China Tang at The Dorchester Celebrates 20 Glamorous Years

London does a good party, and the one thrown to mark two decades of China Tang at The Dorchester was especially glamorous. On the evening of 18 September, a long list of well-known guests gathered to celebrate, on the same night that London Fashion Week got under way.

Who came to the China Tang party

Friends of the house filled the rooms, including Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Jeremy Scott, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, Princess Eugenie and Edward Enninful. The mix of fashion, music and royalty made for an unforgettable room. It was exactly the sort of crowd the restaurant has attracted over the years, from royalty and celebrities to artists and loyal regulars.

A restaurant with a story

The restaurant was founded in 2005 by the late Sir David Tang. It has become one of London’s best-known places to eat, pairing authentic Cantonese cooking with the elegance of 1930s Shanghai. The anniversary was a tribute to his vision and to twenty years of style, hospitality and cultural exchange.

Nathalie Ford, who is VP Europe and Middle East for the restaurant, said the milestone honours Sir David’s legacy and the generations of guests who have made the place part of their lives. The aim for the future, she added, is to keep the understated glamour, timeless hospitality and warmth that he imagined.

Inside the celebration

Guests arrived through a dramatic entrance on Park Lane, framed by red maple trees and glowing Chinese lanterns. Inside, a series of immersive spaces had been created with designer florist Philip Hammond.

• Ornate Ming-style vases overflowing with colourful flowers
• Neon lighting inspired by the nightlife of Hong Kong
• Traditional carts serving freshly made dim sum and seasonal fruit

Every corner of the venue had been dressed with care, so the evening felt more like stepping into a stage set than a normal restaurant night. The entertainment was just as lavish. A ten-piece ensemble from Graham Dalby and the London Swing Orchestra played while guests enjoyed the restaurant’s signature Cantonese dishes. Later, DJ Sally K took over and the dining room turned into a dance floor beneath a canopy of golden balloons.

The evening also fitted neatly into the buzz of Fashion Week, with the capital’s style crowd already in town. That mix of fashion, food and nightlife is exactly what the restaurant has always done well.

A big year all round

The anniversary caps a busy year for the restaurant. The interiors at The Dorchester have been refreshed, and staff now wear uniforms designed by Huishan Zhang. The brand has also grown abroad with the opening of China Tang Dubai, and there is now a Dim Sum by China Tang outpost at Harrods.

Those changes show a restaurant that is looking forward as well as celebrating its past, taking its Cantonese cooking and old Shanghai style to new places while keeping the original spirit of the Park Lane dining room intact.

If you fancy seeing the dining room for yourself, the restaurant’s own website has the details.

Not many restaurants manage to stay fashionable for two decades, and fewer still do it while holding on to a clear sense of character. Twenty years on, it is clear the room has become more than a place for dinner. It is a gathering spot that people return to for the food, the atmosphere and the sense of occasion, and this anniversary year confirms its place among London’s best-loved dining institutions.