This summer, Hotel Café Royal’s Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre is set to launch a series of new healthy menus, offering guests the perfect way to enhance their journey. Created in collaboration with Akasha’s Nutritional Therapist, Zoë Stirling and Hotel Café Royal’s Chef de Cuisine, Armand Sablon, the new menus enjoyed in the spa’s peaceful Lounge have been designed to give guests an extraordinary gastronomic experience as well as being perfectly balanced and nutritious.
Situated within Hotel Café Royal, Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre is an urban retreat in the heart of London, leading a new concept and holistic approach to wellbeing, through a core vision to harmoniously unite the four basic elements of nature; earth, water, fire and air. It is these four elements that are reflected in the new wellbeing dishes at Akasha, with a menu dedicated to each element, as well as a fifth menu of signature Akasha dishes, incorporating all four elements. Available for both lunch and dinner in the Lounge at the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre.
Fire Menu
Ingredients: Ginger, Rocket and watercress salad, horseradish, cacoa, chia and chilli.
Benefits: Associated with spicy, hot and pungent foods the fire menu incorporates ginger, chilli and horseradish which are all powerful anti-inflammatories and circulatory stimulants. The rocket and watercress in the dishes help with digestion and add a rich source of vitamins C and K.
Treatments: Best enjoyed after colder water based treatments such as Watsu and Hydrotherapy.
Earth Menu
Ingredients: Root vegetables with turmeric hummus and quinoa.
Benefits: the ultimate superfood, turmeric contains curcuminoids that are anti-inflammatory anti-oxidants and support the live and detoxification pathways. Meanwhile, quinoa adds essential fatty acids to the diet, ensuring healthy blood and kale and oats both help to balance cholesterol levels.
Treatments: the root vegetables, leafy greens and hearty wholegrains that work perfectly alongside yoga and meditation to enhance the grounding effects of these practices. They are also highly important for anyone experiencing stress or anxiety.
Water Menu
Ingredients: Raw Thai style salad with seaweed, Shiitake broth with poached salmon and Watermelon granite.
Benefits: the seaweed in the starter contains iodine which has an important role in supporting the thyroid gland, therefore the metabolism. Meanwhile, the salmon adds omega-3 and fatty acids plus the shiitake mushrooms are rich in vitamin B12, and have medicinal qualities that are excellent for the skin, the immune system and digestion. Finally, watermelon’s amino acid L-Citrulline has recently been show to relives aches and pains.
Treatments: the element of water is cooling and calming, meaning that these will work well in balancing fiery dispositions or after hot treatments and exercise.
Air Menu
Ingredients: Nectarines, citrus dressing, and Coconut frozen yoghurt.
Benefits: The citrus fruit contains vitamin C to help the immune system and bioflavonoids to strengthen blood vessels. Meanwhile, the coconut dessert has hydrating properties but also fats that are beneficial for cholesterol levels.
Treatments: Perfect alongside aromatherapy massage treatments that help blood flow, and Reiki or acupuncture therapies that supports energy movement around the body.
The fifth Signature menu will unite all four elements, with a starter of Beef carpaccio with spring onions and chilli; main course of Tuna poke bowl; and Lemon sorbet or Truffles for dessert.
Part of Akasha’s new panel of expert specialists, Zoe Stirling has worked alongside Chef de Cuisine Armand Sablon of Hotel Café Royal. Zoë Stirling BSc Hons Dip ION mBANT is a Nutritional Therapist with almost a decade of experience in the health and wellness industry. Zoë’s approach incorporates a targeted nutritional programme with expert lifestyle advice to make the journey to wellbeing a positive, fun and motivating experience, and the delicious new healthy menus at Hotel Café Royal are designed to complement this experience.