Various parts of the world have claimed their own legacy on tea as a ritual, and amidst all its variations, and in all the different ways it was practiced, the underlying intent has been the same; the ritual of tea created a protected hour: neither work nor leisure, neither public nor fully private. In one part of the world it would be an interval to rest and indulge, in another to reflect and appreciate, and in another to convey status.

This is precisely why afternoon tea has persisted in today’s climate long after its social conditions have changed; it represents an imperial time of monarchies, luxury, craft and reconnection.

Cultural translation without dilution

London has always been skilled at hosting other cultures and on occasion, it lets them unfold without imposing. In China, tea as a practice privileges attentiveness, intention and sequence, in particular of the details which might seem unnecessary to the contemporary world such as, water temperature, steeping time and vessel choice.

And when the British way of practicing afternoon tea is reinterpreted through another civilisational lens, irrespective of what’s changed and what remains the same, the result always comes down to the same thing; a ritual.

Whilst a Chinese afternoon tea in London is certainly novel, it is equally magical because it reveals a broader shift in modern luxury: refinement is becoming inclusive. European rituals no longer sit at the centre by default and there is much to be said, and learned, from what, and how, other cultures celebrate their lifestyles.

Asian afternoon tea

Despite being a quaint restaurant tucked away on a rather quiet street of Mayfair, Kai creates a truly elevated, intimate feel. Upon arriving for The Chinese Whispers’ Afternoon Tea the table was set up beautifully; bright coloured birds clipped onto the napkin rings, pastel, oriental influenced crockery, quirky centerpieces and a red apple on each seat with a note to share the significance of the fruit during such an auspicious year.

Whilst the afternoon tea was presented true to British standards (tiered cake stands, an expected sequence of what to have first and thereafter) the East Asian values were seeping through and being preserved; balance, harmony, symbolism and seasonality.

The placement of the book, Crazy Rich Asians, at the centre of the table didn’t seem incidental. It conveyed a conscious effort to frame Chinese culture through its contemporary confidence; a reference point immediately recognisable to a Western audience due to the infamous movie. Set within an experience grounded in British ritual, and layered with Chinese symbolism, it created a subtle tension: tradition held intact, yet recontextualised by the realities of the modern, thriving side of East Asia.

Like with the Indian afternoon tea at The Taj, the experience was vibrant, filled with pattern and colour. The expected sandwiches and pastries were substituted with wholesome treats representative of Chinese culture like: mini bao buns, miso soup - a nod to some of the most loved Chinese dishes reimagined for high tea.

And they were delicious.

Kai

Kai’s founder, Malaysian restaurateur Bernard Yeoh, opened Kai with the intent of demonstrating that Asian food can carry the same technical sophistication, narrative richness, and cultural resonance as any European tradition, an idea that was, at the time, still new in elite dining circles.

Over the ensuing decades, Kai has anchored itself in what it calls ‘Liberated Nanyang cooking’, drawing on the foodways of the South China seas to reflect the geographic crossroads where Chinese flavours met Southeast Asian spices and techniques, rather than presenting a single, monolithic Chinese identity.

Kai’s presence in Mayfair is not incidental either. Long before it became shorthand for luxury retail, Mayfair functioned as a diplomatic and cultural quarter, a place where foreign influence was received behind closed doors.

The Michelin star restaurant follows this tradition of discretion; it’s not visually loud but nor is it quietly pretentious; its relationship with Art, mythology, and imperial Chinese motifs can easily have it mistaken it for a cultural salon.

I once went for dinner at Kai…had the best creme brûlée of my life (pandan crème brûlée with stolen milo powder…to be precise).