Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel debuts 2024 mooncake collection 'Autumn Orchestra'

For this mid-autumn festival, Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel presents Mooncake Collection 2024, taking inspiration from the soothing melodies at the Opera House.

The concept of this collection marks the milestone of the Sheraton Saigon’s renaming phase with "Grand Opera."

The collection encompasses three luxurious boxes schemed by the Weldon blue and bright tone of the wooden materials.

Three boxes with luxury design from the 2024 mooncake collection Autumn Orchestra. Photo courtesy of Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel

The first box is the classic version, representing a timeless box named The Paragon, highlighted by the art paper with embossed patterns, for an elegant twist for such a traditional rectangle shape.The second box is the innovative version of a creative box named The Dreamer, which represents a mid-autumn lantern with childhood nostalgia.

The Dreamer box represents a mid-autumn lantern with childhood nostalgia. Photo courtesy of Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel

Made from wood, the box encompasses a distinctive structure, starring two edges similar to a theater door set.

The most anticipated box of the collection, the VVIP version with limited edition, is named The Muse. It is the star of the collection and the muse of the mid-autumn.

Featuring PU leather with embossed patterns, The Muse is the ultimate luxury box of the year.

The Muse is the most anticipated box of the collection, the VVIP version with limited edition. Photo courtesy of Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel

According to Julian Wong, Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel General Manager, 2024 marks a milestone as the hotel was renamed Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel following the preparation for the renovation of the Grand Tower building.

"Our 2024 collection is inspired by and developed from that. Autumn is the most romantic season of the year and also the time to celebrate the mooncake festival. An autumn orchestra is perfectly completed by an elegant box and the handcrafted mooncakes," Julian Wong said.

Since the early 2000s, Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel has been the leading producer of premium handcrafted mooncakes in Saigon.

Curated by the hotel’s team of artisan chefs embodying over 30 years of experience, each mooncake is skillfully handcrafted with passion, recipes passed down by two decades of tradition, masterful craftsmanship, and expertise with lineage to the traditional Chinese methods of preparation.

The mooncakes are loved for their signature thin crust with golden shades and their smooth-textured fillings, bringing a sensation of mild sweetness and distinctive aroma.

The hotel's handcrafted mooncakes are all made by Li Bai's artisan chefs. Photo courtesy of Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel

Diep Nhieu, Masterchef of Li Bai restaurant, who leads the mooncake production, said all of their mooncakes are handcrafted based on traditional methods by a team of over 60 chefs.

"It takes high sophistication throughout a long process to handcraft a baked mooncake; from kneading the dough to perfection by hands, this technique is required to check the skin’s smoothness and softness, to rolling the fillings into balls and shaping the mooncakes with the standardized ratio of skin thickness," said Diep Nhieu.

From the first batches of mooncakes made more than two decades ago, Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel has been refining its processes to ensure that every year they are closer to perfecting their craft. All the ingredients are hand selected from certified and sustainable suppliers with a tradition of only the finest produce.

The hotel's in-house baking process is overseen by the head baker to ensure their commitment to slow cooking to control the texture and taste of the mooncake as well as maximize the quality and taste of their end product.

Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel is one of the few 5-star international hotels in HCMC handcrafting traditional-style mooncakes in-house.

"This is a unique story that sets our footprint in the hearts of gastronomes across Saigon who ultimately care about the quality of our high-rated handcrafted products," Julian Wong added.

Every year, Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel presents eight different fillings, including savory and sweet delicacies, to delight diverse taste buds.

This year, the top eight renowned fillings that have been popular over two decades for their distinctive flavor and sensational aroma will be reintroduced.

The two savory flavors include the mixed nuts, comprising the classic rich taste and a harmonious combination of different ingredients, while the scallop XO is an example of culinary craftsmanship with Li Bai’s tasty XO sauce, a combination of the delicate taste of the dried scallop and the boldness of the homemade XO sauce. This is the best-selling filling of all seasons.

The six sweet flavors include the white lotus, the traditional item of the mid-autumn with a refined aftertaste; the pandan lotus starring fragrant pandan leaves and aromatic lotus seeds; the black and white sesame with its richness in minerals; the green tea with its iconic color and gentle taste; the cranberry with the refreshing taste and fruity sweetness; and the imperial Long Jing tea, the famous green tea of Hang Zhou.

While the mooncake is eaten, its skin and filling are mixed for a tempting essence with a mouthwatering experience. For whichever filling, the feature is authentically consistent.

Though the food trend has changed overall, to celebrate the mid-autumn festival, the hotel's traditional mooncake has placed a special position from generations to generations.

In the celebratory moonlit night, there is nothing to compare with nibbling with an irresistible piece of mooncake and sipping a hot tea with loved ones.

"I am pretty sure that the taste of reunion is the most precious gift that we anticipate during every mid-autumn festival," Diep Nhieu said.

The hotel always has eight fillings, coming from the auspicious meaning of the number eight, which represents prosperity. In addition, it relates to the hotel addresses 88 Dong Khoi and 80 Dong Du.

The mooncake price ranges from VND1.488 million per box of four cakes to VND2.988 million per box for the limited edition with five cakes and one tea.

Visit the mooncake booth at the lobby of Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel before September 17 for any inquiries.

For booking inquiries, see here for more information about the mooncake collection and order now by submitting your requests via this link.

For further details, contact via hotline 02838272828, or connect with Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram).