LATE AUGUST

16:00 · MISE EN PLACE

Late August

A nightly menu from the working coast and the fields just inland.

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Hands sorting the evening's delivery of vegetables and fish on a steel counter

Roots, fish and the first prep list of the afternoon.

Thirty-four places. One menu. What arrived this morning decides what is served tonight.

View tonight’s menu

17:30 · THE BRIEFING

Before the first guest arrives

At half past five, the kitchen stops. The dining room joins the pass, and the menu is read from beginning to end.

Changes from the morning delivery are marked, and allergies are checked against every course.

By six, the room is quiet again. Everything required for the night is already in motion.

COVERS TONIGHT

COURSES

SUPPLIERS

MARA VENN — CHEF AND OWNER

JON BELL — HEAD CHEF

IMAANI PRICE — RESTAURANT MANAGER

ELI WARD — HEAD SOMMELIER

SOFIA NG — PASTRY CHEF

More about Mara and the kitchen

The briefing sheet, revised at 16:42.

Three cooks seen from behind at the pass before service begins

18:00 · DOORS

The room changes when the first coat is taken.

Lamps are lowered. Water is poured. The kitchen hears the first table sit down.

The dining room at dusk, exposed brick lit by brass sconces

The main room, moments before service.

19:30 · THE MENU

Tonight’s sequence

Eight courses, served in the order the evening asks for them.

Tomato water

Smoked eel, basil seed, green almond

Native oyster

Green strawberry, horseradish leaf, lovage

A plated fish course in a stone-grey bowl on an oak table by candlelight

Brown crab

Cucumber, toasted oat, sea beet

Courgette flower

Fresh sheep’s curd, broad bean, preserved lemon

Day-boat pollock

Mussel, braised gem, cider lees

A cook's hands placing the final element on a plate at the pass with tweezers

Aged duck

Grilled turnip, blackcurrant, pepper leaf

Stichelton

Celery, malted barley, damson

Mirabelle plum

Hay custard, marigold, toasted kernel

BREAD SERVICE — Warm rye loaf, cultured butter, smoked mussel liquor

A finished course ready to leave the kitchen

TASTING MENU £145 PER GUEST

VEGETABLE MENU £135 PER GUEST

WINE PAIRING £90

TEMPERANCE PAIRING £48

Please tell us about allergies when reserving. We can adapt the menu for most requirements with 72 hours’ notice.

20:45 · THE ROOM

Thirty-four seats, close to the kitchen

Late August occupies the ground floor of a former sailmaker’s store. The brick walls were left exposed, the ceiling was lowered acoustically, and every table was made for the room.

The kitchen is visible from the main dining space. Guests see plates leave the pass, but not every part of the work behind them.

Explore the room

Private dining upstairs

The dining room with exposed brick and low warm lighting

Oak tables set with plates, glasses and candles before the first guests arrive

21:15 · THE PASS

Four tables firing

Every plate is checked here. Temperature, seasoning, table, position. Nothing crosses the counter until the whole course is ready.

TABLE 06

2 COVERS

COURSE 05

FIRE 21:14

TABLE 11

4 COVERS

1 ALLIUM

COURSE 04

HOLD

TABLE 03

2 COVERS

COURSE 06

AWAY 21:16

Copper heat lamps above the kitchen pass

From the pass, urgency becomes service.

Hands finishing plates of the fourth course at the pass

The plate arrives quietly

The guest sees the finished course. The timing, corrections and repeated movements disappear at the edge of the table.

KITCHEN TO ROOM — 14 SECONDS

23:00 · LAST COVER

Join us for one night.

Dinner is served Tuesday to Saturday. Reservations open on the first Tuesday of each month for the following eight weeks.

RESERVE A TABLE

View availability

12 Foundry Lane, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7AA

TUESDAY TO SATURDAY · 18:30 TO LATE

+44 1797 555 014

TABLES@LATEAUGUST.CO.UK

LATE AUGUST

A restaurant that runs on service time