There is no fixed menu at Atelier, and September is a good month to explain why. Few weeks in the year change as quickly. The last of the summer produce is still around, the first of the autumn produce is arriving, and what is at its best can shift from one weekend to the next.
Writing a menu close to the date means it can follow those changes, rather than being decided months ahead and cooked whether the ingredients are right or not.
What September brings
Across the UK, early September still has late tomatoes, courgettes and sweetcorn. As the month goes on, the balance tips towards autumn:
- Fruit from the hedgerow and orchard. Plums, damsons and blackberries are at their peak, and the first English apples and pears start to appear.
- Game. The partridge season opens on 1 September, following grouse in August. Wild duck also comes into season this month.
- Earthier vegetables. Beetroot, kale and the first squashes begin to show, and wild mushrooms are in season.
How this shapes a private dinner
When you enquire about a private dinner, you are not choosing dishes from a list. You describe the evening: who is coming, what the occasion is, what people love and what they would rather avoid. Ross then writes a menu for that table, using what is genuinely good at the time.
In practice, that means a dinner in early September might still lean on the last of the summer produce, while one at the end of the month can move into richer, warmer cooking. Two dinners a few weeks apart rarely look the same.
A note for anyone planning ahead
You do not need to know what you want to eat before you get in touch. It helps far more to share the things only you know: the reason for the evening, the people at the table, and any dietary needs. Those come first, and the season fills in the rest.
Sources
- British Dietetic Association: Which fruit and veg are in season in the UK?
- British Apples and Pears: First month of new British apple and pear season
- Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust: Quarry shooting season dates
- BASC: Shooting seasons
Planning something for the autumn? Tell Ross the date and the occasion, and the menu can be built around what is best that week.
