The whimsical afternoon tea affair has for the past several years been one of Bangkok's gastronomic norms. But it wasn't until very recently that the offer of tea-pairing snacks became so artistically exciting, tasteful and precious that you eagerly wonder who's behind the whole idea.
Starting last month and until mid-August at the Lobby Lounge of Peninsula Bangkok is the Art and Augmented Reality Afternoon Tea (AAA).
The one-of-a-kind dining event promises guests a multi-tiered platter of delicious treats and a series of hyper-real interactive artworks, and on specific days, a visit to the artist's atelier.
Awe begins as soon as you step into the hotel's lobby lounge decked out with illusory pastel-hued flowers designed by Pichaya Osothcharoenpol, aka Pichaya O, a pioneering young Thai artist.
A master's of sciences graduate, Pichaya O integrates her digital technology skills with personal passion in hand drawing.
As a design artist and illustrator, she has collaborated with several international brands and her work been exhibited at many leading art shows in the country.
In 2017 she received Thailand's prestigious design award, DEmark, and was one of 16 artists to participate in Art for the Future, a programme that helps children to realise their dreams through art.
Mythical characters are brought to life with visual and auditory interactions. Photos courtesy of The Peninsula Bangkok
Pichaya O now lives and works at The Peninsula Bangkok as a part of the hotel's groundbreaking Artist in Residence programme. Launched earlier this year, the programme features in-house emerging artists, one for every three months, who display their original works, conceptualised while staying in the hotel, for guests to enjoy. Here, Pichaya O's fanciful hand-drawn illustrations are seamlessly interwoven with augmented reality (AR) codes.
With a smart embodiment of AR elements, her intricate and vividly coloured designs, inspired by ancient Buddhist philosophies, will provide the guests with awe-inspiring episodes of visual and auditory interactions.
Afternoon tea guests are urged to use an AR-enhanced application to scan her drawings, showcased here and there throughout the hotel, in order to enliven the whole experience and bring the mythical characters to life. For example, a floral tapestry will bloom before your eyes as you scan the menu. Fabled lions Kraisorn Singha will parade and roar around the teapot while flying Kinnari creatures will gracefully gather over the tasty finger sandwiches and mini desserts amid a twinkle sound effect.
Guests are urged to use AR-enhanced application to enliven the dining experience.
Gastronomic-wise, of the assortment of afternoon goodies, crafted by executive pastry chef Nicolas Pelloie, comprises the likes of strawberry religieuse, raspberry tartlet with vanilla cremeux, Valrhona chocolate sable with foam ganache, cherry and pistachio mille-feuille, blueberry pearl with coconut joconde, lychee cheesecake and scones with house-made jam and lemon curd.
On the savoury side are tomato macaroon with crab rillettes and tomato jelly, ham and Gruyère cheese sandwich, house-smoked salmon roulade and dill cream and devilled quail egg on pumpernickel bread. Complementing the light bites is a choice of tea and coffee, hot or cold.
The Peninsula Bangkok's Art and Augmented Reality Afternoon Tea, the first of its kind in Thailand, is served daily until Aug 12. It is priced at 1,600 baht for two people.
The entrance to the artist's living studio.
As a part of the Artist in Residence programme, the AAA experience also includes access to Pichaya O's living studio so that the guests will to get to know more about the artist.
Afternoon tea visitors are welcome to explore her dreamily-set suite implanted with lots of cute AR interaction on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, only by the end of this month.
For more information and reservations, call The Peninsula Bangkok at 02-020-2888 or e-mail diningpbk@peninsula.com.
Featured artist in residence, Pichaya Osothcharoenpol.
