Eight recipes for the ultimate celebration feast

Too long have the poor vegans been relegated to the end of the list, the novelty option, the alternative. Kicking off number one with a crowd pleaser you’d forget to bemoan being vegan, the butternut squash and cherry tomato crumble is surely a crowd pleaser, as well as remaining relatively easy for the host to make. Just don’t forget the vegan parmesan. Or someone’s gon’ get cheesed off. At just 20 minutes to make, and serving six, this is perfect to cater to big groups – minimal prep, maximum hanging out with the people you came with.

Few things feel as good, as when you ask what’s for dinner, and the answer’s ‘Mexican’. Rarely is the answer, ‘Swiss/Mexican’. And yet, it should elicit even better spine-tingling chills of hunger. Named for its copious use of dairy, you might have to do a head count when you get your guests to the table – to make sure no neighbours have snuck in, following the smell of roasted tomatillos on the air.

Vietnamese is always there when you need it, whether it’s just a little snack, or a veritable feast – whether it’s celebration, commiseration or simply time to eat. You just can’t go wrong. Bò Kho’s relatively easy to put together, and easily scalable – but its best asset is that it develops flavour when stored for a couple of days. Batch in advance, and then heat up when the moment’s right. As Banksy said, ‘Become good at cheating and you never need to become good at anything else’.

Speaking of low effort, coming in hot at number seven, New Orleans-Style Red Beans and Rice is so delicious you can make up whatever nonsensical backstory about the lengths it takes to make. So go nuts, tell people the beans must be individually crushed by hand. The rice was massaged grain by grain. They’ll nod, they’ll likely not even question it. They’ll just be too busy loving it.

This is a meal that screams summer. It’s served with late evening chiminea smoke, and copious bottles of wine. Best enjoyed to a soundtrack of overexcited kids running riot. Sides may include one too many tinnies, forgetting a layer in the trifle, and an extra helping of staying up just a little too late. It’s the perfect hazy evening, low effort, late dinner. Keep this one in your back pocket, because when it comes to low effort dishes to feed a big group, this is perfect for a glamping spot.

Risotto continues to be the unconquerable party food, always good, yet hard to do well, if you perfect this, you might just become the stuff of groupchat legend. Whilst keeping the risotto of the bottom of the pan is, of course, a full-time job. Should you just for one moment stop – it will ruin everything, but it is well worth the effort. Besides, you can just stand there and stir whist you chat, rather than panic making conversation whilst timing too many things.

Ok, so you’ll need some prep. But that’s the joy of lasagne, making it all ready to go, and focusing on the good times. You already have enough stress being the host anyway, why not do it all the night before? This pancetta and taleggio rendition from Bon Appétit is enough to stand out from the crowd, and have people asking after your innovation, this is lasagna like they’ve never had. This one’s a good one to cook in advance and bring with you to a space – just chuck it in an oven, and feed to a hungry crowd.

Sometimes the simple things in life are best. You can’t beat a scallop with brown butter and lemon pan sauce, and a cold glass of Alvarinho. If you’re using just a handful of ingredients like this, splurge. Spend the cash on the best you can find, the finest scallops, the fanciest butter, the cheekiest unwaxed Sicilian lemons. If you’re gonna do it, do it right.

No matter the cause for celebration, there’s always a recipe. And when it comes to celebrating those special occasions – we’ve got the spot to do it right.