> Skip to content

Article  •  9 November 2021

 

Gary Mehigan's 5 tips for the perfect Christmas lunch

The TV chef shares his secrets to successfully entertaining friends and family over the holidays.

There’s just one thing TV chef Gary Mehigan wants for Christmas — a table groaning with beautiful fresh ingredients and a generous amount of food.

Christmas lunch is such a big part of our holiday tradition, where family and friends gather to enjoy fresh prawns or pork crackling.

While it is one of the things we look forward to most, it can also be what causes the host the most stress.

To make the holidays that little bit more enjoyable, Gary, who has just released his new book Good Food Every Day, has offered his top five tips to make Christmas lunch slightly less chaotic.

1. Shop with plenty of time

Gary says people should order their lunch essentials from their butcher or fishmonger ahead of time. He orders his ham at the end of November or start of December, while doing the same for prawns, whiting and snapper.

‘I pre-order so I’ve got it in the bag and can pick it up on Christmas Eve,’ he says.

‘Also most prawns are frozen on the boats in Australia these days so I’m never hesitant to ask for frozen green prawns, then you defrost them and they stay fresher throughout the Christmas period — Christmas Day, Boxing Day and December 27.’  

2. Utilise the kitchen table

Gary loves the idea of family and friends gathered around the kitchen bench indulging in a champagne and nibbles before sitting down for the grand feast.

‘For the first course I just have some dips and nibbles, whether it’s pate, a beetroot dip, hummus — things you can have with that first glass of champagne,’ he says.

‘Everybody is standing around the kitchen table chatting and just letting their hair down.

‘I would say no to trying to cook a three-course meal.’

3. Prepare what you can in advance

The TV chef says pre-preparation is absolutely key to a successful Christmas lunch, with many making the mistake of biting off more than they can chew.

‘Don’t try to do everything at once and have a practise — don’t try cooking something new on Christmas Day,’ he says.

Nobody wants to be stuck in the kitchen while everybody is having a good time, so look at what you can prepare in advance, like salads or dressings, and only cook a couple of elements on the day so you’re not glued to the stove.

‘My secret — if I cook a ham that can be cooked in the morning and glazed and ready to go at 11am or 12pm and guests arrive at 1pm, then I just have salads to dress and prawns to put on the barbecue,’ he says.

‘I’d rather do hard work beforehand and have a chilled Christmas Day more than a frantic Christmas Day.’

4. Slow down

Gary suggests people take some time to slow down on Christmas Day and not rush.

‘If you’re cooking a turkey, it needs plenty of time to rest. People still seem to think that things need to be piping hot when you eat it, and really that’s not the case,’ he says.

‘Allow something to rest and have all those lovely juices spread through and then give it a quick flash through the oven if you want to pop a bit of heat on before serving it.

‘People forget by the time you’ve sat down and pulled the Christmas crackers and told a few jokes, it’s at room temperature anyway.

‘If you worry about being a three Michelin Star restaurant for your family you may spoil the fun for everyone.’

5. Send guests home with leftovers

We all know hosting Christmas lunch means you spend weeks eating nothing but ham sandwiches. Gary said people can save on food wastage and ensure everybody’s stomach is satisfied if you send them home with some leftovers.

‘I always think about that — I let everybody go and I tidy up and I think about all this food I have leftover,’ he says.

‘Make sure you have some takeaway containers for Christmas Day and give your food away and leave just enough ham for your toasties.

‘Buy some recyclable containers, be smart and send everyone away with a gift and leave yourself with a lean fridge.’  

Feature Title

Good Food Every Day
The essential collection of Gary’s favourite home recipes, for down-to-earth and delicious cooking that’s achievable any day of the week.
Read more

More features

See all
Article
Gary Mehigan reveals surprising Christmas lunch tradition

The TV chef has revealed the one Christmas favourite he leaves off the menu.

Recipe
Burnt Basque cheesecake

The burnt Basque cheesecake surely owes its newfound popularity in part to #lockdown 2020.

Recipe
Tomato sauce

A delicious multi-purpose sauce from Good Food Every Day.

Recipe
Spinach and ricotta lasagne

A fresh and delicious lasagne to enjoy regularly.

Article
QUIZ: Which Aussie dog are you?

Take this fun quiz to find out which amazing Aussie dog you’re most like.

Article
How becoming parents inspired YouTube stars to write a children's book

We caught up with Jessica and Stephen Parry-Valentine to learn about their new book, van life, travelling with a baby and the destinations they recommend everyone adds to their bucket list.

Article
Memoir Madness: 5 memoirs to dig into this month

See some of the best books – old and new – that recount the real lives of influential people.

Article
Everything you need to know about David Attenborough

All about Sir David Attenborough. Find out his age, birthplace, how many documentaries he has made and more.

Article
QUIZ: What type of investor are you?

Find out what type of investor you are, thanks to this helpful quiz from Investing with She's on the Money.

Article
9 books to read after Atomic Habits

Love Atomic Habits but don’t know what to read next? Never fear, we’ve got the perfect guide for you.

Article
20 of the best non-fiction books of 2022

See some of the best non-fiction books of 2022 so far, as well as more great titles coming this year.

Article
If you liked his TED talk, you'll love Nigel Marsh's new book

See what Nigel has to say about his books, podcast, TED talk and new book. Smart, Stupid and Sixty comes out this month, so get ready for more insight from the author.

Looking for more articles?

See all articles