-The Langham, London, Europe's first grand hotel, must stand out in a crowded five-star market... -At the Langham, it's pink, pink, pink.

-...providing luxury to the rich and famous for 160 years... -We are constantly trying to make sure bits of it don't fall off because it's getting old.

It's no different than a person.

-...where royals and stars have demanded the best.

-We have to surpass their expectations.

-This is where Churchill dined before delivering his greatest speeches.

-We shall fight on the beaches.

We shall fight on the landing grounds.

-But now this heritage hotel must fight to stay at the top.

-People's expectations are much higher than what it used to be.

-Everything needs to be perfect tonight.

-The days where a hotel was a place to sleep are well and truly over.

-I might start singing myself.

-Whoo!

-Oh, my God!

-As the Langham celebrates its big birthday, we follow the hotel's hidden army of staff... -Let's rock and roll.

-...as they turn up the heat in the kitchen... [ Loud clack ] -My neck's on the block today.

-...pull off exclusive events... -There's so many things that can go wrong in a wedding.

-...double down on their service... -Are you having any bigger trucks than those?

-...and take extraordinary steps to outshine the competition.

♪♪ ♪♪ The Langham, London, employs over 400 staff, each bringing their own story to the job.

-It's the people that our guests come back for.

-The staff at the Langham come from 30 different countries and welcome guests from across the world.

-So, this is one amazing thing for me to be able to meet people from every single part of this planet.

And at the same time, I don't need to travel.

I just stand here.

Hi.

Good afternoon.

-Good afternoon.

-Reception supervisor Rodrigo is 6,000 miles from where his life began.

♪♪ -I was born in Brazil.

I left when I was 18 years old, and then I decided to come to London just to explore and learn English for a week, and then I just fell in love with the city.

And here I am after 25 years.

♪♪ Even though it always rain, I always try to see the positive side of it.

What about the plants?

The atmosphere?

♪♪ -Upstairs, flowers are providing the finishing touches to one of the signature suites.

-We see such a broad spectrum of people, from athletes to Hollywood actors to foreign dignitaries.

-Head of marketing, Alice, and head of VIP services, Lourdes, are preparing a suite for "Strictly" special guest Amy Dowden, who will be checking in before a royal appointment.

-Yeah, I really like this room.

We are delighted that Amy is getting ready here for her big evening in presence of the King, so we just want to make sure that she comes here, she's relaxed, she can enjoy and get ready before her big -- big day.

♪♪ -For Rodrigo, no check-in could be more exciting.

His pinup is Queen of Latin American dance, Amy Dowden.

Completely adore her work and the techniques that she use and the person that she is.

-Rodrigo's passion for dance began back in Brazil, at Carnival.

-I've had the opportunity to enjoy Carnival in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and I think that's one of the best experiences I've ever had in my life.

There were over 300,000 people, and I think that's what really engaged me with dance.

I continued taking dancing classes, a part of the Academy studios.

It's just part of my body.

I just love to dance and to be part of this environment that brings so much happiness to everyone.

So she really inspired me to continue dancing salsa and tango.

And yes, Amy has been a big inspiration for my life.

♪♪ -The Langham doesn't just attract dancing royalty, it's also seen its fair share of the genuine article.

In 1865, Queen Victoria's eldest son, the Prince of Wales, was Britain's leading social figure.

If something was modern or glamorous, the prince was keen to be attached, and the brand-new Langham Hotel was exactly that.

When the Prince declared it open, it told the world that this is the future of luxury.

More recently, Princess Diana was often seen in the hotel with A-list friends, again bringing the Langham to global attention.

♪♪ Away from the hustle and bustle of five-star arrivals is someone else who brings her personal experience to the job, spa manager Ruta.

[ Bowl rings ] -You get to reconnect with yourself and be mindful.

It helps with your mental and emotional health.

-The hotel's Chuan Body + Soul Spa is a world away from the peaceful rural Lithuania of Ruta's childhood.

Once part of the Soviet Union, when Ruta was 6, all that changed.

♪♪ As the people claimed independence, Russian tanks rolled in.

-Every family sent people to stand tall.

My mom actually did go by the parliament.

I remember like, my grandma was like, "Your mom is there.

She might not come back."

Yeah, it was -- it was quite scary.

-Although her mother returned, Ruta dedicated herself to a life of peace, tranquility, and healing.

-I do love my therapies.

Yes, I'm very passionate.

♪♪ -Now, Ruta is building a reputation for the Langham Spa.

But making it stand out in a crowded market requires some hard-nosed business acumen.

-I had to budget and propose the ideas how we can take the spa to the next level.

-Ruta wants to find one new skincare brand to build the spa treatments around.

-I want something British and something sustainable that would also speak and show luxury.

There was a big competition, and there was -- there was some really amazing brands.

-One brand stood out -- organic, British, but new to the market, so lacking anyone to vouch for it.

Never one to let a good thing go, Ruta's heading 250 miles deep into the wilds of North Wales to find out more.

The destination is a mansion on the 12,000 acres, 900-year-old Rhug Estate.

-Hello, Ruta.

-Hello, Lord Newborough.

-Welcome to Rhug Estate.

-Thank you.

-You're just in time because I'm going to feed the deer.

-Lord Newborough is more entrepreneur than aristocrat.

-I don't know what a real lord really is, but, um... No, I think I'm a bit of a maverick, really.

This one -- hey!

-This one is so greedy.

-You are -- Look, no wonder you're fat.

-The reduction in farming subsidies in the last few decades has forced 75% of landowners to find new ways to supplement their income.

-I do have some sleepless nights, like anyone.

-So this lord is always on the lookout for innovative ways to make money.

There's been the deer business, the farm shop, and the drive-through coffee stop.

But now he's got a new idea, and he's convinced this is the money spinner.

♪♪ -Probably people would say it was a fit of insanity one day that I had a bad idea.

But here I have a skincare brand that will have global dominance before I join the turf club.

-Now, what Lord Newborough needs is the endorsement of a five-star hotel and a foothold in the capital.

-This is the sort of break that could make our brand.

Come on, Ruta.

I'm going to give you the ride of your lifetime.

-[ Laughs ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Now we're going to go and see something quite special.

-Unfortunately for Ruta, this visit is less about the beauty and more about the beast.

[ Buffalo lowing ] Bison.

Or more precisely, the biggest herd of 3,000-pound American bison in Britain.

[ Bison lowing ] -There's a big bull there.

-Huge.

-Whoo!

-Wow.

-I hope he doesn't charge us.

-I hope -- I hope he doesn't charge us, too.

♪♪ [ Bison lowing ] -In fact, it's Lord Newborough who's been charging -- £10.50 -- for his most recent scheme, a bison burger in his farm shop.

♪♪ -Now, Ruta, these are wild animals, so just get out slowly, and we will move towards them, and if anything happens, I will stand in their way between us.

-[ Chuckles ] -Uh... And I will look after you.

-They are humongous.

♪♪ -You can always tell the danger signs with the bison because they grunt.

-Uh-huh.

-Then, if they paw the ground, then you're more careful.

If they put the tail up, you run.

-Okay.

You run.

Okay.

Almost half looking at him, thought, "You know what?

If he runs, then I do run faster."

[ Laughs ] -And these animals can go naught to 60 quicker than any Formula 1 racing car.

-It's not entirely obvious why Ruta has been brought to a field of murderous bison, but the lord moves in mysterious ways, and perhaps there's method in his madness.

-So, like the skin care you get at the spa, this is nature in its most natural form.

♪♪ Off we go.

-Thank you.

-The next part of his charm offensive is to offer a sweetener.

♪♪ [ Bees buzzing ] Bees are very much part of the skincare business.

-And the honey is an important ingredient in some of our products.

We have it in lip balm and body scrub and also the face mask.

Look at that.

-I have never seen this before.

[ Gasps ] -I'm just having a quick look.

-It's a little bit scary.

Almost feels like the bees are kind of climbing all over your butt.

You could just feel their vibration.

It's a full 360 experience in here, I must say.

[ Laughs ] -This isn't just any estate.

Ruta has come because this is one of Britain's largest entirely organic estates.

-Honey's made with nectar.

Nectar's 70% water.

The water's really crucial.

The healthier the water, better the honey.

-My granddad used to keep the bees.

It really awakened the child in me.

-But has she finally found what she's looking for for the Langham?

♪♪ -Welcome to the Langham, London.

And how are you today?

Hello.

Good afternoon, madam.

-Hello.

How are you?

-Afternoon, sir.

-Very good, thank you.

-It's 2:00 p.m., and right on time, Dancer Amy Dowden and a friend and fellow "Strictly" professional Carlos GU are arriving at the Langham, and superfan Rodrigo is ready to give them a personal welcome.

-Amy, Hello.

Good afternoon.

Welcome to the Langham.

How are you?

-Very good, thanks.

-Oh, yes.

-Lovely to meet you.

-So glad you have made it here today.

-Are you a dance fan?

-Well, yes.

You know, since I'm very young, actually, I had this passion, you know, to move around, you know, to release my energy and to be part of a group.

I just love to dance and to be part of this environment that brings so much happiness to everyone.

-Are you ready for it?

Oh, yeah.

Born ready.

-Yes.

May I show you the way to your bedroom?

-Yes, please.

-Thank you.

-Let's go.

-Thank you.

-Perfect.

I combine the passion that I have with the work that I do, and everything works so well.

-Oh, I'm glad.

Yeah, let me show you your suites and, uh... -Yes.

-But before you go in, let me teach you some moves.

Are you ready?

-Oh, I'm ready for it.

-It's very easy.

Come on.

Cross, side, cross, side, cross, side.

-Whoo!

-Look at you.

♪♪ -I do salsa.

I've done ballet before.

I've had a few classes of ballet, which was really nice.

And lambada was a very famous Brazilian dance.

Very shaky, very moving around, so that's really nice.

And it's all part of the carnival.

It's a part of our culture in Brazil.

So I brought this a little bit from Brazil to here, and I think it worked so perfect.

-Thank you so much.

-Enjoy.

-Likewise.

Thank you.

-Thank you.

♪♪ -This is gorgeous, isn't it?

-Oh, my Lord.

-Look at the size of the bed!

-I could live the rest of my life here.

-We could both starfish.

[ Laughs ] Whoo!

-Oh, my God!

I'm loving this.

-Today, His Majesty the King is thanking me for all the work I've done for cancer care.

-This is stunning!

-At the age of 33, Amy was hit with a health bombshell.

-I went to see my GP, and everything escalated very quickly.

And then, within the next two weeks, I was diagnosed with cancer.

♪♪ -But two years since Amy had her diagnosis, she has cause to celebrate.

-I've come out the other side, and I certainly don't take life for granted now.

Finally, I feel like Amy the dancer again.

I feel like I've got my energy back.

My parents even yesterday said, "Oh, finally, Amy, you got the sparkle back in your eye."

I can't be drunk meeting the King.

♪♪ -Yeah, you can't.

-No, can't have more than this.

-[ Chuckles ] -Could you imagine?

♪♪ -Have fun, yeah?

-Thank you.

Be nice to King.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -It's 4:00 a.m., and most of the hotel is asleep.

♪♪ But for Ellie Hartley, the most frantic part of the day has begun.

♪♪ -Bit late.

We've got to have it done before breakfast.

Morning.

-Morning.

♪♪ ♪♪ -Every Friday, Ellie has just three hours to create the perfect lobby display.

♪♪ -We're like the flower fairies.

We come in at night and make everything look beautiful.

3:00 a.m.

I got up this morning, and it's still not early enough.

[ Laughs ] It's hard, but I've been doing it for such a long time.

My body's just totally used to it.

It's all a bit against the clock.

We have to have it done by 7:00 a.m., 'cause that's when breakfast opens in Palm Court.

-This is a job that's full of pressures.

-There's so much competition in the floral industry.

It becomes quite stressful to keep standards up weekly, keep designs interesting.

Just keep everything at your best, 'cause there's always someone that's just ready to come and take it away from you.

It is constant pressure to be excellent.

It really is.

-But Ellie won't give in.

Floristry is in her genes.

♪♪ -My great-grandfather had flower stalls.

He was a barrow boy, so he used to get drunk in the market, drive the horse and cart back, and then set up their barrow with all the flowers, and then they would just sell from there.

-Almost a century later, Ellie has another display almost ready, just in time for breakfast to begin in Palm Court.

-No one realizes the hard work behind this industry, but I wouldn't change it.

When you actually have everyone saying how nice they are, it's like, "Okay, we've nailed this.

We've done it."

Yeah, this looks lovely.

We've managed to use pink.

It's very autumny.

Let's hope they like it.

♪♪ -Palm Court will now spend the day serving breakfast, afternoon tea, and is a noted fine-dining dinner destination.

During the war, this is where Churchill dined before making some of his most famous speeches.

-We shall fight on the beaches.

We shall fight on the landing grounds.

In the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.

♪♪ -Spa manager Ruta wants to make the Langham's spa a noted destination, and she wants an organic British brand to become the centerpiece of the therapies on offer.

250 miles away on the vast Rhug estate in North Wales, Lord Newborough is doing everything he can to persuade her that his new skincare range is exactly what she's been looking for.

♪♪ -This is a hell of a way to get to work, Sue.

-It certainly is.

[ Both laugh ] -So he's brought someone to meet Ruta, the woman who knows all the secrets of the new lotions and potions.

-And Sue is our forager on the estate, and she picks the ingredients that go into the Wild Beauty products.

-Sue's job entails foraging on the vast estate for key ingredients.

♪♪ -And then, in this particular area, we've got a huge amount of bramble that grows, which you use.

-Yes.

-We've got an abundance of wildflowers.

We've got abundance of herbs growing on the estate that we can harness.

And you might get your feet wet in a moment, so watch out because we'll see what's coming next.

-What is coming next?

[ Laughter ] -I know what's coming next.

And I think we're going to go across the river.

-Okay.

So I just have to open the gate.

♪♪ -The Lord is pushing the boat out for Ruta's private tour of the estate, and this 76-year-old won't let a thing like a river stand in his way.

-Just go for it.

But go straight across, Reese.

And keep the revs up so the water doesn't go back up the exhaust.

I'm embracing this.

I'm enjoying it probably more than I've enjoyed a lot of things for a long time.

Hey!

-Oh!

-[ Laughs ] ♪♪ -No, not even a drop.

-Off we go.

-Though the Lord doesn't know, this is an experience that, for Ruta, taps into childhood memories.

-My grandma had a house, the whole farm in the countryside, surrounded by forests and fields, and it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

We used the leaves for wrapping around the finger instead of a plaster as a kid.

I grew up with the bees, with the gardens, foraging for the herbs, spending a lot of quality time in nature.

-So, this is yarrow.

So its Latin name is Achillea.

One of these berries actually has more vitamin C than 12 oranges.

-Wow.

-So, when you use vitamin C in skincare, and it's great for fending off colds and flu.

-Me, personally, growing up in the farm brings me a sense of home and joy.

-But with hard nosed decisions to be taken, is Ruta ready to clinch the deal?

-This was fantastic.

Really nice experience getting to know the brand and seeing where the ingredients for the lovely products come in, and I think will be perfect brand for us to work with.

So let's do this.

-Well done.

Now, I'm so excited.

It will be a pleasure to work with you and the Langham Hotel.

-Thank you.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

It was a long search to find somebody suitable.

And I met the Lord.

I mean, can't get better than this, I guess.

♪♪ -It may look like a normal day at the Langham, but today is special.

The Langham's Palm Court was originally a glass-topped space with exotic plants where people could meet to socialize and have afternoon tea.

It was a feature when the hotel first opened in 1865, establishing the template for all luxury hotels to follow.

-This is where it all started for us.

You know, 160 years ago, this was the first purpose-built grand hotel in Europe.

-Once breakfast and afternoon teas are over, the staff will have just four hours to prepare Palm Court for a very special birthday party marking the hotel's 160th anniversary.

♪♪ ♪♪ -Okay.

Let's go.

-One of the first to start preparing is florist Ellie Hartley.

-It's a big party, so everything has to be mega.

Everyone has to be really impressed.

-Together with Langham florist Victoria, Ellie's been challenged to make the hotel's biggest-ever flower display for the anniversary.

-Let's put these on.

-Their day begins with an early morning visit to the New Covent Garden, Britain's biggest flower market.

Here, 17 million flowers are bought and sold every year.

Ellie's picking up over a thousand flowers that have been shipped from Amsterdam, especially for the Langham.

-Okay.

We have a lot of flowers.

We have a big job, lots of vases to fill, so we need lots of beautiful pink flowers, of course.

-They told me to help you out.

-Yes, please, Eddie.

-What do you want first, young lady?

-We're gonna take all of this section, and Doug's gonna take this one for us.

We're in a rush as we -- as always, Eddie.

-When you're dealing with someone like the Langham's, obviously amazing place.

But they want the best because they want to show off, as well, so it's no good them having not the best when they've got the best customers, say, going there, spending their money.

-Oh, lovely.

Look at that.

[ Laughs ] -There are just four hours to go before the Langham breakfast starts, and Ellie's £20,000 display must be completed.

-Teamwork.

-Teamwork.

-[ Laughs ] -It's the most flower mass that I've used at the Langham.

They have a lovely lobby area here.

You have lovely, great space to work with.

You can be really creative.

♪♪ -Ellie has designed this display around 500 pink roses, and there's a reason for that.

Long before the hotel was built, this was a very different landscape.

♪♪ This was a grand 16th-century rose garden, the garden that inspired the hotel's pink branding and enduring fascination for pink roses.

-We're using lots and lots of pink so guests enter and just think, "Wow!"

♪♪ -In Palm Court, where the party will take place, head of engineering Abie is overseeing a delicate job.

The largest of three incredibly fragile Murano glass chandeliers has to be removed to make way for a specially commissioned display marking the hotel's anniversary.

-It's a chandelier that's never been down since we got here, because it's such a complicated thing to take down.

We come in and we find we are this close to the chandelier.

So that's when we decided all the glass all had to come down.

-Abie's entrusted the task to twin engineers Trevor and Alan.

-We're not sure how to do it, which is a bit of a learning curve.

And that's why you got the A team on that night to do it.

-Each of the glass rods has been specially commissioned and handmade on the Italian island of Murano, at great expense.

-£250 a column.

And there's hundreds of them.

-There's three rows per side.

So we're probably actually looking around about 500 pieces of glass.

-The glass for the chandelier is very fragile.

I mean, it's designed not to be touched.

We break them, we'd have to get them flown in from Murano.

[ Glass columns clanking ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -And with just an hour to go before the doors open for breakfast, the huge sculpture is fixed into position and finishing touches are made to the flowers.

♪♪ -It had to be a big, huge impression on everybody.

♪♪ ♪♪ -But one person central to party arrangements is running late.

♪♪ 38-year-old Berwyn Davies is responsible for the Langham kitchens and the menu for the party.

-Being an executive chef is a massive responsibility.

Working with the big team, delegating tasks.

-In Britain, chefs often work long, anti-social hours... -Have you seen any back-of-house people?

-...with over 90,000 leaving their job each year.

-I think it works.

-It works.

-You don't feel it.

The chefing industry is so draining.

It's seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

So that's why I went to running, in a way, to sort of, like, have a time to reflect.

-The Langham Hotel employs 420 people.

It's all a far cry from the world where Berwyn began.

♪♪ -I'm from North Wales.

So there, a population 200 people in my little village called Shinrikyo.

I love it there.

It's amazing.

There's a small river going through there.

There was once that restaurant in the same area where I was born, and then I was very lucky to get an apprentice at one point.

And I was like, "Yeah, loving life."

-It was the first step in a career in food that would take him to London.

♪♪ This will be a challenging day for Berwyn as he oversees all of the food preparation for the anniversary celebrations.

-It's not a 40-hour a week, you know?

This job continually makes my head really busy.

It just doesn't stop.

♪♪ ♪♪ -In the 1800s, it was the habit of the upper classes to eat dinner after 8:00 in the evening, making a long gap between lunch and dinner.

When one of Queen Victoria's ladies in waiting invented the afternoon tea, it was instantly popular with the Queen and quickly caught on in royal circles.

When it opened in 1865, the Langham Hotel was the first place to offer afternoon tea to its guests, a tradition that continues to the present day.

♪♪ But the guests aren't the only ones to be tempted by the delights of afternoon tea.

-Trying to eat soup and salad the nighttime.

-Yeah.

-I want to go down to the canteen, and I found lovely cakes.

Beautiful.

-Yeah.

-Beautiful.

And I just -- I tried to -- I tried to avoid it.

But I cannot get away with the Langham one.

The afternoon tea ones.

Amazing.

Amazing.

♪♪ -This is the hotel's real-life chocolate factory.

This is where afternoon teas and 100,000 of the most sumptuous puddings are created and tested every year under the watchful eye of Andrew Gravett, a man who describes himself best.

-Sometimes clown, uh... [ Chuckles ] Sometimes grumpy.

And officially, it's the executive pastry chef.

I just make cakes.

-To mark the hotel's 160th anniversary, Andrew wants to put a Victorian spin on afternoon tea, and is looking for inspiration in an antique cookery book by Victorian celebrity chef Agnes B. Marshall.

-I don't think many people will know about Mrs.

Marshall, but she was a big fish in the world of ice cream.

-She had some radical ideas.

-Wow.

She made a cucumber ice cream in a recipe.

That's very cool.

-But her greatest moment was the invention of the ice cream cone.

-She was a very interesting lady in the world of ice cream, that's for sure.

-Andrew wants to turn the clock back and create a tiny luxury pudding with a nostalgic appeal of a 99 cornet ice cream.

-Well, we're gonna try and make the ice cream cone with a caramelized white chocolate, which should, we hope, give us an ice cream cone.

We're gonna add some crunch to it.

Let's see if it works.

♪♪ We continue to try to do new things, and that is the challenge.

Those feelings of nostalgia, if you can put them into the products we do now, there's a whole generation, my generation, you know, that will come and have afternoon tea here.

They will remember it.

♪♪ -For Andrew, the ice cream prompts a very personal memory.

-You went to the van, the van, that music that annoyed you at times and annoys me even more now, but you would hear it -- "Mom, can I have an ice cream?"

We'd run out, and we'd go and get an ice cream.

-More 1980s than 1880s, but still a trip back in time.

-We tasted many 99 flakes, and when we got it right, it was that ice cream van.

-Better.

-I think we've got the flavor.

We've got the texture right.

Whatever people think of hundreds and thousands, I think they're the things that probably make you think more about an ice cream than anything.

So that, and then you get a flake added.

I think we're there.

[ Children laughing ] ♪♪ -Serving of afternoon tea is over and work begins to prepare Palm Court for the party.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

-But there could be a problem.

Anticipating a drop-off, 200 invitations have been sent to industry professionals and hospitality journalists, and most, it seems, are coming.

-We're expecting anywhere between 120, 140, 160 guests.

-160 would be tricky, as catering are prepared for 150, the capacity Palm Court holds.

-Originally, we were expecting 80 people.

The scary thing is, now that's gone up to 160 covers.

So it's sort of full steam ahead in terms of prep, trying to make sure that we've got enough food for the guests that are coming tonight.

-No, it's fine.

And then we have Lauren doing the raffle.

-For Alice, in charge of the guest list for the party, it's hard to predict the numbers, which is tricky for the chefs who need to plan ahead.

-Hey, Ollie.

-Hi, Alice.

-How are you?

-Bit up against it, if I'm honest.

-Yeah, You heard about the increase in numbers, right?

-I did.

Alice, if it goes any more, we're in trouble.

So, uh, please -- please, keep me updated.

♪♪ -I sent an email to Ollie.

Then I went to talk to him personally because, you know, he doesn't always read his emails.

-Yeah, I need to have a PA that reads the emails out to me as I work.

-Yeah, sorry.

-Sorry.

I'm too busy doing the prep for the increased numbers, Alice.

[ Both laugh ] -Yes, it is a bit stressful.

Obviously, you know, we want to put our very best foot forward.

It's a momentous occasion, and we want nothing but perfection tonight.

♪♪ -As part of tonight's 160th anniversary party for the Langham Hotel, exec sous chef Oliver has been tasked with producing one of the hotel's signature dishes, created by culinary director Michel Roux.

-Who doesn't like a toastie?

-The Langham's toastie has been a staple at the hotel's pub, the Wigmore, since it opened in 2017.

♪♪ The toastie and the pub were the vision of Michel Roux.

-When we designed the menu at the Wigmore, it had -- there had to be a toastie, something that works really well with a nice pint of bitter or a glass of beer.

-We need to find foods that look and feel more relaxed but are actually very complex in the way that we produce them, and the stovetop toastie encapsulates that.

♪♪ -Creating the ultimate gourmet pub grub wasn't simple.

-I tasted God knows how many different iterations of the famous -- now famous toastie until we cracked it, until we got it just right.

-Something that looks, from the outside, so simple has actually a lot of complex undertones behind it.

So that's the reasons why this dish is so important to the hotel but also to the Wigmore pub.

-But this isn't any old toastie.

This is an XL stovetop, three-cheese and mustard toastie.

-My father used to say that you can have a Michelin-star omelet.

Well, you know what?

I think you can have a Michelin-star equivalent of a toastie.

-What makes it really good is the fact that we use a bespoke bread.

So it's an onion seed bloomer.

We use three different cheeses, and that's offset with, you know, some punchy mustard and some pickled cornichon and onions, as well.

So what seems very simple is just a very well-balanced dish.

-Well, it's been called one of the best toasties in London.

But today is not just party guests who'll be sampling the signature dish.

Peter Greenberg is an American travel journalist recognized as one of the most influential reviewers in the travel industry.

♪♪ -With reporting from around the world, it's time for "Eye on Travel" with America's number-one frontline travel news journalist, Peter Greenberg.

-Hi, everybody.

Peter Greenberg here with another edition of "Eye on Travel."

-He's traveled 3,500 miles to taste and review a toastie live on his global radio show.

-I'm a little bit apprehensive, to be honest.

Peter Greenberg is such a big name in journalism.

He's got over 3 million followers, all listeners to his channel.

So I'm a little bit nervous about how this may go.

-As much effort, skill, goes into that toastie as does Michelin-star food.

-Hi, Peter.

-Hey.

-How are you?

I think it's really important to have a story behind these dishes, especially because, otherwise, why are we doing it?

-All right.

Before we do anything else, explain the toastie.

-So, essentially, it's our version of the grilled cheese.

It's a 40 centimeter-long toastie.

It really packs a punch.

It's full of flavor, and you've got to get it whilst it's hot.

-Ah.

There it is.

What I've been waiting for.

Look at that thing.

That's a weapon.

-[ Chuckles ] -What's great about Ollie is, he embraces something that I embrace, so I can relate to it.

And that is, if you can understand the process, then you value the product.

It's storytelling.

So you put me with Ollie and what we call, in America, a grilled-cheese sandwich, what you call a toastie, there's that common ground.

I'm unstoppable at that point.

I want that sandwich.

-And tonight, this top toastie will form the center of the Langham's landmark party menu.

♪♪ Most of the hotel's 400 staff are now focused on preparations for the hotel's birthday celebrations.

♪♪ But there is a problem.

-Are they opening?

-Don't film this.

-Andrew's created a Rose Garden Birthday Cake.

160 individual cakes will sit on the table to be wheeled in to surprise the guests from an adjacent room.

But no one has checked if the expanded cake will fit through the door.

-Yeah, it's gonna be fine.

[ Chuckles ] -Or will it?

♪♪ -[ Chuckles ] ♪♪ -Yes.

♪♪ -There's only one sure way to see if the table will fit through.

♪♪ ♪♪ Time for drastic action.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Turn, turn, turn.

-Oh, be careful.

Just go a bit slower.

No, Over to the left, Over to the left.

Please don't let these flowers fall.

It will be a disaster.

-The biggest and showiest part of Ellie's display are the vast arrangements that have to go into Palm Court just before the guests arrive.

-The challenging part is, we make them beautifully in one room, and then they have to be transported into Palm Court.

That is the scariest part of the whole job.

If the florists could transport them, we would, because we know exactly how they should be transported.

We have to put our trust into the porters.

-Keep coming.

-You sort of get very anxious.

They're heavy, they're delicate.

Don't really have time to redo them once they get in if they get damaged on the way.

-Okay.

-Please, please, please.

Please, be careful.

-The way we make these huge arrangements, they should just tip, and if they tip, the whole thing's got to be remade.

-[ Sighs ] [ Bangs ] -[ Gasps ] -Whoops!

-Even lifting them up back onto the plinths, it's all just quite worrying.

[ Chuckles ] But we always get there.

♪♪ -Ellie may have kept her cool... -Three minutes is about right.

-...but in the kitchen, temperatures are rising.

-The pressure is on, actually.

In a way, it's like a normal function, but there's 160 people in a room we've never done 160 people before.

So my concern is getting the canapes around the room.

So we need to make sure there's loads of food going out at the same time, and we need to smash it out, get as much food out as possible, make sure we get the people in the middle who get the food, otherwise we're going to have complaints.

So that's our challenge this evening.

-This is a job that never lets up and it's been weighing on Berwyn.

-It's a bit of a crazy world, really.

♪♪ I came to the big city to work for six months, but I'm still here, right?

17 years on, and I can't believe it.

-After six years at the Langham, he's about to make a big decision.

-Well, London is very, like, intense.

And I'm from the countryside, and I love peace and quiet.

I love listening to the birds in the morning and seeing the stars at night, and you can't do that in London so much.

So I'm sort of looking forward to reassessing my options and then making a move forward.

I'll start plating up the quail's egg next door.

Just get it ready.

-I've got the... -Yeah.

While I'm frying, I'm thinking, I'll start setting up, and I can bring it back over.

I've loved every minute of it, so it's a big leap, really.

Last real day for me.

It's the biggest thing left for me to do here, and after that, I should be able to cruise my way to the end, which is going to be quite nice.

So it's quite a stressful day for me today.

A little bit emotional at times, not gonna lie to you, but hey-ho.

♪♪ -The newly trimmed table will now fit through the door, and Andrew can begin assembling a birthday cake that grows from the earliest parts of the hotel's history.

♪♪ -I think people will be expecting a tiered, big high cake, but this one is just gonna be all on one level, full of roses, which, in the beginning of the Langham, used to have its own rose garden.

♪♪ -It's a job, of course, but for Andrew, this is also a passion.

His world has always been about the afters.

-I love puddings.

That's a big problem of mine.

I love puddings.

The simpler the better, actually.

I love cold custard with the skin on it because I ate it with my granddad.

I love it.

I was known at the table in our house, I was the dustbin.

I was anything left on the plates, on their plates, they would -- my brothers would give it to me because I just enjoyed food.

That's what's kept me in this job so long.

I like food, and I like to give it to people.

I hope that the work that we put into it people do enjoy it.

♪♪ -Good afternoon.

Hey, welcome back.

-This will be the biggest party ever held at the Langham's Palm Court.

160 years to the day since the Prince of Wales opened this, the first grand hotel in Europe.

♪♪ -How are you?

We're good.

♪♪ -The party has started, and Berwyn, job done, is ready to return to his roots.

-8 years old, walking up the hills.

I loved that experience, and I need to do a bit of that.

And I think it comes in everybody's time in their life where they just need to take a time out.

♪♪ Oh, definitely back in the kitchen.

I'll never walk away from the kitchen because I love food.

-As one chapter ends for chef Berwyn, another is just beginning for the Langham, Europe's original grand hotel.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ -Good night!

-Good night.

See you soon.

[ Chuckles ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪