Built in 1915 on land owned by the British government and opened in 1921 as the British Consulate of Chiang Mai, The Service 1921 now provides the well-known dining and social scene at the Anantara Chiang Mai Resort & Spa.
Few people alive today remember what was going on in 1921 when the British opened their consulate, but as a quick overview, Thailand was still Siam, and was in the process of regaining full sovereignty with the repeal of treaties signed with western powers in the previous century. King Rama VI was on the throne, and the Charoen Pokphand Group was about to come into being. Far away, the Anglo-Irish Treaty ended the Irish War of Independence, leaving behind the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland. Closer to home, the Chinese Communist Party was formed, and with a similarly long-lasting influence, Chanel No. 5 was born. And Boeing stopped making furniture and decided to focus on a different kind of business.
To portray the details of this long-gone era, Anantara Chiang Mai Resort & Spa is taking guests on a fascinating journey back to 1921 with a Uniform Fashion Show under the 1921 theme, featuring WIMINTRA hospitality attire. The event will also see guests invited to enjoy the high tea experience created by well-known Gallothai’s French-trained Belgian pastry chef, Fabrice Leblus, who has developed his sophisticated bakery and chocolate expertise through more than a decade working with many five star properties. The high tea set showcases Fabrice’s range of skills in presenting a variety of western and Thai-style pastry products.
“The 20s was a period when the world was rebuilding and changing rapidly after World War I. There was so much going on, so to celebrate 1921 and show appreciation of this heritage at Anantara Chiang Mai, we want to bring the fashion of that era back, make it a bit more edgy, and create something special that can be worn by hotel associates,” said Wimintra Raj, Managing Director and Creative Director of the WIMINTRA Company Ltd.
“The Service 1921 is a unique food and beverage outlet. It holds a hundred years of history, of government relations, and diplomatic events that happened here. Now, it’s not only a place where guests from the hotel and outside come and enjoy our culinary delights, but it’s also a social scene. We have a bar on the lower floor with wine from the new and old worlds. There is a private whiskey tasting room connected to two private dining rooms, a library wall that features a secret book shelf door that gives concealed access to a private dining room, which is designed to reflect the teak logging concessions of the British trading companies. The upper wrap-around veranda also offers terrace seating and communal high tables,” explained Syahreza Ishwara, General Manager at Anantara Chiang Mai.
“It is the perfect venue by itself to showcase the fashion of that era. As a partner to WIMINTRA uniforms we feel that it’s a perfect opportunity to support Thai entrepreneurs,” he added.
The eagerly anticipated event will be held from 16:00 – 17:00 on Friday March 1st.
