Veuve Clicquot and The Pem celebrate summer in seasonal pairing

Sally Abé, chef at The Pem in Westminster, has designed a summery, vegetable-led dish to match Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé 2015.

A summery match is on the menu in Westminster this summer: charred aubergine caviar with courgette, black olive, and semi-dried cherry tomatoes, paired with Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé 2015. The dish is the latest in the collaboration between The Pem, Sally Abé’s fine dining restaurant, and Champagne house Veuve Clicquot.

The partnership came about to recognise the impact of women in the food and beverage. Veuve Clicquot, the UK’s third biggest Champagne brand in 2023, was named for its pioneering owner, who ran the company for 60 years from 1805. La Grande Dame, Veuve Clicquot’s flagship range, is named in her honour.

The Pem, meanwhile, is a fine dining destination and a female-led team. After stints at The Savoy, The Ledbury and The Harwood Arms, Abé established her restaurant in 2021. In keeping with the theme, it is named after the suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, known as Pem to her friends and family.

So far in the collaboration, Abé has created a ‘Garden Gastronomy’ tasting menu at The Pem to pair with Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2015. Foregrounding vegetables, with meat and seafood largely used in support, the menu prioritises elegance and a summery profile. It will continue to evolve in the autumn, with a new dish also matched to the Champagne.

La Grande Dame Rosé 2015 launched earlier this year, with the vintage summarised by the house as “optimism through colour”. Continuing a tradition of artist-led packaging, which has included a design by Yayoi Kasuma, it arrives in a presentation box designed by Italian ceramicist Paola Paronetto. The release has matched its prestige with industry recognition, winning a Gold medal at the Champagne Masters 2024.