Some of the most satisfying menus I have ever cooked have started with one simple question: “What have you got growing?” A few months back, I was booked by a couple who had spent the past year transforming their garden into a little oasis of raised beds, fruit trees, and herbs galore. They asked me to design a menu around whatever was in season from their own garden. I was all in.
As a private chef in Cornwall, I always try to cook with the seasons, but this was something different. This was hyper seasonal, grown with love, picked that morning. Here is how the menu came together and why it was one of the most personal and memorable dining experiences I have delivered.
The Brief
The couple had a beautiful spread of produce ready: broad beans, baby carrots, wild strawberries, rhubarb, kale, mint, and a few heritage tomatoes that were just starting to ripen. They wanted a relaxed but elegant dinner for six, with a mix of shared plates and plated courses. The brief was simple—let the ingredients speak.
Building the Menu
Amuse-bouche: Broad bean and mint purée on toasted sourdough with lemon zest. Bright, fresh, and the perfect way to open the meal.
Starter: Heritage tomato salad with whipped goat’s cheese, toasted pine nuts, and a drizzle of garden basil oil. Finished with edible flowers from the garden.
Main: Grilled Cornish lamb served pink, with baby carrots glazed in honey and thyme, kale crisped up in olive oil, and a red wine jus made with a lamb stock I had reduced for hours. It was rustic, elegant, and packed with flavour.
Dessert: Poached rhubarb with wild strawberries and clotted cream. I added a little oat crumble for texture and finished it with a mint syrup made from the bunch they had growing in a terracotta pot by the back door.
The Magic of Homegrown
There is something different about cooking with ingredients that come straight from someone’s garden. The flavour is better, the story is stronger, and the connection to the food is real. Every dish came with a memory, a bit of effort, and a sense of pride from the hosts.
And from a chef’s perspective, it is a dream. You get to design a menu that celebrates the season in its purest form. No need for bells and whistles. Just good produce, cooked properly.
Want to Do the Same?
If you have a garden full of produce and want to turn it into something special, I would love to work with you. Whether it is a full dinner party or a casual lunch with friends, I can create a menu that brings your harvest to life.
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See you at the table 🍽️