Offbeat | British seasonal produce on menu for royal wedding reception

The menu for the reception after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding will feature a bonanza of British produce.

Royal chef Mark Flanagan said yesterday many of the dishes on Saturday will be made from seasonal produce, including some grown on estates belonging to the hostess, Queen Elizabeth II.

Flanagan says the wedding timing is ideal because British vegetables are coming into season.

“We know the couple wanted us to make sure we used all of the local seasonal produce as much as possible throughout their menu, and this recent good weather is really helping us to achieve that,” he said.

He said Harry and Markle have taken a hands-on approach in the preparations.

“They’ve tasted everything, they’ve been involved in every detail,” he said.

Details about menu items, and the wine, have not yet been released. In the past, the queen has sometimes served premium English sparkling wine rather than Champagne at gala events.

Some 600 guests are expected at the afternoon reception immediately following the ceremony at St. George’s Chapel.

The reception fare is meant to be consumed standing up and will feature canapes and dishes served in small bowls.

The food will be produced at the royal kitchens at Windsor Castle in the coming days. Some 30 people are expected to staff the kitchen on the day of the wedding.

Flanagan says it will not be a time for trying out new combinations.

“We’ve really just been trying to let the ingredients stand proud within the dishes,” he said. “There’s no experimentation on Saturday whatsoever: tried and tested and predominantly classics.”

Prince Charles, Harry’s father, will host a smaller evening reception for 200 guests. No details about the menu offerings at that event have been released.