Spring is best savoured slowly and at the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff Johannesburg. The newly reimagined Champagne Afternoon Tea invites guests to settle in and take a moment to enjoy the sweeter things in life.
Curated by the hotel’s 42-year-old executive pastry chef, Nathan Jacobs, each bite has been thoughtfully crafted to deliver a sense of indulgence, nostalgia and pure delight.
Set in the newly renovated Lobby Lounge and Bar, with scenic views across Johannesburg North, the experience feels both luxurious and distinctly local.
“This time we’ve added a multi-course offering of delicate food, including a pre-dessert course before your actual sweet treats and a little take-home gift for the champagne afternoon tea experience,” he says. “We would like our guests to feel relaxed, pampered and unrushed while enjoying the slow pace and connecting with friends and family.”
The reimagined Afternoon Tea takes the hotel’s iconic tradition to new heights, amping up the artistry and flavour of its offerings while creating an unrivalled experience that will have guests swooning.
Serenaded by lively jams and fuelled by a satisfying sugar rush, the new location of the hotel’s iconic traditional Afternoon Tea is awe-inspiring.
Situated on the hotel’s western wing, the impressive space sets the scene for Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff Johannesburg’s reimagined Afternoon Tea experience, where grand interiors, polished design and luxe finishes create an atmosphere made for lingering, indulging and soaking up the occasion.
“The inspiration with the new setting automatically requires a refreshed menu that speaks to the palate and that screams luxury,” says Jacobs
“The food needs to have that visual effect as we eat with our eyes but not second to flavour. We focused on tasty food that’s not overcomplicated but still keeping that Afternoon Tea elegance it requires for this sort of offering.”
Hailing from the Mother City, Nathan Jacobs counts culinary greats such as Gary Rhodes and Antonio Bachour among his early inspirations.
But it is a sweet memory much closer to home that truly set the Capetonian pastry chef on the path to the kitchen and cemented his culinary journey forever.
“Growing up, we never had many sweet treats and luxuries, but there was this one dessert that my dad would make for us. In some sense it was a banana split; I never knew that at the time, and it was named after a famous cricket player, Waqar Younis,” he says.
“And that’s what we know it as to this day: a warm banana with flake chocolate sprinkled over and a touch of whipped cream is a Waqar Younis.
“Another defining moment was when I would assist my dad in potjie kos competitions in the navy, especially when we had to make a pudding over the coals. Not something you would normally associate with food cooked over coals, but this was an awe-inspiring moment for me, and I could not wait to see what other innovative creations could be executed in the pastry world.”
Jacobs completed his professional cooking certificate at False Bay College and later his diploma at the South African Chefs Academy in Cape Town. Much of his professional kitchen experience was spent in the kitchens between SA, UK and US at luxury country clubs.
He landed back in SA and joined the hotel last year.
“So far, our focus has been on fresh local food with global infusions at times, with the aim to create top-quality food that resonates with us and the South African palate,” he says.
On the menu are delicate pastries and artisanal bite-sized treats, spoiling guests with an indulgent balance of sweet and savoury delights.
Anticipate nostalgic Afternoon Tea favourites alongside creations; from cucumber and herbed crème fraîche sandwiches and chicken and leek pies to smoked salmon and dill cream cheese croissants, Moroccan lamb pastilla, pistachio and raspberry financiers, and caramel and naartjie choux.
Wash it all down with a crisp glass of bubbly or a fragrant selection of bespoke tea infusions, specially brewed for the experience.
And, of course, no Afternoon Tea would be complete without warm, buttery, fluffy scones served with homemade strawberry jam and all the traditional trimmings.
“The scones are as important as the other creations, although overlooked at times. They need to be light and fluffy − the balance between savoury and sweet in terms of fusions. We keep it authentic, not too many bells and whistles, just straight up good with a few little surprises along the way,” he says.
Click here to join Sowetan’s WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered to you on the move
