The Australian restaurant scene is stronger than ever with incredible dishes celebrating quality produce, interesting flavours and creativity.
This extensive collection encompasses the greats of the past and the present; those who are currently forging the path of innovation, and those that laid the foundation for that work to be done. We have signature recipes from winners of our annual Restaurant Awards sitting alongside recipes that pay tribute to the late Greg Malouf and Amy Chanta, responsible for bringing Middle Eastern and Thai cuisine, respectively, to the fore of Australia’s dining scene and transforming how Australians cook and eat.
Other chefs’ recipes in this collection have come from restaurants that have since closed, but their mark is still felt, like Tetsuya Wakuda’s made-for-sharing shabu shabu from iconic eponymous Sydney diner Testuya’s or Clayton Wells’ flounder cooked in silky lemon and wakame butter made for Chippendale’s Automata. Other recipes come from chefs who have developed recipes at restaurants they have since left, like Jacqui Challinor’s pretty-as-a-picture kingfish ceviche for Nomad or Khanh Ngyuen’s masterstock-braised chicken for Sunda. Despite these changes, the legacy of these chefs and their recipes remain.
And it’s not just chefs who we’ve included here. Beloved cooks Maggie Beer and Stephanie Alexander have made an indelible impression on Australian cooks for generations, and so Beer’s recipe for her duck-egg pasta and Alexander’s raspberry and rose-geranium dessert are dishes every home cook needs to tackle once or twice.
Whichever best Australian chef, baker or cooks’ recipe you choose, you’ll be sure to find success with this collection.
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Recreate Australia’s best chefs’ recipes at home
Hellenika’s Corfu bianco with John Dory, potato, onions and lemon
This recipe for Corfu bianco comes courtesy of Simon Gloftis, the owner of Hellenika in Brisbane. It tastes of the Greek Islands.
Alex Wong’s ricotta gnocchi with mapo Bolognese
Creamy ricotta and doubanjiang are the stars of the show in this twist on Bolognese.
Neil Perry and Richard Purdue’s baked blueberry cheesecake
Chef Neil Perry says it’s hard to beat a good cheesecake. Truer words have never been spoken.
Greek fennel and leek pie (marathopita)
Chef and restaurateur Jonathan Barthelmess shares the secrets to one of his favourite family recipes.
Nik Hill’s cauliflower cheese tart
The two best ways to cook cauliflower – in a cauliflower cheese, and whole-roasted – in one spectacular dish.
Sunda’s masterstock-poached chicken with ginger and spring onion relish
A beloved staff meal at Melbourne restaurant Sunda.
Palisa Anderson’s gaeng keow wan gai (Thai green chicken curry)
Drop that takeaway menu. Once you’ve tried making curry paste from scratch, you’ll never look back.
Corner 75’s pork schnitzel with nokedli and creamed spinach
Learn how to recreate the stalwart Euro staple at home.
Dan Hong’s crisp eggplant with fish-fragrant sauce
Fish-fragrant sauce doesn’t actually have any fish in it, but its sweet, sour and spicy elements are traditionally used to cook Sichuan fish dishes and give this dish its name.
Flour and Stone’s lemon dream cake
Recipe for lemon dream cake by Nadine Ingram from Sydney bakery Flour & Stone.
Pilloni’s eggplant cutlet with spicy tomato sauce
Cotoletta di melanzane in Italian.
Stillwater’s steamed tiger prawn and scallop dumplings with XO dressing
Chef CRAIG WILL of Stillwater Restaurant shows how to craft elegant dumplings, where shellfish are the hook.
Sean Moran’s famous roast chicken with bread sauce
Leave your other roast chicken recipes at the door. This is the best recipe for the perfect roast chook.
Sean Moran’s goat’s cheese tart with strawberries
This tart hits the perfect balance between sweet and savoury flavours, topped off with a jammy glaze.
Christine Manfield’s spiced barramundi with tomato-chilli pickle
Spiced barramundi with tomato chilli pickle- simmer vinegar and mustard seeds in a saucepan over low heat until liquid is almost completely reduced.
Kylie Kwong: Caramelised pork belly with Chinese coleslaw
Chinese-style pork belly is always a crowd-favourite — and Kylie Kwong’s rich caramelised pork belly with Chinese coleslaw is no exception.
Crêpes Suzette
Prolific restaurateur and chef ANDREW MCCONNELL shares his take on the French classic that sets hearts (and crêpes) on fire at Melbourne’s Gimlet.
Junda Khoo’s curry laksa (laksa lemak)
When coconut, spices and noodles combine…
Rosheen Kaul’s skillet Buldak noodles with charred corn and cheese
Rosheen Kaul’s skillet Buldak noodles hit all the right notes for a quick and cheesy midnight fix.
Stephanie Alexander’s almond meringue cake with lemon curd cream, figs and raspberries
A showstopping layered dessert.
Lennox Hastie’s grilled octopus with braised chickpeas and sobrasada
Smoky, lightly spiced and brilliantly vibrant.
Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s choo chee pumpkin
Thai-style roasted pumpkin with curry sauce, from the Chat Thai mother-and-daughter duo.
Ho Jiak’s tau yu bak (braised soy pork belly)
Chef Junda Khoo shares the recipe for a dish close to his heart.
Maison Bâtard’s spicy tuna tartare
Sumptuous and spicy, this standout from Maison Bâtard takes its cue from jewellery displays.
Paola Toppi’s pasta with ragù
Where simplicity and flavour meet.
Eun Hee An’s soy glazed Korean fried chicken
Moon Mart’s Eun Hee An shares the recipe for her signature dakgangjeong.
Young’s Palace’s strange flavour chicken wonton with two sauces
A double-sauce take on classic wontons from Sydney’s Young’s Palace.
Curtis Stone’s Dutch baby with lemon butter and clotted cream
Savour it one fluffy mouthful at a time.
Bistro Livi’s crème caramel
An elegant finale of silky custard and dark caramel.
Victor Liong’s masterstock-braised meats and tofu
The ultimate one-pot dinner (and the Lee Ho Fook chef’s ideal death-row meal).
Maison Bâtard’s King George whiting with mustard Parisienne
A quick and elegant take on King George whiting.
Saint Peter’s fish and chips
“It’s so important at Saint Peter that the fish and chips gets put on a pedestal as a dish of importance and luxury,” says Josh Niland.
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Pasi Petänen’s potato dumplings with XO trout
From the Cafe Paci chef comes a dish that pays homage to that classic Finnish combination of potatoes and fish.
Lennox Hastie’s grilled lamb rump with roasted peppers and grilled dandelion
The Firedoor chef puts an underrated cut of meat to good use.
France-Soir’s cassolette de Saint-Jacques au safran: Scallops in saffron sauce
Saffron gives luxurious scallops an even greater lift in Geraud Fabe’s recipe.
Lennox Hastie’s grilled bavette with charred onions and romesco
Reap the rewards of an underrated cut of beef.
France-Soir’s Quenelles de Perche sauce Crevette: Baked sea perch dumplings in bisque
Delicate dumplings in rich bisque bring French elegance to weeknight dining.
Lennox Hastie’s charred corn with Espelette butter and Manchego
Made to be eaten with your hands.
Lennox Hastie’s grilled whole flounder with pil-pil and capers
Some things just taste better whole.
France-Soir’s moules marinière: Mussels in white wine and cream
Steamed in white wine and cream, this is the traditional way to eat mussels in the north of France.
Junda Khoo’s Hainanese chicken
Chicken, rice, chilli sauce – the works.
Junda Khoo’s tom yum roti pizza
Chef Junda Khoo shares his nostalgic tom yum roti pizza recipe — the ultimate late-night indulgence.
France-Soir’s duck à l’orange
Try this French restaurant classic at home when entertaining as an elegant main.
How to make phở: a masterclass with Angie Hong
Now is the time to make this deeply comforting noodle soup.
Helly Raichura’s Bengali prawns and seablite (shorshe chingri)
If you have the forethought to soak your mustard seeds overnight, we can guarantee the results are well worth it for the vibrant colour and flavour they lend to the prawns.
Sixpenny’s carrot cake with candied walnuts
The cake that saved Sixpenny during lockdown.
France-Soir’s roast halved chicken with jus and potato frites
A signature dish for good reason.
Du Fermier’s daube of beef with root vegetables
The Provençal stew to cuddle up to.
Paul Farag’s chermoula lamb ribs fatteh
The fresh drizzle of punchy chermoula that cuts through the rich fattiness of the tender lamb ribs makes this recipe by Aalia’s Paul Farag a must try.
France-Soir’s crème caramel
France-Soir’s chef Geraud Fabre passes down his recipe for the classic crème caramel.
Danielle Alvarez’s individual potato and sweet potato gratins with Comté and thyme
These cheesy potato stacks baked in a muffin tin are proof that good things come in small packages.
Louis Tikaram’s Peking duck
It’s a labour of love to create this beloved Chinese classic.
Lennox Hastie’s grilled summer peas, mint and lardo
Grilled peas? It could only be the work of the Firedoor chef.
How to make onigiri
Chef Mica Kazato of Sydney’s Parami shares her recipe for the traditional Japanese snack.
France-Soir’s Onglet À l’échalote: Hanger steak with eschallots
A classic French main rooted in tradition, bringing the charm of Parisian dining to your table.
Maison Bâtard’s roast chicken with green olives
Maison Bâtard’s signature roast chicken takes its cue from the rotisserie chickens found at Parisian food markets.
Brent Savage’s coal-roasted eggplant with black garlic
A smoky, textural, all-eggplant affair.
Maison Bâtard’s king prawn crumpet with Marie Rose sauce
A prawn cocktail the Maison Bâtard way.
Trisha Greentree’s crab and zucchini tagliatelle
Chef Trisha Greentree’s recipe for crab and zucchini tagliatelle is a delicious tangle of two delicate ingredients in a mascarpone-charged sauce.
Lennox Hastie’s wood-fired mussels, tomatoes and toasted sourdough bread
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for wood-fired mussels, tomatoes and toasted sourdough bread by Lennox Hastie.
Coq au riesling
Keeping all the elements of what makes this dish a provincial family favourite, this recipe has been refined with a modern-day bistro interpretation.
France-Soir’s casserole de lapin de provençale: Rabbit casserole with mustard sauce
A hearty French casserole guaranteed to impress.
Stephanie Alexander’s roasted rosemary potatoes
Your go-to roast side dish that’s easy, reliable and crisp with herbs and garlic.
Christian Ryan’s grilled Padrón peppers with whipped feta and herb oil
“The simplicity of these Padrón peppers combines beautifully with the lactic quality of whipped feta.”
Stephanie Alexander’s roast rack of pork with pears
A grand centrepiece crowned with golden crackling, roasted fruit and rich pan sauce.
Trisha Greentree’s spanner crab and mushroom fried rice
A bold crab and mushroom fried rice layered with flavour for a late-night snack or effortless dinner.
Christian Ryan’s wallaby yiros with herbed yoghurt and salsa
“Here, we’ve taken delicate Tasmanian wallaby and added it to a classic Greek street dish,” says chef Christian Ryan.
Stephen Nairn’s buckwheat and chocolate sundae with whisky-butterscotch sauce
Chef Stephen Nairn’s rich and nutty layered chocolate sundae with whisky-butterscotch sauce makes for the ultimate evening indulgence.
Tetsuya Wakuda’s shabu shabu
Gather around the table and dip in.
Maison Bâtard’s cured and smoked king salmon with gribiche sauce
This delicated cured and smoked salmon is a perennial favourite for good reason.
O Tama Carey’s black braised brisket
Rich with sweet spices and soured with tamarind, this black braised brisket dish is robust and hot. Serve it with O Tama Carey’s cabbage mallung and rhubarb achcharu.
Alla Wolf Tasker’s kohlrabi dumplings with sunflower seed pesto and apple consommé
An elegant vegetarian dish, courtesy of the Dairy Flat Farm executive chef.
Thi Le’s beef tartare with herbs and nuoc cham
Melbourne restaurant Anchovy’s beef tartare is spiced up with herbs and nuoc cham. It will pair perfectly with potato crisps.
David Thompson’s deep-fried squid with garlic and peppercorns
With the punchy flavours of garlic and spicy peppercorns, this is a twist on the crowd favourite Salt and Pepper Squid.
Dave Pynt’s blueberry tart
With sweet pastry, an almond filling and crème Chantilly.
Dan Pepperell’s fried chicken alla diavola
Chicken wings, Italian style.
Stephanie Alexander’s avocado bavarois with crab and finger lime
A creamy entrée topped with delicate spanner crab and popping citrus pearls.
Lennox Hastie’s grilled kingfish belly, fennel and grilled finger lime
A brilliant interplay of textures and flavours, courtesy of the Firedoor chef.
Hot-smoked chicken with marinated tomatoes
Rodney Dunn recipe for hot-smoked chicken with marinated tomatoes.
Shannon Martinez’s chickpea stew (garbanzos estofados)
A hearty vegan stew perfect for the cooler months.
Stephanie Alexander’s fennel braised with balsamic vinegar and honey
A side dish built to impress with its rich glaze and fragrant rosemary notes.
Frank Camorra’s party paella
How to feed a crowd.
Brae’s asparagus and olive herb in sea butter
Dan Hunter’s recipe for asparagus and olive herb in sea butter from Brae restaurant in Victoria for Gourmet Institute.
Stephanie Alexander’s gougères
Golden bites, perfect for any occasion.
Maggie Beer’s herb pasta with sorrel butter and lemon thyme
Maggie Beer shares her recipe for a vegetarian herb pasta, where the rich pasta, made with duck-egg, is offset by the sweet sorrel butter.
Danielle Alvarez’s farro with broad beans, ricotta salata, mint and lovage
Recipe for farro with broad beans, ricotta salata, mint and lovage by Danielle Alvarez.
Mat Lindsay’s guide to making a Basque cheesecake
A smoky-sweet cake with a tell-tale scorched top. The Ester chef shows how it’s done.
Lauren Eldridge’s eggnog custard tarts
Portuguese tarts meet bourbon-spiked eggnog in this Christmas-ready treat.
Matt Stone’s raw zucchini, pine nut and miso salad
A pretty-as-a-picture dish for spring.
Jonathan Barthelmess’s taramasalata
Forget the supermarket-grade stuff. This dip by chef and restaurateur Jonathan Barthelmess is the real deal.
France-Soir’s omelette au fromage
The secret to this cheesy omlette recipe starts with the quality and freshness of the eggs.
Jock Zonfrillo’s roast turkey with native herbs and spices
Give the Christmas classic of roast turkey an Australian twist with this recipe by Orana chef Jock Zonfrillo.
Stefano Manfredi’s coniglio all’agrodolce (sweet and sour rabbit)
An Italian introduction to cooking with rabbit. This recipe provides mouth-watering rewards with very little risk.
Stephanie Alexander’s raspberry and rose-geranium sorbet with honey wafers, raspberries and cream
The flavour of ripe raspberries dominates this refreshing sorbet, but the rose-scented geranium adds a haunting after-note that’s not at all cloying.
Automata’s flounder with wakame and lemon butter
Cook the flounder at a low temperature so it doesn’t dry out. Trimming the fish before cooking makes it easier to dig in.
Kingfish crudo, burnt ruby grapefruit, pickled fennel and anchovy
Recipe for kingfish crudo, burnt ruby grapefruit, pickled fennel and anchovy by Sean McConnell from Monster in Canberra.
Ricotta gnocchi with cavolo nero and pine nuts
Gnocchi paired with cavolo nero and pine nuts makes for a fresh and breezy weeknight recipe.
Sean McConnell’s slow-roasted lamb shoulder with pistachios, pomegranate and vine leaves
Recipe for slow-roasted lamb shoulder with pistachios, pomegranate and vine leaves by Sean McConnell from Monster in Canberra.
Sean Moran’s spring ravioli with peas, ricotta and zucchini flowers
Spring is Sean Moran’s ultimate muse for this pasta.
Quay’s guava snow egg
The snow egg.
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