Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi Conjures Springtime in Switzerland with New Afternoon Tea

Starting May 1, 2023, discover a brand-new Afternoon Tea at MAISON MARUNOUCHI, the lively and elegant bistro at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. Drawing on his childhood memories from Switzerland, Executive Pastry Chef Patrick Thibaud presents a wondrous repertoire of sweet delights, blooming with the characteristic flowers and fruits of a Swiss spring.

“Growing up near Lausanne, a French-speaking region in Switzerland, I was fascinated by the cakes, pies and desserts my mother regularly made at home. Springtime was especially magical, bringing so many bright and beautiful ingredients to our kitchen,” says Chef Patrick, recalling the inspiration behind the Afternoon Tea.

The storied menu takes guests on a delectable journey through Switzerland, evoking the joyful flavours, colours and fragrances of spring. A floral and fruity Welcome Drink sets the stage, its gentle chamomile base topped with melon juice, pineapple and pink grapefruit.

As a child, Chef Patrick loved a sparkling red Swiss drink made with raspberry, violet and grenadine. His nostalgia for the beverage forms the basis of the Violet and Raspberry Cheesecake, an intricate composition of vanilla baked cheesecake, raspberry biscuit, violet-flavoured cream, and raspberry and grenadine jelly.

The next destination is a traditional Swiss garden in bloom, expressed through the Lavender and Apricot Macaron. Paying sweet homage to lavender, a flower that captured his heart at an early age, Chef Patrick crafts an eye-catching mauve macaron with lavender and white chocolate ganache, apricot marmalade and semi-dried apricots.

The Chamomile and Lemon Honey Choux combines chamomile crème diplomat, lemon confit, honey chanti-crème and elderflower jelly. The first three elements reflect a classic homemade Swiss drink for children, especially popular as winter turns to spring, while accents of elderflower lend a fresh floral note.

The floral theme continues with Chef Patrick’s Floral Layered Tart, featuring either rose or orchid jelly – depending on the basket of fresh flowers that arrives at Four Seasons each morning. This splendid treat is decorated with raspberries and edible flowers, offering a visual depiction of Switzerland’s springtime abundance.

The next stop is the Orange Flower Financier, blending pink grapefruit jelly with white chocolate chantilly crème infused with orange flowers. Scones, the evergreen teatime classic, also receive a spring-inspired twist, blossoming with orange confit and orange flower icing.

Available at MAISON MARUNOUCHI from May 1 to June 30, 2023, the Tastes of Switzerland Afternoon Tea is priced at JPY 7600 (weekday)/ 8,800 (weekend) per person. For reservations, call +81-3-5222-5880.

About Chef Patrick Thibaud

With more than 17 years in the world of haute pastry, Chef Patrick Thibaud brings a unique pastry-making approach centred around “the architecture of taste” − a complex yet seamless confluence of multiple flavours and textures that unfold with each bite. He began his career in Swiss patisseries before going on to spend more than a decade with Pierre Hermé Paris across France and Japan. Chef Patrick’s seasonal offerings at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi offer a refined interpretation of kawaii, a quintessentially Japanese aesthetic of whimsical charm.