Executive Pastry Chef Anna Polyviou’s giant gingerbread train will pull into Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney on 1 December 2017.

Much merrymaking is afoot as the Punk Princess of Pastry and her team of elves work jollily to create a four metre train, festive High Tea and a Christmas treat pop-up store to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

Polyviou’s fantastical creations have fast become a destination on Sydney’s festive calendar, with this year’s work of art combining 1,000 kilos of gingerbread bricks, 500 kilos of lollies, 100 kilos of fondant, 200 lollipops and liberal lashings of icing.

“The train will be lavishly decorated with hundreds of lollies and will bring that beautiful aroma of freshly baked gingerbread to our lobby,” Polyviou said.

She said her aim is to make it more extravagant than ever.

“It’s so important for our guests to get that magical Christmas feeling and I love that parents get just as excited as kids when they see the size and fun of the train,” she said.

GINGERBREAD TRAIN OPENING HOURS

The gingerbread train and pop-up store will be open daily at the Lobby Lounge from 7 a.m. from 1 to 31 December 2017.

The pop-up store will have the sweetest Christmas treats for sale, including Mini Gingerbread Lolly Bag Houses, Ginger Ninjas, Fruit Mince Star Tarts, Christmas Pudding and lolly jars.

FESTIVE HIGH TEA

Christmas revellers will delight in Polyviou’s delicious ode to yuletide happenings.  Guests will enjoy Red Berry Choux, Christmas Trifle, Pudding, Star Tarts, Merry Scones and Christmas Presents under the Tree.

Polyviou will host gingerbread making classes for kids as part of Festive High Tea on Saturday 2 December and 16 December, between 11.30 a.m and 3.00 p.m. The classes will take place near the giant gingerbread train.

The Festive High Tea is available at the Lobby Lounge, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney, 176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, from 1 to 31 December 2017, between noon to 2:30 p.m. and from 3 to 5:30 p.m.  The Festive High Tea is priced at $55 per person and $27.50 per child (6 to 12 years old).

ABOUT ANNA POLYVIOU

Chef Anna Polyviou turned her creative eye to Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney’s sweetest experiences, becoming known for her renowned high tea and decadent dessert station at Café Mix, her luscious treats at Lobby Lounge and the Horizon Club, and inventive in-room dining and banquet menus.

The award-winning chef is the mastermind behind Sydney’s biggest dessert event, Sweet Street, which is held in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom.  She also initiated a dessert degustation series in the pastry kitchen.

Chef Polyviou is a judge on brand new prime-time cooking competition Family Food Fight and has appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia for the third year in a row.

In 2017, Chef Polyviou took home the coveted “Chef of the Year” at the TAA Awards, hot on the heels of her win as “Pastry Chef of the Year” at the prestigious 2016 Gault&Millau Awards.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently operates over 95 hotels with a room inventory of over 40,000.  Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services.  Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.  The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in Australia, mainland China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. For more information, please visit www.shangri-la.com.

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PRESS CONTACT:               Deane Brosnan

                                                Director of Communications

                                                Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney     

                                                176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney 2000

                                                Tel: (61 2) 9250 6151

                                                Email: deane.brosnan@shangrila.com

                                                Website:  www.shangri-la.com/Sydney

For digitised pictures of the group’s hotels, please go to www.shangri-la.com/imagelibrary.