Gen Z’s Martha Stewart wants you to make better salads

Meredith Hayden’s rise to culinary stardom began in a Hamptons kitchen and hasn’t slowed since. As the creator behind Wishbone Kitchen on TikTok, she quickly became the face of the Hamptons Private Chef craze – a viral moment that saw the internet obsess over chefs cooking for high-profile clients in luxurious holiday homes. At the centre of it all? Hayden, preparing elegant, unfussy meals for fashion designer Joseph Altuzarra and his husband in their dreamy seaside estate.

While the trend may have faded, Meredith’s appeal has only grown. Now hailed as ‘Gen Z’s Martha Stewart’, she’s parlayed her online fame into a lasting career, with her first book, The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook, landing in Australian stores on May 20.

As we count down the days, we’re taking a page from her playbook – literally – and scrubbing up on our salad skills. From crisp greens to crave-worthy dressings, these tips and recipes are pure Wishbone Kitchen energy.

Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella, Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad, Melon with crab salad, Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing, Quinoa warm brunch salad, Lentil salad with celeriac and apple, Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom

What can I put in a salad to make it more interesting?

  • Vary the texture: A tasty salad is so much more than a bowl of leafy greens. It includes a variety of textures, from juicy to crunchy.
  • Think seasonal: The best salads start with in-season produce. That might be tomatoes, kale, melon or zucchini, then go for other flavours to complement these.
  • Add protein: Introduce crab, chicken or prosciutto, a cheese like mozzarella, beans or lentils to make your salad more satisfying.
  • Layer in carbohydrates: For a salad that’s still light but will keep you full for hours, add potatoes, pumpkin, noodles or other tasty carbs.
  • Include yummy, healthy fats: A handful of cashews, sprinkle of pepitas or a sliced avocado makes all the difference.
  • Dress to impress: Nail the balance of salty, sweet and sour in your dressing and it’ll be so good you could drink it.
  • Make it pretty: We eat with our eyes so go the extra mile to serve it on a gorgeous plate, spread out the new table linen and channel that Hamptons private chef life.

Take your pick from these tasty salad recipes that pass the Hamptons-private-chef checklist:

Summer salad recipes

Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella, Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad, Melon with crab salad, Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing, Quinoa warm brunch salad, Lentil salad with celeriac and apple, Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom

01

Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella

We love heirloom tomatoes! Considered by many as the best tomatoes for growing, this simple and wholesome salad recipe is a wonderful way to enjoy the lush heirloom tomato flavour and level up from eating them simply with a sprinkle of salt.

get the recipe
Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella, Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad, Melon with crab salad, Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing, Quinoa warm brunch salad, Lentil salad with celeriac and apple, Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom

02

Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad

This salad makes for a tasty side or hearty main meal. Buckwheat is high in fibre and nutrients, and tossed through with other crunchy, flavoursome fillings like pepitas and cashews, it’s delicious too.

Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella, Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad, Melon with crab salad, Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing, Quinoa warm brunch salad, Lentil salad with celeriac and apple, Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom

03

Melon with crab salad

A fresh melon base topped with zesty, sweet crab, this salad looks exactly like it was made by a Hamptons private chef and is an excellent one for entertaining. It not only tastes so good, but also looks impressive even though it’s beautifully simple.

Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella, Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad, Melon with crab salad, Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing, Quinoa warm brunch salad, Lentil salad with celeriac and apple, Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom

04

Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing

Sliced chicken, soft noodles and crunchy cucumber, all coated in a tasty peanut dressing. It’s a classic noodle salad combination that never fails.

Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella, Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad, Melon with crab salad, Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing, Quinoa warm brunch salad, Lentil salad with celeriac and apple, Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom

(Photography: Cath Muscat)

05

Quinoa warm brunch salad

Eggs, asparagus, mushroom and garlic go into this baby spinach and quinoa salad which is as yummy as it is good for you.

Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella, Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad, Melon with crab salad, Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing, Quinoa warm brunch salad, Lentil salad with celeriac and apple, Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom

(Image from Australian Food Coast + Country by Matt Moran, Murdoch Books)

06

Lentil salad with celeriac and apple

Australia’s very own chef Matt Moran came up with this winning salad combination. “Lentils are great to give a bit of grunt to a salad,” he says. Keep it as a vegetarian salad or add chicken or pancetta.

Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella, Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad, Melon with crab salad, Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing, Quinoa warm brunch salad, Lentil salad with celeriac and apple, Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom

(Photography: Cath Muscat / Styling: John Mangila)

07

Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom

It doesn’t get more summery than a bowl of watermelon. This salad recipe elevates it with simple additions that make the fruit really sing.

get the recipe

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