When you’re thinking about a meal plan, there are a lot of things to consider. But first and foremost, you need to trust your own creativity. Any time I am sent a menu proposal, or even when I am hosting my kids’ birthdays, I first brainstorm with the client and write down a detailed plan of action. This being said however, I always make sure to keep a door wide open for flexibility.  

I know that as soon as I walk into the market, things are going to change. I love to let the fresh produce sing to me. Listen for what wants to be cooked, what is looking especially beautiful today. There have been so many times where we had an entire menu sketched out and an incredible looking pumpkin just changed everything. So, don’t be afraid to go with the flow, get inspired by the food in front of you, and try new things. Sometimes you may think its not logical to mix these two vegetables together but I always say don’t knock it before you try it. Just like people, most vegetables can become friends, it is about finding the way to combining them… but there is always a way.

A lot of my best recipes came about in a flurry of inspirations, trials and errors, and not being afraid to trust my gut and take a chance. 

When cooking, my secret ingredient is always true enjoyment and pleasure in the act of creating my dishes. I can’t tell you why, but when you are actually having fun while cooking the food always tastes better.

It is a well-known fact among chefs everywhere so don’t underestimate the importance of inspiration and your own personal drive. 

What happens if, on the day of cooking, you wake up uninspired? I have a secret plan of action which I will share with you now: get up, get dressed beautifully, put on music that you love to sing to, clean and organize your kitchen, and then when you’ve done all of the above, just go with the flow. When I cook, even when I am not feeling the most creative, I let my deep intention to feed others guide me. 

There is a deep privilege and honor in feeding people and I let my respect for those who will come to my table soon and eat my food fill me with inspiration. Even on days when I may not be “feeling” creative, I know it is only a state of mind. We are all creative beings, we all have the potential to do amazing things, some mornings we just need to make a small (or large… depending on the night before!) adjustment to that state of being. Those are my tricks, if you have different things that put you in a good mood, go for it. Trust yourself, you know yourself best… just make sure to truly instill in yourself the belief that you can prepare something beautiful for others. Don’t forget, this is all about giving. 

The first step to creating a meal plan when hosting is to create three very detailed lists: shopping, rentals, and a to do list. Shopping covers all food and items that we need to buy. Rentals covers anything we need to rent for the event, and could be anything from the venue itself to cutlery and dishware. Your to do list will cover every action that needs to be taken to bring the event into fruition, including people to invite, service providers to call etc. For the purpose of this blog, we’ll be focusing on the shopping list, which you have presumably written in explicit detail (including salt if needed!) but keep yourself unattached to the items because as I’ve mentioned earlier, we will have to stay flexible. 

I never start cooking anything without my essentials: olive oil, lemon or lime, garlic, salt and pepper. I will always have a mix of legumes and nuts, because these are truly the basis for the vegan kitchen. Obviously, we’ll end off with seasonal fresh leafy greens and vegetables. Always check out what vegetables are in season now to help get you inspired.

Now let’s get down to the details of food combinations:

For a brunch/ picnic menu, it is always a good idea to start with some small delicious appetizers. It can be little fritters, vegetable patties, or a little soup. They are delicious one bite meals that just get your mouth watering for more.   

Then I make sure to have some amazing homemade bread, crackers, and spreads. I love to plan a minimum of three different types of spreads, and I always think of the color combinations: pink(e.g. beetroot or berries), green (e.g. pesto), red (e.g. tomatoes and peppers), white (cashew and almond), and orange (pumpkin and carrots).  Often, colors and tastes are closely linked, and people always eat first with their eyes so when people taste a red spread, for example, they are expecting a certain taste which always delivers.  I just love the combination of pink and green so I always make sure to include them. I do love to add jams and confiture to my brunch spreads, with brunch, a little sweet with the mains goes a long way. 

Check out my spreads recipes for more details. 

Salads and dressings are the next most important thing. For me the holy trinity of organic, local, and fresh is a must. If you have two salads, one must be very light, and the other can be more robust. For the light salad, I will always base it on leafy greens such as lettuce, arugula, baby greens and sprouts. I love to add nut clusters (check out the recipe) into the mix and fruits. When we add fruits to the salad, we can add a sweetness to the dressing to pair them nicely with the greens. When creating beautiful dressing for salads, be sure to always add the zest from your lemons (or oranges or limes). 

For the more robust salad I love to use white beans, but you can also substitute the beans with chickpeas, lentils, or any other legume that you like. My white bean salad is always a success at events. Another great salad is my roasted vegetable salad. The key to using legumes or roasted vegetables in a salad is to always remember to pair them with something crunchy to balance the dish. I like to cook my beans a little al dente’ to give the salad a bit of a bite. Let the colors and the seasonal vegetables be your guide. Some salads, for example, the bean salad, is much better when marinated in the sauce before hand (as opposed to salads with a fresh vegetable base which is better to keep separate until the moment it’s served). 

The next thing that is important to add is quiche and tarts. I always try and give the guests an opportunity to try something new, something that most of them don’t have access to in their day to day lives.

I have a beautiful tart base made of flax seeds and gluten free oat flour. Another amazing option is chickpea flour. Aside from adding beautiful color to the meal (because they aren’t going to be a boring white flour base), they are delicious and open up more options for all kinds of people to enjoy. For the quiche filling I like to play with roasted vegetables like a ratatouille (cream free), leek is a must. If you want a creamier option, my basic recipe combines sunflower seeds with coconut cream. When poured on top of vegetables, you’d be surprised how creamy and incredibly delicious this is.  

Antipasti, roasted vegetables in a marinated sauce. Marination is the key to a great antipasti. I have an amazing recipe for the marinade based of olive oil, silan (date honey), smoked paprika and garlic. It is very important to keep the vegetables marinating for at least a day before the event, if possible, I even start the process 48 hours before roasting.   

Desserts, sweet yourself for a happy end. I like to give two options, one with sugar, the other raw and processed sugar free. Check my array of dessert recipes. 

Let’s just end with the importance of beverages, namely, wine. Be sure to have a good rose’ or white wine, that were chilled before serving. I like to play with the water. I add fresh herbs, limes, flowers, and fruits. Add whatever you want, almost anything can turn a plain jug of water into a playful delight to drink… I say almost, because when you are cutting your flowers fruits and leaves, just make sure the knife and cutting board don’t have traces of onion or garlic. There’s nothing worse that a gulp of garlic water, and I’m talking from experience!

Now, all you have to do is put on your favorite song and let those creative juices start flowing.

Happy cooking!