Burch & Purchese’s enchanting afternoon teas are back by popular demand at the Langham, Melbourne

Melbourne, July 2, 2012 - The Langham, Melbourne’s recent collaboration with Burch & Purchese on a limited series of whimsical afternoon teas has been such a success, the enchanting hotel has chosen to continue the collaboration into winter and spring.

Burch & Purchese’s exquisite sweet treats will be paired with Langham’s delicious ribbon sandwiches and freshly baked scones with jam and Chantilly cream. Savour vibrantly coloured tubes of magical combinations of coconut, ginger, passionfruit and mint, bite into fluffy passionfruit meringue clouds, and indulge in decadent chocolate, mandarin and salted caramel cakes and black forest éclairs. This is a magical affair not to be missed!

The new and limited series of Burch & Purchese’s bespoke Afternoon Teas will be available from 10.30am to 4.30pm on Friday 20 July, Friday 17 August, Friday 7 September and Friday 12 October at ARIA Bar and Lounge. The Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio Afternoon Teas are $69 per person and can be booked through www.ariabar.com.au or by calling reservations on 1800 641 107.

Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio Afternoon Teas

• When: Friday 20 July, Friday 17 August, Friday 7 September and Friday 12 October10.30am – 4.30pm
• Where: ARIA Bar & Lounge, Podium Level of The Langham, Melbourne. One Southgate Avenue, Southbank VIC 3006
• Cost: $69 per person.
• Bookings: Langham restaurant reservations on 1800 641 107 or www.ariabar.com.au

About Darren Purchese
Darren Purchese is one of Australia’s most respected pastry chefs, creating whimsical and striking desserts with unexpected flavour combinations and avant-garde patisserie techniques. Prior to starting up the Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio, Darren worked with Shannon Bennett at Vue de Monde, as well as in the pastry sections of Fenix, The Press Club, and Bennelong restaurant at Sydney’s Opera House. Darren has also worked across England and France, honing his patisserie skills at the five-star Savoy, Goring, Raffles Browns and Bentley Hotels in London. Darren has twice been a finalist in the UK National Dessert of the Year competition, and has created spectacular desserts for state banquets, embassies, and other luminaries, including the Royal Family.

For more information on The Langham, Melbourne visit http://melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au/

Background Notes:
Situated in the riverside arts and culture precinct of Southbank and offering stunning views of the Melbourne city skyline, the Yarra River and Federation Square, The Langham, Melbourne offers a luxurious and timeless inner-city experience.

The 25-floor hotel has 387 luxuriously appointed rooms including 45 executive club rooms, 46 river view rooms, 11 suites and seven Terrace Rooms with expansive 50m2 private balconies, attended to by the hotel’s signature Service Stylists. Famed for their legendary ‘service with poise’ and enchanting hospitality, the Service Stylists are there to fulfill guests’ every need.

The Langham, Melbourne was voted the top hotel in Melbourne in the region of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific in Travel & Leisure USA World’s 500 Best Hotels List (2010, 2011) and the top hotel in Australia in Travel & Leisure USA World’s 500 Best Hotels List, 2012. The hotel is also on Travel & Leisure USA’s World’s Best Awards List (2011), and is placed amongst the Top 20 Hotels in the Oceania region in the Condé Nast Traveler US Readers Choice Awards 2010.

The hotel has also been recognised by notable consumer-voted awards including TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards 2012 (No.1 in the Top 25 Luxury Hotels in Australia), and the Lifestyle FOOD Channel’s 2012 ‘I ♥ FOOD’ awards, in which Melba restaurant was named a National Winner in the ‘Flavours of the World’ category.

The hotel’s chic Aria Bar & Lounge and interactive Melba restaurant offer guests exciting and sophisticated dining options, including a buffet with live cooking stations, as well as elegant and indulgent Afternoon Teas. Extensive function spaces for special occasions, weddings and corporate conferences are offered by the hotel and the five-star property is home to the highly acclaimed, luxury Chuan Spa. Chuan Spa was voted Favourite Hotel Spa: Australasia & the South Pacific at the Conde Nast Traveller UK Readers’ Spa Awards 2011 and offers treatments founded on Traditional Chinese Medicine and adjoins the sun terrace, pool and hotel’s Health Club.

Find out more about enchanting experiences at The Langham, Melbourne and make a reservation by visiting langhamhotels.com.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Caryn Ng Tel: (03) 9836 2167 ext 6 Mobile : 0488 664 857 Email: caryn@mediamoguls.com.au