A Taste of Home: Discover Local-Inspired Afternoon Tea at Pacific Emporium, Pan Pacific Singapore

Hi Huneybees,

Looking for a unique afternoon tea that celebrates Singapore’s rich culinary roots? Step into Pacific Emporium at Pan Pacific Singapore, where a refreshed afternoon tea experience awaits, crafted with heart, heritage, and a whole lot of flavour.

Nestled on Level 1 of the hotel, this all-day gourmet café brings a modern twist to tradition, led by the newly appointed Executive Pastry Chef Edina Si. If her name sounds familiar, it’s because Chef Edina has been making waves in the pastry world for years, and now, she’s back at Pan Pacific Singapore to lead the charge with her signature style.

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Meet the Chef Behind the Magic

Chef Edina’s journey began in a family kitchen, guided by her mother’s culinary skills and her grandmother’s baking wisdom. That early passion took her all the way to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris at just 16, where she trained in both cuisine and pastry.

From there, she honed her craft under legendary chefs like Chef Yamashita Masataka and Chef Jérôme Chaucesse, and even collaborated with pastry stars like Cédric Grolet and Nicolas Paciello during her time at Fauchon. Her style is global, but her heart remains rooted in local flavours—using the best of Singaporean ingredients to tell stories through dessert.

Her return to Pan Pacific Singapore marks a homecoming, having previously served as Assistant Pastry Chef. Now at the helm of the pastry team, Chef Edina is setting a new standard across the hotel - from weddings and events to the award-winning buffet restaurant Edge, and of course, the showstopping afternoon tea at Pacific Emporium.

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An Afternoon Tea That Feels Like Home

This isn't your typical high tea. Chef Edina and her team have designed an afternoon experience that’s a true celebration of Singapore’s diverse flavours, with a little something for everyone. (Available daily with two seatings: 1:00pm–3:00pm & 4:00pm–6:00pm._

Start your journey with Nyonya Bloom, a refreshing welcome drink infused with peach, passionfruit, aromatic pandan, and rich gula melaka. Then, take your time with a delightful spread of savoury bites:

• Otah-otah with Five Spice Meringue

• Spicy Prawn and Mango Toast

• Tamarind Beef Pastrami on Rye

• Scallop & XO Butter Sandwiches

• Quail Parfait & Gula Melaka Tart

Got a sweet tooth? You’re in luck. The dessert selection is just as inspired, featuring:

• Peranakan Tile (yes, it’s as pretty as it sounds)

• Citrus Osmanthus Mousse

• Teh Halia Cheesecake

• Black Sesame Mochi Tart

• Chilli Chocolate Éclair

• Freshly baked Classic & Date Scones

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Something Special, Every Day of the Week

On weekdays, your three-tiered tea stand is joined by a rotating local delight; think Lobster Pie Tee, Beef Cheek Rendang, Penang Prawn Noodle Soup, or Mee Siam for that comforting local touch.

On weekends, the experience gets even more indulgent with a buffet-style afternoon tea. You’ll find unlimited servings at the Chef’s Speciality Showcase (yes, more rendang!), a DIY Lobster Pie Tee station, and sweet treats like classic waffles with ice cream.

Pair your tea with a selection of TWG teas or Lavazza coffee, or take things up a notch with a glass of Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne for that special occasion sparkle.

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Chef Edina's signature creations - Blue Pea Lychee Calamansi Cake, Rum Raisin Manjari Gateau, and Single Origin 72% Chocolate Cake can be found at the Pacific Emporium.

Whether you’re catching up with friends or treating yourself to a peaceful midday escape, Pacific Emporium’s local-inspired afternoon tea is more than just a meal; it’s a heartfelt journey through flavours that feel like home.

You can also savour Chef Edina’s signature creations at Pacific Emporium — each cake thoughtfully crafted to highlight bold flavours and refined textures:

• Single Origin 72% Chocolate Cake – A celebration of cacao in its purest form, this indulgent dessert is made with 72% dark chocolate from Venezuela. Smooth ganache complements the gentle bitterness of the chocolate, letting its rich, layered notes take centre stage.

• Blue Pea Lychee Calamansi Cake – This elegant cake blends natural blue pea flower cream with the tropical sweetness of lychee and the citrusy zing of calamansi cremeux. Light, floral, and refreshingly tart, it's a delicate balance of flavour and colour.

• Rum Raisin Manjari Gâteau – Golden sultanas are soaked in dark rum for over a month, then folded into a luscious rum-infused chocolate mousse. Set atop a flourless chocolate sponge, this cake is deep, fruity, and irresistibly rich — with just the right touch of boozy warmth.

Local-inspired Afternoon Tea at Pacific Emporium

1:00pm until 3:00pm (First Seating)

4:00pm until 6:00pm (Second Seating)

Mondays to Fridays

$58 per person | Inclusive of a pot of TWG tea or a cup of Lavazza coffee

$78 per person | Inclusive of a glass of Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne in addition to a pot of TWG tea or a cup of Lavazza coffee

Saturdays and Sundays (Buffet-style with Live Stations)

$68 per person | Inclusive of a pot of TWG tea or a cup of Lavazza coffee

$88 per person | Inclusive of a glass of Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne in addition to a pot of TWG tea or a cup of Lavazza coffee

*All prices are subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes unless indicated otherwise.

For reservations, please call +65 6826 8240 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com.

View the Local-inspired Afternoon Tea Weekday digital menu here.

View the Local-inspired Afternoon Tea Weekend digital menu here.

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Ginseng Afternoon Tea With Sofitel Singapore City Centre X Sulwhasoo

Hi Huneybees,

Following the success of Sofitel x Balmain Afternoon Tea and Sofitel x Vogue Afternoon Tea in past years, the hotel is thrilled to announce the return of its highly anticipated co-branded afternoon tea experience from 1 March to 26 April this year. In an extraordinary partnership with renowned Korean luxury beauty brand, Sulwhasoo, you are invited to indulge in a limited-time ginseng afternoon tea set honouring the brand’s signature ingredient.

 

Elegantly presented on a three-tier stand, highlights from the sweet presentation include Ginseng Crème Brûlée Sable Cookie, Yuzu Ginseng Tart with Swiss Meringue, and Chilled Hashima Ginseng Soup with Goji Berries. Accompanying the line-up of sweet treats, the repertoire of savoury creations including Chilled Ginseng Egg Royale with Shredded Crab Meat, Chicken Collagen Broth with Coconut Noodles and Goji Berries, and Chinese Herbal Tea Quail Egg, are meant to expertly balance the earthy and bitter undertones of ginseng while providing a refreshing burst to the palate.

 

To complement these gastronomic delights, you get to enjoy barista-style coffee prepared to your preference, or choose from more than 20 premium blends of TWG tea including Crystal Queen, a delicate black tea infusion with berries and cream, or Crimson Hill, a green tea featuring radiant wild berries.

 

Blackpink's Rosé as Sulwhasoo's Global Ambassador

Each order of the Sofitel x Sulwhasoo Ginseng Afternoon Tea Set comes with two sets of Sulwhasoo Anti-aging Kit worth $222*. The exclusive kit features Sulwhasoo’s iconic products – First Care Activating Serum (8ml), Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Serum (5ml), Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream (5ml), and Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Eye Cream (3ml). 

*Sulwhasoo Anti-aging Kits are available on a first-come-first-serve basis, while stocks last.

There is also a voucher enclosed entitling guests to a complimentary eye care treatment valued at $50 when you purchase any Sulwhasoo facial treatments at the brand’s boutiques.

Sofitel x Sulwhasoo Ginseng Afternoon Tea Set is priced at $118++ for two persons, and available daily from 2pm to 5pm. For reservations or enquiries, guests can visit https://bit.ly/SofitelxSulwhasoo, call +65 6428 5000 or email HA152@sofitel.com.

*Prices are subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes.
*Menu items are subject to change depending on the availability of ingredients.

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Indulge in Singapore’s Iconic Flavours @ Sofitel Singapore City Centre This National Day

Hi Huneybees,

Sofitel Singapore City Centre is delighted to launch The Local Table Afternoon Tea in celebration of Singapore's 58th birthday. Indulge in an epicurean afternoon tea experience, inspired by nostalgic flavours that are close to every Singaporean's heart.

Be charmed by 11 delightful treats, including five savoury items and six sweets, all carefully crafted to tantalise the taste buds. Highlights include Foie Gras Butter with Curried Caramelised Candy, featuring creamy foie gras atop a crispy toast, topped with candy wok tossed with curry spices; Plant-based Otah with Spiced Lychee Lime Salsa, which is a delightful twist on the traditional otah, elevated with spiced lychee lime salsa; as well as Musang King Durian Puff, with the treasured Musang King durian variety encased in a cream puff pastry, finished with luscious durian crème chantilly.

Savouries

Highlights include the Chilli Crab Roll, where chunks of blue swimmer crabmeat marinated in sweet, tangy chilli crab sauce are encased in a brioche bun and topped with caviar for a luxurious burst of briny flavour. 

Another treat which takes an innovative twist is the Foie Gras Butter with Curried Caramelised Candy – where creamy foie gras butter on a light toast is topped with caramelised sugar that is infused with curry and spices, resulting in a fragrant bite with layers of fun textures. 

No Singaporean would be a stranger to the Otah, where a plant-based alternative is presented here along with spiced lychee lime salsa, bringing together an unexpectedly delicious flavour and texture combination that elevates the Otah’s umami notes.

Sweets

From the highly valued Musang King to the familiar and aromatic scent of pandan leaves, relish an ensemble of exquisitely crafted elegant sweet treats incorporating everyday Singaporean flavours. Stealing the show is the aesthetically pleasing Musang King Durian Puff – where the treasured durian variety is encased in a cream puff pastry and finished with ‘spikes’ made of luscious durian crème chantilly. 

Another creation putting a spotlight on Singapore’s perennial favourite is the Pandan Chiffon Cake, which comes in the form of a fluffy and moist cake topped with silky coconut namelaka cream glaze and a touch of 24k gold flakes for a fanciful finish. No afternoon tea experience is complete without scones, and the Local Table version has taken the classic pastry for a local spin with Cempedak Scones served with house-made jackfruit jam and clotted cream.

The Local Table Afternoon Tea is available from 1 to 31 August 2023, from 2pm to 5pm in 1864. Priced at $118++ for a set (serves two persons), including a choice of two premium tea from TWG, or

barista-made coffee. For reservations or enquiries, visit https://www.sofitel-singapore-citycentre.com/offers/the-local-table-afternoon-tea/, call +65 6428 5000 or email HA152@sofitel.com. 

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TOP 5 Reasons Why You Should NOT MISS The Exhibition Of Downton Abbey

Hi Huneybees,

Downton Abbey was a highly popular British TV series that was shown from 2010 to 2015 and was based on a chronicle of the lives of the British aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th Century.

This original drama of romance, which costed an average of £1 million per episode to produce, was set from 1912 to 1926 and even has had Queen Elizabeth II as one of its fans!

Julian Fellowes and his casts from Downton Abbey at the recent Press Conference at Marina Bay Sands. Photo credit: MBS

With much excitement on 22nd June 2017, the creator and executive producer of the show Julian Fellowes with many of his original casts including  Jim Carter (as Charles Carson), Kevin Doyle (as Joseph Molesley), Laura Carmichael (as Lady Edith Crawley), and Phyllis Logan (as Mrs. Hughes), walked down the red carpet at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centres to officiate the opening of Downton Abbey: The Exhibition happening at B2 of Hall F.

Most of the scenes in Downton Abbey were filmed at Highclere Castle

Here are 5 (five) reasons why you should STILL pay a visit to this exhibition even if none of my fellow Huneybees has watched a single episode of this highest rated PBS "Masterpiece" drama series, which is unfortunately not available on free-to-air nor pay TVs  in this region.

#1 Lifestyle of British  aristocratic during early 20th Century

Discover the way of life of the noble and its humble servants' in the era where the concept of Television System has just be realized but not yet commercialize and Computer has yet been invented. One reason why Downton Abbey was so popular was the fact that the TV series followed closely to historian research, including the actual events that happened during the period where the drama was set, for example in Season 2: World War I, Titanic sinking, Spanish Flu.

Downton Abbey has came alive at the exhibition in Marina Bay Sands with mock-ups of some of the most memorable scenes of the TV series such as Butler's pantry, Kitchen, the famous Servant's Bell Board, elegant Dining Room, and even the bedroom!

Stairway to the basement of Downton Abbey where servants work for 14 hours starting at 5am daily

#2 Amazing Downton Abbey Costumes

From restrictive corsets to drop waists, heightened hemlines, and straight silhouettes, the glamour of the early 20th century fashion was certainly one of the highlights of the TV series and some of these were on display for public to behold.

The central of attention was definitely the  beautiful white wedding grown wore by Lady Edith at her wedding during the Downton Abbey finale! Looking at it would simply invoke the emotional moment in me just like yesterday when Lady Edith finally married in Downton Abbey.

#3 Technology Evolution Of The Era

In the early 20th century and before, way before Internet gave birth to Email, people communicate with each other via means of hand-written letter sent via postage that could take months to be delivered!

Early 20th century was a period of great technology leap with the likes of the first assembly-line production style made automobile by Ford Motor and the first gas motored and manned airplane by Wright brothers.

A tuning radio in the early 20th Century

The essential for the women of Downton Abbey - Hair Curling Tong and Hair Dryer!

Do you still recall the candid moments of Mr. Carson, butler of Downton Abbey trying to figure out how the candlestick phone operates?

Some of these historical artefacts that made appearance in the TV series were on display in the exhibition, which included the iconic hand-held metallic hair dryer (Season 6) that first went on sales in 1915 and the candlestick phone (Season 2-5) that represented the pivoted period (1912-14) for telephone development in Britain as it was widely installed at private homes of many aristocracy and gentry.

#4 EEE - Enhanced Exhibition Experience

Attending an exhibition can be uneventful if there's no people to guide you through and worst if it's a show that you have not even watched before.

Hologram of Mrs Hughes, Housekeeper of Downton Abbey, welcoming you to the working area of the servants

The organizer certainly understands that (not every one has seen the masterpiece) and that's perhaps is one reason (my wild guess) why they have set up many of digital (non interactive) displays by means of holograms and audio visual technology to take the audience through the journey of frictional wold of Downton Abbey, starting from an introduction snippets of the TV series and ending with some of the main characters bidding goodbye to the audience.

While this is certainly a great crash course for any Huneybees who haven't watch the drama, it also creates a whole enhanced experience for fans to relive the moment!

#5 Experience English Tea Ritual

There's nothing other than Afternoon Tea for that is British most significant contribution to world cuisine! What started as "snack" between early lunch and late supper (aka dinner) by Anna Russell, 7th Duchess of Bedford, in the 1830-40s, has became a common practice around world as people realize it was a great excuse to socalize. 

It certainly felt great to be able to seat down and enjoy some English tea and cakes after spending over three hours soaking in the British ilife of early 20th century.

For an additional SGD50 (exclude from admission ticket price), Huneybees will be treated to a traditional afternoon tea like the one we saw in Downtown Abbey, where the tray holds the 3 S’s: Scones, Sandwiches/Savouries and Sweets. That certainly summed up a sweet afternoon for me!

Do come and experience the life of Downton Abbey today at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centres, B2, Hall F before it leave Singapore for USA. The exhibition ends on 31st July 2017.

While it is not necessary, it is certainly helpful if you could catch some episodes of the TV series online prior attending the exhibition.

Downtown Abbey has just got a new fan in me ;)

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