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He later admitted having seen the dish on the menu...

Would I break down the form of this as follows:
admitted (verb, past participle of admit) + having (verb to have + -ing) + seen (verb past participle of see) + the dish (article + object)?

I feel like I'm missing something here with needing to explain "having seen" as present perfect, and why one can or can't use "admitted to having seen".

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    Yes, but "admittted" is not a past participle but a preterite (simple past) form. The "to" is optional.
    – BillJ
    Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 18:06
  • You can admit something or admit to something. Basically, the same thing.
    – Lambie
    Commented Sep 22, 2022 at 20:14

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Subject: he; Predicate: the rest of it.

later: adverb modifying admitted.

having seen the dish on the menu: gerund phrase which serves as the object of verb admitted. "To" doesn't matter. I can admit my error, or can admit to my error.

having seen is the verb of its gerund phrase.

the dish is its object.

on the menu is, IMJ, a modifier of having seen. It could modify the dish.

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