Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/615999
PHOTOGRAPHY BY W YNN MACAU; OPPOSITE PAGE: BY RUSSELL MACMASTERS J ames McNeill Whistler's Peacock Room, an entire dining room painted as a commission for British ship owner and art collector Frederick Leyland in the 1870s, is considered one of Whistler's greatest works. In fact, its final owner realized that it was so impor- tant, it belonged in the public domain. So he had it dismantled and it now resides in the Smithsonian Institution's Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The work's influence has been broad; in fact, the ornate tea lounge at the Wynn Macau restaurant Golden Flower was inspired by the Peacock Room. When the original room was in service, Leyland would likely have enjoyed high tea there on most days. But it's unlikely that even this tycoon experienced a tea service of the caliber offered by the two-Michelin- starred Golden Flower. He definitely would not have had a tea sommelier. Percy Cheung holds the position at Wynn Macau, where she brings guests MAGICAL BREW The tea service at Golden Flower in Wynn Macau is intricate, precise, and attended by a tea sommelier whose mission is to fi nd your perfect brew— or the perfect match for dinner. BY JENNIFER BLOSSOM the finest teas, helping them make a selection that complements their tastes as well as the menu, which features Tan, Lu (Shandong), and Sichuan cuisines. Cheung, who holds the qualification of advanced tea art spe- cialist, studied under a tea master in Hong Kong and led workshops and seminars at the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware for six years. "Growing up," she says, "I always felt that tea had a kind of magical quality to it." Cheung brings that magic to Wynn Macau, curating premium teas from China's best-known tea regions—41 selections currently, with 23 more to be added in the spring. In the lounge, she oversees traditional tea ceremonies employing teas brewed expertly with whole leaves and flowers and served using the finest teaware. Staff members carefully calibrate the tempera- ture, especially for delicate teas like green and jasmine, by pouring the water in a high stream so that the air cools it. 68 WYNN MACAU SPOTLIGHT