Treat your friends to this delicious seasonal menu from private caterer to the stars Nisha Parmar
Growing up, it was always a celebration when people came to visit. My mum offered lots of choice and it’s some of that influence that led to me becoming a private chef and constructing entire menus designed for sharing. I like to work seasonally and get creative – my MasterChef experience taught me how to think outside the box with flavour. Clients are often inspired by my Instagram account and seek out the dishes I’m known for. Most requested is my butter chicken sphere, which I’ve included in my new cookbook, Share: Asian-inspired Dinner Party Dishes. Which celebrity chef would I like to have cook for me? There’s definitely a few, but I’ve seen David Beckham in the kitchen, so it’d be interesting to see what he would serve up.
I’m able to cook for a crowd by being organised. Prepping is essential for a good dinner party, so have your fridge arranged, your checklist written and your must-have gadgets to hand. Mine is my Nutribullet, which is great for making a fresh paste of ginger and garlic. If you’re a curry fan, spend an hour blitzing a big batch of the paste and freezing it. The stuff in the jars just isn’t the same and making it yourself is so much cheaper, too.
With this menu, you’ll see I love cooking sharing plates. Even at home, if I serve up a lasagne, it has to come with extra bowls of salad and starters thrown in, too. One of my favourite restaurants is Kolae, a beautiful Thai bar and grill in London’s Borough Market where you order lots of small plates at the counter. Everyone tries a bit of everything, enjoying different flavours and textures, which brings interaction and conversation – for me, there’s so much happiness in that.
SERVES 4 V Vn GF DF
HANDS-ON TIME 10 mins
TOTAL TIME 10 mins
Side
‘This Asian dressing, reminiscent of a spicy peanut satay, is a great way to power up fresh salad vegetables. Butter beans give the salad a bit of body and add a lovely creamy texture as well.’
◆ 1 x 570g jar of butter beans, drained (we used Bold Bean Co)
◆ 2 Little Gem lettuces, r
