On Saturday 18th October and Sunday 19th October, Gault&Millau UAE’s Pastry Chef of the Year 2024 and 2025, Christophe Devoille, will join forces with one of London’s most celebrated modern French cuisine chefs, Alex Dilling, for an exclusive Autumn inspired afternoon tea at The Royal Tearoom. Set in the opulent lobby of Atlantis The Royal – ranked among the World’s 50 Best Hotels – this refined two-day culinary collaboration will showcase the finest seasonal produce of autumn, including fruit, vegetables and herbs, brought to life through sweet and savoury bites.
The afternoon tea experience, priced at AED 720 for two, begins with an opulent starter of marinated langoustine, cucumber, and smoked crème fraiche layered on an English muffin and adorned with Krystal caviar. This decadent dish sets the tone for the truly exquisite menu ahead. To follow, guests will be served four savoury fine plates created by Dilling, including ‘Beignet’ filled with black truffle and aged 24 months comté; smoked salmon ‘Rillette’ with citrus and caviar; Hokkaido scallop dressed with cauliflower, white truffle and exquisite Piedmont hazelnut as well as the Japanese sardine summer roll.
These will be followed by a collection of tartlets by Christophe, including the fig and hazelnut; kiwi balanced with apple and dill Li Chu chocolate made with buckwheat; chestnut with persimmon and sweet potato caramelised apple combined with licorice and lazy cream; pain perdu (a classic French toast) topped with ice cream as well as a grapefruit dessert.
Alex Dilling, whose Hotel Café Royal residence achieved two Michelin stars just six months after opening, and the multi-award-winning Christophe Devoille have combined technical excellence, exceptional produce and an avant-garde approach to dining to deliver an unforgettable experience.
In London, Alex Dilling prides himself on cooking some of the most imaginative dishes on the London culinary scene. Alex has a strong international following and in 2023 alone has hosted pop-ups and events in Thailand, Greece, Singapore, Mauritius at some of the world’s most prestigious hotel groups, including Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental. In 2024, the restaurant was named on “The 50 Best” Discovery list. Alex grew up between London, England and the US. He has worked alongside some of the finest chefs in the world, where he has honed his technical talent spanning New York, Paris and London. Alex uses classical French references to create modern dishes using the finest seasonal ingredients in the world. Alex was the Executive Chef at Helene Darroze at The Connaught and The Greenhouse, maintaining two Michelin stars for both. Since the closure of The Greenhouse in 2020, Alex has been travelling the world creating pop-up experiences with highly respected chefs and establishments. Alex and Head Chef Pierre Minotti worked together previously at The Greenhouse and The Connaught.
A Strasbourg native, Christophe has a deep appreciation for his country’s produce, exploring a wide range of ingredients in his desserts. After working at the Michelin-starred La Côte Basque in New York, helmed by Jean-Jacques Rachou, he spent over a decade with Alain Ducasse as his Corporate Pastry Chef, overseeing pastry across 27 restaurants globally. His career includes working at Wynn Palace Macao for four years as Executive Pasty Chef of Wynn Palace, one of the largest resorts in Macao, China; London’s celebrity haunt and private members club, Annabel’s, and consultancy work for Amazónico, Pavlova in Miami, and Aani & Dani.
The Christophe Devoille x Alex Dilling Autumn afternoon tea will take place on Saturday 18th October and Sunday 19th October May from 1pm – 4:30pm at The Royal Tearoom at Atlantis The Royal. The menu is priced at AED 720 for two. For more information or to book, visit www.atlantis.com/dubai/dining/the-royal-tearoom.
