Food and Drink

How NOMAD Head Chef Jacqui Challinor’s Dishes Are Inspired By Her Mum

A look at mum’s greatest hits.

NOMAD pastizzi
Photo Courtesy Of NOMAD

Jacqui Challinor is the head chef at hatted NOMAD Surry Hills and is about to introduce Melbourne to NOMAD’s share plates, and humble take on food that’s meant to be shared. We caught up with Challinor at NOMAD where she prepared a special Mother’s Day menu with The Fork, and talked about how her mum inspires her in all aspects of food. 

Food was always the focus for my family. Growing up in a Maltese family, we traded vegemite sandwiches and baked beans for olives, mortadella, and pastizzi. Food for us, it was never just another meal, it was a big occasion, where we shared it with 20 other people crammed in a dining room at nonna’s place. 

My food is made for sharing. I love sharing food with people so I created a menu that is basically a collection of the food I grew up with—mum’s greatest hits. 

Both my parents are good cooks, but mum’s food is the stuff that reminds me of home. I remember when I got my first restaurant job, the first thing my mum asked me was if they served garlic bread, so I made a woodfired garlic flatbread in honour of that memory. 

At Nanna and Nannu’s place, there was always mortadella on the table, and at NOMAD we love our charcuterie, so I love that I can bring that to the table. 

Mum makes an incredible sun-dried tomato dip, so I made a preserved tomato tapenade in honour of that. Also, the cauliflower and smoked pork cheek fritters, are mum’s adaptations from her giant collection of Women’s Weekly recipes. 

One dish I remember all too well was mum’s version of baked macaroni. She used tin corned beef. This inspired me to create my own baked rigatoni, with oxtail ragu, and pecorino. She always served it with a side salad, so I’ve made a simple rocket and pine nuts salad with balsamic dressing tossed through. These are the dishes that have a special place in my heart and my belly. 

Another traditional Maltese dish I love is pastizzi. I’ve made a jersey milk and ricotta pastizzi, which takes me back. As for dessert, it’s ice cream cake. I’m not sure where she sprouted that idea but if I don’t get that at Christmas time, I’m not happy. This is why for this Mother’s Day menu, I’ve made an ice cream cake, using espresso, coconut and hazelnut ice cream, with a generous serving of Valrhona Manjari ice magic—my version of ice magic. 

I love that nourishing, nurturing aspect of feeding people. It stems from a multigenerational passion. 

Food and Drink

Red Rooster Is Serving Free Chicken and Piping Hot Cash This Christmas in July

Get your early dose of festive cheer.

Red Rooster Christmas in July
Instagram / @redrooster_au

The cold weather in most parts of Australia coinciding with EOFY celebrations is the closest thing that we’ll get to snowy Christmas vibes. And if you’re in dire need of some festive cheer after the first six months of 2023, grab your ugly sweater and head to your nearest Red Rooster for Xmas in July deals.

From June 29 – July 31, 2023, Red Rooster is serving up free food items, a chance to win $10,000 or one of 10 merch packs valued at $400 and other fun prizes. All you have to do is sign up as a Red Royalty member and spend $5 on at a location near you or online.

Each week there’ll be new delicious deals and prizes to win. The week one deals have already dropped and they’re looking pretty tasty. You can get access to them via your Red Royalty account. The more you purchase, the more chances you have to win.

Spoiler alert: you can get 10 chicken nuggets for free, right now. Brb running to Red Rooster.

Terms and conditions apply. Visit Red Rooster’s Christmas in July to see all the deals.

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