SAN MARINO, Calif. — Flowers — flowers everywhere — and even some to drink with a rose-infused tea offered as one of many varieties available in the newly renovated Rose Garden Tea Room at the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens.
The building is surrounded by buds and blooms on all sides and executive chef Jeff Thurston said he finds no shortage of inspiration just stepping out of the kitchen.
“Without a doubt, it’s a dynamic place,” he said of the Huntington. “I’m very lucky.”
His menu for the Tea Room, which reopens on March 24, will be dynamic too. He wanted to present a fresh take on all the favorites plus some seasonally selected features to showcase what’s in bloom.
“We’ve got bay leaf growing along the back,” he explained, standing in the herb garden that’s next to the structure. “There’s fennel. There’s flowers that we harvest… We’ll be garnishing the various tiers of sandwiches and whatnot.”
The blend of indoors and outdoors is at the heart of the redesign.
“You feel steeped in history and nature,” Huntington’s President Karen Lawrence said.
Pretty much every detail inside the soon to reopen space is a reflection of the beauty that lies outside its walls. There is botanical art work from the Huntington’s collection. The chandeliers were repurposed from the house. And of course, there is no shortage of fresh floral arrangements, culled from the gardens.
The original building dates back to 1911, when architect Stephen Farneth said it was used for a far different purpose.
“It was originally built as Henry Huntington’s billiard room,” he said, sitting by the ornately carved wooden mantle around the fireplace, “with an access to the bowling alley.”
It became a tea room after Huntington’s death in 1928 and underwent many changes over the years in décor and menu; at times being used as more of a cafeteria. Plans to renovate, redesign and restore it had been brewing for some time, but the pandemic closure allowed them to start the project, which ultimately cost over $11 million.
Farneth said what visitors to the new venue will see is about 50% the original structure, including that fireplace and the tall windows in the main tea room, and 50% new spaces like the herb room and a large rounded terrace nestled against the Shakespeare garden. The idea was that each of the three dining rooms would offer direct access to a garden, so visitors never felt uprooted from the main attraction.
“They’re still very much aware that they’re in this marvelous landscape,” Farneth said.
As with any structure built over a hundred years ago, there is plenty of history within its walls. But Lawrence said construction workers unearthed a mystery as well — a bridge score pad and old decks of cards.
“When the construction team opened the interior walls, these fell out!” she explained. “I am told that those seem to be from the ‘40s and ‘50s. So not contemporary with Henry Huntington. But it is true that he played cards and you know, really, this was an important space for him with his friends.”
She hopes someone will be inspired to investigate further and is considering launching a challenge to see who can figure where they came from.
As for chef Thurston, he comes from Canada, so he’s no stranger to tea.
“We had, you know, the influence of the Queen and Great Britain,” he said.
For him, being able to recreate that high tea experience and incorporate the history of this beloved and now expanded building has been more exciting than eating one of the Huntington bonbons, which are bursting with Pop Rocks.
“I think tea is kind of a relative unknown in the United States,” Thurston said. “And so it’s an amazing opportunity for us to kind of introduce people to it as well as bring back all of those favorite things for people who love it.”
The Huntington’s Rose Garden Tea Room reopens on May 24. Reservations will be available starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday.