From the Editor, Leigh O’Connor.
The share plate format may not be new, but the way we embrace it today feels freshly reimagined.
Modern Chefs are no longer simply placing food in the middle of the table - they are crafting experiences that mirror the rhythm of our lives. Menus are designed with community at the heart, encouraging diners to lean in, connect and converse.
At the same time, speed and mood play their role: dishes arrive in waves, designed to suit the energy of the moment - whether it’s a long, languid dinner or a quick, playful gathering. Even TikTok culture has woven its way into the dining room, inspiring dishes that delight visually before they ever touch the palate.
What emerges is food stripped of hierarchy - no longer entrée, main, dessert, but instead a symphony of shared flavours. It’s dining as theatre, as memory, as mood board - food as connection, joy and story.
Come with us this week as we discover Shared Plates with New Rules…
There are never too many cooks in the kitchen at a potluck or progressive dinner. The potluck is a joyful patchwork quilt stitched together from everyone’s hands and hearts. Each dish tells its own story: the casserole perfected over decades, the secret-spiced curry whispered down from grandmothers, the salad tossed with seasonal greens picked just that morning.
Progressive dinners, meanwhile, elevate the journey itself into an experience. Imagine moving from one house to another, each door opening to warmth, each room humming with new aromas and anticipation.
Beneath the earth, the magic begins. A Maori hangi is more than just a meal - it is a story told in steam, smoke and earth, a tradition that stretches back centuries. In every hangi lies a piece of Maori heritage, a celebration of the bond between people and the land and an enduring reminder that the best feasts do not just feed - they connect.
Long after the last plate is cleared, the spirit of the hangi lingers. It is in the warmth of full bellies and the glow of laughter. It is in the memory of hands working together to prepare the pit, the baskets and the fire.
It is in the understanding that this meal - this ultimate shared meal - is more than sustenance. It is an offering of time, energy and love, grounded in the belief that food tastes best when it is shared.
Discover the lost art of the Sunday roast, the trend of communal dining with strangers and share platters to delight and impress as we break bread together this week.
You’re welcome…
