The Dorchester opens Cake & Flowers
The Dorchester in London has today opened Cake & Flowers, a patisserie and floristry with its own entrance on the Deanery Street corner of the hotel.
The boutique is overseen by the Dorchester's in-house florist Philip Hammond and executive pastry chef Michael Kwan. Previously a private staff area, the shop sells cakes to take away, gift hampers, bouquets and a selection of Champagnes and chocolates. Bouquets are also available for pre-order, collection and delivery in central London.
The menu will include the Dorchester rose cake, with rose and jasmine cream, compressed pear and coconut crunch; and a citrus and orange blossom pavlova, with yuzu and bergamot meringue, citrus compote, orange blossom cream and confit citrus. Kwan's signature cake, the tree cake, will change seasonally and include flavours such as cherry blossom tea mousse and sour cherry.
Kwan joined the team in January 2022 and leads the 25-strong brigade of chefs and bakers responsible for creating the cakes and patisserie at the hotel, as well as pastries and desserts for weddings, parties and events.
He previously held head pastry chef positions at Hotel Café Royal, Ladurée and Duddells, and positions within the pastry brigades of Michelin-starred restaurants the Fat Duck and Hakkasan.
He was named UK Sugar Champion 2019 and has represented the UK for the Coup du Monde de la Patisserie in Lyon, France, since 2019. In 2021, the team finished fourth in the competition, the highest the UK pastry team has ever placed. In 2022, the UK team placed first in the European Pastry Cup and went on to compete in the final of Coup du Monde de la Patisserie 2023.
The new space is part of the five-red-AA-star, 250-bedroom hotel's revamp, which is its biggest renovation since 1989, with Rochon overseeing changes to the property's interiors.
The rooms and suites are still being renovated and are due to be completed in April.
The hotel is part of the Dorchester Collection, which also includes the five-red-AA-star, 45-bedroom 45 Park Lane and the five-AA-star, 71-bedroom Coworth Park in Berkshire.
