By Ann Cipperly
In the afternoon, sunlight streams through the towering windows and dapples across nearby tables at 1856 – Culinary Residence, as an elegant Tea on Thach is being served. Award winning master pastry chef and educator, Antony Osborne, curates the first-class menu from his global experiences at three top ranked hotels, where he prepared extraordinary fare for royalty, celebrities and world leaders. His master culinary expertise from Michelin-starred restaurants is showcased in the splendid flavors and combinations in the selections of the restaurant’s upcoming Christmas Tea.
Born in the small coastal town of Tenby in South Wales, Chef Osborne had a desire at a young age to be a pastry chef, as he prepared pastries for his parents from a children’s cookbook. “I was born with a passion and love to cook,” he says.
When Chef Osborne was 25 years old, he was honored as the youngest Executive Pastry Chef while working at the Dorchester in London. He then worked at other leading hotels, including Raffles Hotel in Singapore, The Ritz in Paris, France, and The Oriental in Bangkok, Thailand, which was ranked the number one hotel in the world while he was there. He would also prepare stellar desserts for the Royal Family of Thailand, and traffic would be stopped for him on the way to the Grand Palace.
Chef Osborne also cooked for Queen Elizabeth, as well as Prince Charles and Lady Diana, including a personal lunch for the couple on a yacht. During the course of the meal, Lady Diana came back three times for his chocolate mousse. At the end, the culinary staff lined up for farewells, and Lady Diana walked past the general manager, stepping in front of Chef Osborne and said, “Chef, I loved your chocolate mousse.”
“She was charming,” Chef Osborne says. “She stopped a few minutes to talk to me. She was a special lady. I have been blessed to also meet Nelson Mandela and Gandhi, Margaret Thacher and many celebrities.”
In 2003, Chef Osborne began to integrate gastronomy and academia when he joined the staff at the Culinary institute of Virginia College. He was in the process of opening a culinary school in Thailand when Covid hit. It became complicated to get a flight out as approval had to be given by the Embassy.
Once the chef and his wife were able to return to the United States, they arrived in Auburn in August 2022 for the official launch of the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center. With his position as Director of Culinary Training and Innovation, Chef Osborne shares his global expertise and knowledge with hands-on experience for students at 1856-Culinary Residence.
Along with lunch and dinner, the restaurant offers afternoon tea on select Sunday afternoons with a themed menu changing monthly. “I thought we should do something special in this beautiful restaurant,” Chef Osborne says. “Looking at the street through the towering windows, I thought it seemed fitting to call it ‘Tea on Thach’ instead of high tea.”
“I wanted to make the tea authentic based on my experiences from around the world,” he adds. “To have it really authentic I wanted to get real clotted cream, so we fly it in from the United Kingdom.”
When it came to selecting the jams, Chef Osborne wanted to work with the community and partnered with Hornsby Farms to create three jams, strawberry basil, rhubarb and bramble. “It is all about community for me,” he says, “and I wanted to support the community. I challenged them to produce jams they have not made before. They are making the jams, and I produce homemade lemon curd.
“I wanted something different for the tea, so we do three small starters with the theme,” he adds. “Since Taylor Swift is so popular, I did a Swiftea’s. I decided on mini chicken sliders for the starters. All four teas sold out.”
When planning the menu for the tea, Chef Osborne researches the themes. The November tea theme was Harry Potter. “I felt like a little kid,” he says. “I had to read a bit, and I had seen the movie. Every tea also has a surprise.”
The three-tiered servers arrive at tables with a variety of exquisite savory and sweet creations, with the focus on quality. The French sandwiches are unique as they are made with specialty breads. One bread is prepared 24 hours ahead and then pan fried just before serving. The kitchen uses fresh herbs and vegetables from the rooftop garden. Every item served is prepared from scratch.
Tiers on the servers are filled with the tea’s themed amuse-bouche, sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jams, assorted patisserie and petit fours. The Thrive Farmer’s Specialty Teas are hand-curated by a beverage team. Other beverage choices include a flight of sherry, champagne, or themed cocktail and others.
The Christmas Tea is enticing with three flawless selections on each tier, beginning with Scottish Smoked Salmon with Chive Cream Cheese as one of the starters. Smoked Chicken Waldorf Salad and Brie and Red Currant Jam are tempting highlights for the sandwich choices, while the delicate, three flavored scones follow served with clotted cream, local preserves and lemon curd.
The patisseries tier is laden with decadent Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut Mousseline Cream and Bourbon Vanilla Raspberry Crème Brulee, among others. Capping the Petit Fours tier are Bramley Apple Minced Pies, Lemon Walnut Coffee Cake and Eggnog Chocolate Bon Bons.
The children’s tea offers a different selection, such as pigs in a blanket, peanut and jam sandwiches, tartlets and other tasty selections. Beverage choices include hot chocolate, white peppermint float and cherry delight for a festive afternoon.
“I have a young staff of students that I train,” Chef Osborne says. “Students are preparing the food, and it is a great exposure for them to see this type of food in the south, as it is very unique. We are creating this restaurant to be a destination location.
“We are in hospitality, which is a service industry. We want to maintain a standard. We are going to come in and create the right learning environment and quality good food. That is my goal.
“We are going to do some exciting things,” he adds. “I can share what I know as I have been exposed to this so much. I am here to help students. We are trying to teach the students a world experience.”
Chef Osborne tells his students to enjoy their successes for the day, but the next day to start with a clean canvas doing it all again. “If you challenge yourself, you become a better person and will be qualified to work in the industry. I tell them not to take things for granted, as the day you do that, you are no longer competitive.”
For those attending one of the Christmas teas, Chef Osborne reflects on what guests can expect. “The warm ambiance and festive decor create the perfect setting for a celebration. Enjoy a curated selection of fine teas, accompanied by an assortment of freshly baked scones, delicate pastries, and seasonal treats.
“As you sip and savor, immerse yourself in the cozy atmosphere, enhanced by the soft glow of candlelight and cheerful holiday melodies. Join us for a memorable afternoon that captures the spirit of the season in every cup.”
The Christmas Tea will be offered Dec. 8, 15 and 22. Guests can choose between seating times at 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Before or after the tea, guests can visit the annual gingerbread village at the Rane Culinary Science Center.
Please boxed In the Christmas Tea menu separately on the layout.
Christmas Tea on Thach
Starters
Scottish Smoked Salmon with Chive Cream Cheese, Sausage Roll with Branston Pickle, Artisan Goat Cheese with Cranberry Relish
Sandwiches
Smoked Chicken Waldorf Salad, Brie and Red Currant Jam. Black Forest Ham and Peach Habanero
Scones
Freshly Baked Orange, Plum and Chocolate Scones served with Devon Clotted Cream, Hornsby Farms Homemade Preserves and Lemon Curd
Patisseries
Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut Mousseline Cream, Bourbon Vanilla Raspberry Crème Brulee, White Chocolate Cremeux, Chestnut Rum Pavlova, Traditional Sherry Syllabub
Petit Fours
Bramley Apple Minced Pies, Lemon Walnut Coffee Cake and Eggnog Chocolate Bon Bons
Selection of Fine Teas
