Australian pastry chef and chocolatier Kirsten Tibballs — widely billed as the “Chocolate Queen” — headlined a special high tea at Suva’s Grand Pacific Hotel this week, the latest stop in a limited Fiji appearance that will continue with a dessert-focused residency at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa later in March.
Grand Pacific Hotel general manager Robert Clark described the Suva event as a rare opportunity for residents and visitors to sample an elevated take on the classic high tea in the hotel’s historic dining rooms. The one-off appearance in Suva precedes Tibballs’ booked residency at the InterContinental in Natadola Bay, scheduled from March 25 to 28, 2026, when she will lead a series of exclusive, limited-capacity culinary experiences centred on desserts and chocolate.
The InterContinental engagement is being delivered in partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts. Portfolio regional general manager Lachlan Walker said the residency is intended to create “unique culinary moments” aimed at attracting both local guests and travellers seeking distinctive experiences in Fiji. The programme will focus on intimate, ticketed events rather than broad public demonstrations, underlining the premium and limited nature of the offerings.
A philanthropic dimension has been built into the schedule: FJ$5 from each sale at selected events will be donated to Daulomani Safe Home, an organisation that provides shelter and protection for women, children and members of the LGBT+ community who are facing difficult circumstances. Organisers say the contribution is part of an effort to combine high-end culinary tourism with local community support.
Tibballs, who has an international reputation as a pastry educator and chocolatier, said she was looking forward to sharing the high tea experience in Suva before continuing her dessert events in Natadola Bay. The visit follows a pattern of international culinary collaborations hosted by IHG properties and the Grand Pacific Hotel in recent months, when overseas chefs were brought in for short series of themed dining events that aim to boost the resorts’ food-and-beverage offerings and appeal to destination travellers.
Hotel and resort managers hope the combination of a recognised culinary name, limited-capacity ticketing and charitable fundraising will broaden appeal beyond the resort’s regular leisure market and contribute to Fiji’s growing culinary tourism profile. Tickets and full event details for the InterContinental residency are being handled through the resort’s booking channels; organisers advise early booking given the small-event format.
Leave a comment