For many years, my work around the kitchen, and often beyond it, looked very different from what you see at Panache today. It was fast paced and structured, built around consistency and efficiency. Meals were produced in large volumes. Systems were designed to ensure that the same result could be delivered again and again, with precision. And with that came pressure. The pressure to do more with less. To improve quality while working within tighter budgets. To create somet

Tea was never just something we drank. It was part of the rhythm of the day. In the mornings, mid-morning, after lunch, and again in the afternoon. On colder days, it was something to warm your hands as much as anything else. It was simply there, woven into everyday life. On weekends, there was almost always a gathering. Sometimes we hosted. Sometimes we visited. Family and close friends would come together, and tea was always part of it. It was never served on its own.

There’s a moment that happens here sometimes. Quiet…almost easy to miss. It’s usually right after the teacups are filled. The steam lingers, and soft fruity and floral notes begin to fill the air. And then… something shifts. The conversation softens. Phones remain face down a little longer. No one seems in a hurry to be anywhere else. That’s the moment I hoped to create when we opened Panache.