Après Meets Tea
The St. Regis Aspen resort combines traditional afternoon tea with one of Aspen’s most treasured traditions.
By Gwyn Herbein | Photos by Jason Dewey
The tradition of après ski, from the French phrase meaning “after skiing,” generally translates into enjoying a drink with friends after the last ski run of the day. While après ski is particularly popular in the Alps, the ski resorts of Aspen have adopted this signature rite as their own—nowhere more so than The St. Regis Aspen Resort, where tradition remains the order of the day. Kris Altman, marketing coordinator at The St. Regis Aspen Resort, describes the St. Regis’ take on après ski as laidback and casual. The resort’s elegant and intimate Shadow Mountain Lounge is the perfect venue to relax, unwind and enjoy the company of friends and family.
A New Tradition
Of course, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts all across the country are known for their elegant afternoon teas, which are based on traditions begun by the Astor family, founders of The St. Regis New York, in the early 20th century. This past winter, the staff at The St. Regis Aspen Resort decided to combine the two well-established traditions to create a unique experience for guests: Après Tea. Visitors who attended the winter après ski feasted on a variety of savory treats and beverages, such as gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and a curated selection of Champagnes.
The winter après tea also featured a variety of sweet snacks, including a trio of custom haute chocolate flavors and cocktails created by luxury chocolatier Vosges Haut-Chocolat. Cordon Bleu- trained chef Katrina Markoff founded Vosges Haut-Chocolat in 1998. Throughout her career, Markoff has traveled the world in search of the perfect combination of spices, flowers, herbs and other ingredients for her confections. The fruits of her labors include delectable truffles, drinking chocolates and other treats, with ingredients like ancho chilies, Ceylon cinnamon, Argentinean dulce de leche and Mexican vanilla bean. Her attention to detail and unique spin on traditional desserts made Markoff’s company the perfect partner for the St. Regis. According to Kristi Kavanaugh, director of sales and marketing, the relationship between Vosges Haut-Chocolat and the St. Regis was a natural fit. “We felt that they had the very best quality products and a variety of flavors that were irresistible,” she says.
Getting Warmer
Because of the success of the winter Après Tea and the continuing relationship with Vosges Haut- Chocolat, The St. Regis Aspen Resort staff decided to extend the new tradition of Après Tea into the summer months, with a few seasonal tweaks. The summer Après Tea is designed to appeal to both St. Regis guests and Aspen residents. “One of the ideas behind the concept of Après Tea was to give everyone in Aspen a location to relax and indulge after a hard day on the slopes, or for the upcoming summer months, a place to cool off and recharge after the endless adventure the area has to offer,” Altman explains. He also notes that while the overall atmosphere will remain laidback, the staff will not compromise on their attention to detail—from the ingredients to the ambiance to the service, everything about the summer Après Tea will remain a truly bespoke experience.
In order to adapt the event for the summer months, it will be moved from the Shadow Mountain Lounge to the pool deck so that guests can take full advantage of the sunshine, warm weather and beautiful mountain views. Chaise seating and dining seating will be available poolside, so guests can truly relax and enjoy the surroundings while also partaking in delicious food and beverages. “Servers will be present to provide bespoke poolside service to the numerous chaise lounge chairs and tabletops,” Altman says.
Another important change for the event is that the menu will be updated to reflect the warmer temperatures. “The haute chocolates and cocktails will be available in either chilled or iced versions, virgin or spiked,” Altman says. In addition to the Vosges Haut-Chocolat, the St. Regis will also offer Illy coffee beverages, a daily adult lemonade special and customized regional specialties like the Roaring Fork Lime Aid. The comfort food of the winter event will be replaced by lighter fare, such as grilled items, fruit skewers with yogurt anglaise, s’mores-inspired ice cream or sorbet and seared ahi tuna. Après Tea will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. daily.
Altman describes Après Tea as the perfect blend of a casual and entertaining environment with the distinguished addition of refined cuisine, drinks and service. The St. Regis Aspen Resort’s summer Après Tea strives to be a daily respite where guests and Aspen residents alike can relax and enjoy all that the resort has to offer. The St. Regis Aspen Resort has created a wonderful new tradition that will delight guests for many seasons to come.
