to a crisp finish, with an olive tapenade adding depth of flavour. Befitting its iconic status, the Barbajuan is freshly made and served on a separate plate.

The French Riviera Afternoon Tea is available at THE LOUNGE from July 1 to Aug 31, 2025.

Pricing (paired with a curation of premium Japanese teas):

• Weekdays: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm / 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm, JPY 8,800 per person | 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm JPY 7,800 per person
• Weekends and public holidays: JPY 9,800 per person

For reservations, book online or call +81 3 6810 0655.

An Exceptional Experience

Afternoon tea at THE LOUNGE arrives on individual high tea stands, allowing each guest to find their own rhythm — whether they are in the company of friends or enjoying a solo treat. The experience also offers the rare opportunity to sample Chef Michele’s pastries outside of est.

Keep it Cool: Yukata Season

Celebrating Japan’s traditional summer apparel, Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi invites guests to enjoy afternoon tea in a yukata — the kimono’s light and airy cousin. From August 9 to 17, 2025, guests who arrive in a yukata will receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.

Meet the Chefs

• Michele Abbatemarco, Pastry Chef
  Originally from Italy, Michele Abbatemarco is the Pastry Chef at est, the Michelin-starred French restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi. In 2024, he was named Best Pastry Chef by Gault&Millau Japan. After graduating from the École de Gastronomie Francaise Ritz Escoffier and the DuGrand Chocolat Valrhona School in France, Michele honed his skills at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Luca Carton and Antica Osteria del Ponte in France. He then moved to Japan, where he worked at Cuisine Michel Troisgros in Tokyo before joining est as the opening Pastry Chef in 2020.
• Kensuke Kuze, Executive Sous Chef
  Born in Tokyo, Kensuke Kuze graduated from culinary school and moved to France in his twenties. There, he refined his skills under renowned chefs at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Le Jules Verne, located inside the Eiffel Tower, and Alain Ducasse. After returning to Japan in 2009, he worked with multiple global luxury hotels before joining Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi as a member of the opening team in 2020.