With spring upon us and warmer weather in sight, now is the perfect time to bring your tastebuds out of hibernation, rediscover fresh flavours, and start planning for dinners in great company.
Rosie Kellett, who is highly regarded in Hackney’s vibrant food scene and was project manager for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding cake, says a change in season presents the opportunity “to combat the cooking fatigue we all get”.
Rosie has made a name for herself working in professional kitchens, hosting seasonal supper clubs, and sharing the recipes she creates with her 300k followers on social media.
But although she project-managed a Royal wedding cake, she knows how to cook on a budget and lives in a communal warehouse in Hackney Wick – where she cooks for six housemates on £25 per person, per week.
“Delicious food should be possible on any budget,” Rosie says.
Yet, for her, bringing people together without breaking the bank serves a deeper purpose.
“We are in a cost of living and housing crisis, and this has led to a community crisis. We are all craving community and coming together to share a meal is the ultimate way to experience that,” Rosie says.
So, how can we bring people together this season whilst sticking to a budget? Here, Rosie shares her ideas.
Ground rules for budget cooking
“If you have a strict budget for a dinner party, my ground rules are vegetarian, in season, and one large thing batch-cooked,” Rosie says.
Vegetarian recipes, or recipes using tinned fish, will keep costs down, she adds. “What’s in season will also be cheaper.”
The batch-cooked dish could be a “really big curry or stew” and there are things you can serve it with on the side to elevate it like “condiments, jarred things, and pickled or fermented things”.
Setting the scene
Rosie heartily recommends visiting Woolcrest Textiles on Hackney’s Well Street, where it’s possible to buy “metres of fabric for hardly any money”, which can be fashioned into DIY tablecloths, napkins, and decorations.
She thinks simple brown packing paper, rolled out over a table, can be a fun, cheap twist on a tablecloth which allows you to get creative. “You can write people’s place names directly on the paper, you can illustrate it, and guests can also draw on it,” she says.
Rosie’s aunt taught her the best trick for a dinner party – laying a thin, flat mirror in the middle of the table and putting tea lights on top means the candlelight is reflected in all directions, creating a dazzling display.
A lot of the current supper-club decor trends also happen to be budget-friendly, according to Rosie. “I’ve seen a swing away from flowers on a table to using food as decorations,” she says.
This could be “vegetable sculptures in the middle of a table, but you’re encouraged to eat them”.
“You can have an abundant look with fruit and vegetables rather than heaps of flowers that are going to die and potentially go to waste.
“I’ve also made place settings from bread rolls,” she adds. “I tie ribbon around it and attach the person’s name.”
Drowning in dietaries?
You needn’t make a separate meal for each guest with a different dietary requirement, Rosie says, as this can add extra costs and stress.
Instead, she says to “do a base meal that covers everyone and then have optional additions in bowls on the table so people can help themselves”.
Rosie adds, “sorbet is naturally vegan and gluten-free.” It’s an easy dessert to make, she says, but if you don’t have time and want to serve it in an interesting way “you could buy it and put it in hollowed out lemons”.
Rosie also says a “dessert table” is always a crowd pleaser, where guests can go up and choose from an array of options.
Simple ingredients go far
But while dessert tables are all good and well, simple food can also feel like a treat for guests.
“You can’t go wrong with fresh fruit in spring and summer,” Rosie says.
A sophisticated dessert option could be “delicious figs, honey, and thyme” and “you can arrange it to make it look pretty,” she adds.
