Chetiyawardana - Good together - drink & feast with mr lyan & friends

Words and illustrations by Ryan Chetiyawardana
Photographs by Kim Lightbody Frances Lincoln Limited An imprint of Quarto Publishing Group UK The Old Brewery, 6 Blundell Street, London N7 9BH, United Kingdom www.QuartoKnows.com Good Together Copyright Frances Lincoln Limited 2017 Text Ryan Chetiyawardana 2017 Photographs Kim Lightbody 2017 Commissioning editor: Zena Alkayat First Published in 2017 by Frances Lincoln Limited All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying. In the United Kingdom such licences are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Barnards Inn, 86 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1EN. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Digital edition: 978-1-78101-244-4
Hardcover edition: 978-0-71123-897-8
There are too many people to thank whove been responsible for, or have helped shape, what I do. So this book is for everyone who regularly helps me bring to life what I love.

Food and drink might not save the world, but people committing themselves to whats right and what they love certainly will. Anette, my dad and my brother have all saved me - figuratively and literally, at some point - but this book is for mum. Thank you, sorry, and I hope you know we wholeheartedly appreciate all the sacrifices and endless love. The little things were and are everything, and Im eternally grateful.

When I ask a friend how they are, theyll inevitably reply: Busy. Im guilty of it too its a symptom of the modern world.

But it only confirms the need for quality time spent with the people you love. The more you do it, the more you understand its what really matters good times with friends and family are the most effective panacea for a busy week/month/year. Quality is the key word, though; excess can be great but its rarely memorable! Given that bringing friends together is harder amid todays fast-paced lifestyles, making these moments properly memorable should be a priority. This book is about how good it is to bring people together, and how good food and drink brought together can help you have a better time with the people you love. In my first book, Good Things to Drink, I talked about the worlds of food and drink being one and the same, and that they should be treated that way. And also how the right food and drink can help shape the mood of an occasion.

It has been great to see so many dog-eared, stained and worn copies of the book in peoples houses, where the recipes had been brought to life. I love getting tagged in Instagram photos showing people adapting recipes to their own tastes and using the drinks to fit their lives. I wanted to expand on that here, helping you bring your friends together using amazing food, as well as drink. So for Good Together, I called on some of my favourite friends from the world of food, and some of the best chefs in the world. This isnt about trying to reproduce dishes from their (excellent!) restaurants. (Ive not included drinks from my bars no one wants to spend hours prepping a multitude of complicated steps; its much smarter to have something thats still exciting and delicious, but straightforward to make.) The recipes are here to inspire, and the chefs offer brilliant advice and ideas.

Its important to note that this isnt a party planner (no parties are the same, and where would the fun be if this was a rulebook?), and its also not about cocktail pairing. This is a guide to drinks and dishes that fit a particular mood or occasion be it a cosy night in or a summer BBQ and also work well together. Its all very adaptable, and easily ownable. For example, where Ive suggested a gin, you can substitute vodka. Likewise, if you dont like any of the herbs and spices, adjust the recipes to your tastes. Experimentation, trial and error is all part of the fun (I also think you learn more, or at least faster, when things go belly up!).

I hope you find this book beautiful (thanks to my family and friends), interesting (its a slightly voyeuristic look into the personal lives of some of the best people in the world of food and drink if nothing else!) and, most importantly, useful!

So who are these lovely peeps, and why are they suggesting dishes for you to make for your loved ones? Im very thankful to call many of them close friends, but theyre all people who have made food (usually in their professional rather than personal environment) thats helped me have some of my most memorable times with others. They are incredible chefs, often topping world best lists, and Id wholeheartedly recommend visiting their establishments. Their restaurants go beyond the edible offering these chefs are at the top of the game in terms of creating harmony between food and setting. But the atmosphere and food they create at work is very different to how they eat, drink and entertain in their homes, so I asked them to suggest something thats personal and authentic to them, and reflects what they make when they want to get together with those close to them. Good cooking is so much more than kitchen skills. It requires a sensitivity to who youre cooking for, the setting, when youre cooking it, and why.

It could be midwinter and time for comfort food to indulge in with your partner; it could be a glorious summers day where a few light bites, sherry-based drinks and a chatter with friends is in order. The right food and drink brought together can help create truly special times. The chefs professional insight means that each of their recipes is smattered with little gems of knowledge and (in some cases) some pretty unusual techniques. Hopefully the ideas and recipes (together with the cocktails) will inspire you to create your own special gatherings.

Tartine BakerySan Francisco The legendary bread at Tartine Bakery was something Id heard about from my pal Todd Selby, whod featured the San Francisco bakery in his Edible Selby book. Lee from Black Axe Mangal (see opposite) had also spoken very highly of Richard Hart, the head baker there.

All this created pretty high expectations for the carb-loaded fare that slides out of Tartines ovens. And rest assured, you should absolutely believe the hype. Im a huge fan of proper bread (and real butter!). I even try to convince friends who avoid gluten to at least try real bread made with fresh flour (not the stuff thats been in your cupboard for weeks, and away from the field for frighteningly longer). To me the difference between real bread and supermarket loaves is chalk and cheese, and Richards delicious stuffed bread recipe is a case in point.