Tea in Ritzy style

Shona Adhikari on how tea at the Ritz hotel in London is a style statement with a history behind it

For the ultimate in tea-time treats, there is nothing to beat afternoon tea at ‘Palm Court’ at London’s Ritz Hotel. It may even be referred to, as the ultimate glitzy location for couples to meet. Not for the jeans-clad lot however, this is where you dress up in right royal style. In keeping with the baroque decor, it almost demands that guests ‘dress’ for tea. I was invited to its famous ritual, ‘Tea in the Palm Court’, by a friend determined to introduce me to a time-honoured British tradition.

My first glimpse of this famous meeting place left me feeling as though I had stepped back in time.

The Palm Court assaults the senses by extensive use of pink-and-gold leaf and logic columns crowned by a widowed dome that lights up the room’s interiors. Guests sit on rose-coloured Louis XVI chairs, at small round tables draped in light pink damask. There are a number of tall potted palms spread around and gilded statuettes in arched niches that clearly point to an age gone by. Tea is taken on Royal Worcester fine bone china, with the original blue ‘forget-me-not’ pattern. It may be considered an affectation these days, but ladies are encouraged to wear hats, while men have to wear jackets and ties-jeans and trainers are strictly prohibited. The pianist plays tunes that go back many years to the 30s and 40s.

We had 14 different types of tea to choose from. Feeling slightly unpatriotic I chose Earl Grey instead of Darjeeling. It was a good choice because it looked good in the fine bone china cups. There is also the Ritz traditional tea, which many choose as it has both colour and flavour. There was a wide selection of cram cakes to choose from and some really scrumptious scones. The bread for the sandwiches was finely sliced and the cucumber sandwiches, were the best that I have ever had.

Little did Caesar Ritz realise that ‘The Ritz’, which he grandly named after himself, would come to represent the ultimate in style and luxury in years to come. The Ritz occupies a prime position on Piccadilly, walking distance from St James’s, Burlington Arcade and Bond Street . It has been one of London’s most fashionable meeting places, ever since it was opened in 1906. The Ritz is now almost 100 years old and celebrations on a grand scale are being planned, for the centenary coming up in May 2006.

Caesar Ritz was the 13^th child of an Alpine shepherd and former wine-waiter. It was a trendsetter from the beginning. The Ritz was the first place in London where young ladies could take tea alone and famous novelist Barbara Cartland, who was a regular after World War I, observed, "One could meet men without chaperones for lunch and tea. So you had lunch with the men you were keen on and tea with the rest."

Edward and Mrs. Simpson are among the famous people who had tea at the Palm Court. There are at least 500 calls each day for reservations for tea at the Palm Court.

There are two tea settings, the first at 3.30 pm and the second at 5 pm. This usually means 180 teas on weekdays and around 230 teas per day on weekends, equating to almost 70,000 teas a year. It certainly does not come cheap, at 32 ponds per person.

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