Meet the chef: Mark Perkins of the Rosewood London
Meet the man behind London’s most artistic afternoon tea
Ask any London pastry chef worth their salt and they’ll tell you that afternoon tea is one of the most competitive covers in town. With hundreds of offerings across the capital, and with afternoon tea traditionally thought of as something reserved for high days and holidays, to get diners through the door your menu must stand out from the crowd. It’s not enough simply to create feather-light scones, exquisite Parisian-style patisserie and pair them with teas from the highlands of faraway mountains. There has to be a hook – and when executive pastry chef Mark Perkins took the helm of the Rosewood London’s pastry kitchen, he knew he had to offer guests something different.
Which is why when he walked through the hotel’s Mirror Room, home to 3D artworks by Simon Bingle, something clicked. Realising he could tap into the hotel’s vast art collection for inspiration, the concept for the Art Afternoon Tea was born and, luckily for him, the ideas kept on coming. After all, you needn’t venture far into the Rosewood to spot Belle Époque architecture and lauded artworks, ranging from Peter Osborne’s sculptures of a zebra and a Jack Russell to caricatures by Gerald Scarfe in the hotel’s namesake bar.
Refreshed multiple times each year, Perkins’ menus celebrate the world’s most famous artists with accurate depictions of their iconic works in food form. For example, 2019’s Van Gogh menu saw Perkins reimagine the masterpiece Sunflowers as a lemon and olive oil cake complete with a green and white chocolate glaze to represent the vase and topped with a chocolate sunflower, while a menu inspired by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama saw the eponymous gourd in Dots Obsession – Soul of Pumpkin reimagined as a dark chocolate sable, punchy passion fruit cremeux, praline feuilletine and chocolate decorations. The creations look almost too good to eat – and immediately captured the capital’s attention.
New for this month is a menu inspired by French painter Claude Monet and the gardens of Giverny, with Perkins taking these Impressionist masterpieces and translating them into flavour and form: The Water Lily Pond becomes a pistachio and cherry blossom creation referencing Monet’s favourite gâteau vert, while Woman with a Parasol is expressed through apricot and rosemary, finished with a delicate chocolate parasol.
It is a seriously impressive and sophisticated spread, and, despite its ten-year anniversary fast approaching, shows no sign of slowing down. But how does Perkins conjure up new ideas and inspirations every season? We sit down to discuss his career highlights, and his favourite Art Afternoon Tea so far.
As a child, I loved being outdoors – fishing, camping, and spending time in nature were the things I looked forward to most. I didn’t particularly enjoy school, but I was always drawn to creative subjects. Art and home economics (cooking) were the only classes that really captured my interest, and looking back, they played a significant role in shaping my future career.
I would always cook with my grandmother on the weekends, making jam, marmalades and desserts for Sunday lunch. From a young age I was always curious about cooking, knowing that hospitality was where I wanted to be.
After leaving school in West Sussex, I attended Crawley College of Technology, where I studied Hotel Management for three years. Alongside my studies, I gained hands-on experience working in the kitchens of pubs and restaurants. After completing my course, I took on a role as a management trainee at a five-star hotel on the south coast, working front of house. However, it quickly became clear that my passion lay in the kitchen, so I returned to college to formally train as a chef. I completed a two-year diploma in culinary arts while continuing to work in hotels and restaurants. I later went on to complete an NVQ Level 3 in Patisserie, which is where I truly found my passion. From that point on, I never looked back.
David Hockney Art Afternoon Tea in 2023. Image: Patricia Niven
John Booth Art Afternoon Tea in 2024
After opening the pastry kitchen of an extremely busy airport hotel, which I ran for a few years, I knew my next move had to be to London. [I went to] The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge [and] stayed there for four years, moving up to the role of head pastry chef. Following that, I joined the Renaissance Chancery Court which then became Rosewood London – where I have been executive pastry chef for the past 23 years.
As executive pastry chef, no two days are ever the same. My role spans a wide range of responsibilities, from curating new menus and developing concepts across each outlet, to overseeing amenities and large-scale banqueting operations. A typical day also involves meetings, team development and training, and ensuring the highest standards of health and safety. Beyond the hotel, I’m fortunate to be actively involved in the wider industry, such as judging competitions, mentoring, and helping to develop the next generation of chefs.
The concept was developed nearly 10 years ago. While we already offered afternoon tea, I felt there was an opportunity to evolve it into something more distinctive and creatively driven. As a hotel, we are deeply inspired by art and culture, regularly collaborating with artists and sculptors across the property. The idea itself was sparked during an exhibition in the hotel – seeing a particular piece of artwork displayed in the Mirror Room was a real lightbulb moment. It made me think about how we could translate art into a culinary experience, and from there, the concept of the Art Afternoon Tea was born. Art has always been a source of inspiration for me, and this felt like a natural way to bring that passion into my work in a more expressive and immersive way.
Each Art Afternoon Tea collection has been incredibly special in its own way. From our early editions, which featured collaborations with multiple artists, to our more recent focus on a single artist, each iteration has brought fresh inspiration and a new layer of creativity to the Mirror Room. If I had to choose, one of my personal favourites would be the Yayoi Kusama collection. As an artist, she is incredibly inspiring, and translating her distinctive visual language into a pastry experience was both a creative challenge and a true highlight.
Each artist and collection I create an Art Afternoon Tea for is entirely unique, which keeps the process continually inspiring. I’m particularly drawn to the techniques, colours, and methods artists use to express their work. I spend time immersing myself in their background and creative approach, which allows me to reinterpret their artistry through pastry. It’s about translating visual elements into flavour, texture, and form, creating an experience that truly pays homage to their work.
The Water Lily from our current Monet-inspired menu is probably my favourite at the moment. I particularly love the combination of pistachio, cherry, and praline.
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