Regent Shanghai on the Bund presented the second season of Regent Taste Studio from October 28 to November 12, 2024. Titled “The Magic of Beauty of Contrast,” the programme combined cuisine, visual art, music and performance across five themed chapters.
The initiative brought together four chefs from Shanghai and Chongqing with artists working in disciplines including modern dance, experimental music, glassmaking and digital multimedia. The experience drew inspiration from the stained-glass artwork at Regent Shanghai on the Bund.
The programme followed the first Regent Taste Studio edition in Greater China in 2023. It also coincided with the hotel’s grand opening on November 1, 2024.
Regent Taste Studio Explores Five Themes
“The Magic of Beauty of Contrast” used food, lighting and digital art to explore contrasts between nature, movement, memory and time. Each of the five chapters paired a theme with dishes designed to reflect its concept.
Chapter 1: Revive to Life
The opening chapter explored the transition from winter to spring through imagery of melting ice and renewed life.
Dishes included Snowflake Lobster Tartlet, Crystal Foie Gras, Tuna Tartare, King Crab Roulade and Smoked Eel Pillow. Their presentation and ingredients referenced ice, fire, the ocean and the return of nature to life.
Chapter 2: Elevate Above the Sea
Inspired by seagulls flying above the waves, this chapter focused on freedom and movement. Digital art created an immersive setting around the dining experience.
The menu featured fish sauce chilli oil foam, caviar and leopard coral grouper. The presentation drew on imagery of the sea and the calm that follows a storm.
Chapter 3: Melody of Food
This chapter brought together ingredients from nature with artistic interpretations of sound and rhythm.
Morel mushrooms, asparagus and smoked potato foam featured in the dishes. Other elements included bamboo and smoked fruit purée, with ingredients and presentation evoking forest landscapes.
Chapter 4: Where Time Can Not Find Us
Drawing on the colours and light of stained glass, this chapter explored the relationship between time and memory.
A wagyu beef dish presented like a gift box formed the centrepiece. Black truffles added aroma when the dish was unveiled, reinforcing the chapter’s theme of preserving a moment in time.
Chapter 5: Timeless Uplifting
The final chapter explored memory and the passage of time through a crystal-inspired setting.
Lemon Sugar Sphere featured a change in texture and appearance when the confection was broken open. The experience concluded with floral arrangements created for Regent, featuring designs titled “Seagull and Flying Horses,” “Cyan Lion and White Elephant,” “Dragon Above the Tides” and “Aqua Luna Boat.”
Regent Expands the Dining Experience
Regent Taste Studio was designed to combine food with artistic elements rather than present a conventional tasting menu.
Rita Jiang, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, IHG Greater China, said the concept reflected Regent’s approach to developing luxury experiences through collaboration across art, performance, music, design and fashion.
She also noted that the 2024 edition offered more seatings over a longer period. The programme made greater use of existing restaurant spaces, reducing construction requirements while allowing the hotel to maintain normal operations.
Regent Shanghai on the Bund Opens in Shanghai
Located on the Huangpu River, Regent Shanghai on the Bund draws on the history of the Seamen’s Club and the former Seagull Hotel.
At its opening in November 2024, the hotel had 135 rooms. Its position on the river offered views of the Bund and the Lujiazui skyline across the water.
The hotel’s service concept includes Regent Experience Agents, who assist guests with individual requests and stay arrangements. Its “With Compliments” programme also provides selected benefits at no additional charge, including daily ironing of three garments and selected minibar snacks and beverages.
The opening formed part of Regent Hotels & Resorts’ expansion at the time. In November 2024, the brand had 11 operating hotels and another 11 in its development pipeline. Planned destinations included Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Kyoto and Sanya.
Regent Taste Studio offered an example of how the brand was linking dining with visual art and performance. Its longer-term significance would depend on how such concepts continue to develop across Regent properties and appeal to guests beyond individual events.
