“I’m lucky to have an understanding of many different cuisines. But one thing I’ve learned is to keep each cuisine really honest to what it is, and to focus on that balance of flavour."

"This mackerel is a moment that channels our local French wine bar, which we are devoted to getting on a first-name basis with. Why? We just want the pâté on tap. Nothing at all to do with the French waiters." – Bec Vrana Dickinson. This recipe is titled 'An Evening with French Men' from an edited extract of Happy Hour Snacks by Bec Vrana Dickinson, published by Hardie Grant Books, AU$39.99.

"Tamari is a Japanese sauce made from soy and rice. It’s a byproduct of miso paste – the liquid that’s squeezed out when miso is pressed. It’s slightly thicker than soy sauce with a rich, savoury flavour. Combined with lemongrass and chilli, it makes a perfect sauce for some plump seared scallops." - Luke Nguyen This recipe is by Luke Nguyen

“This is a great party-starter with a sharing element: malawach, a Yementestyle bread layered with plenty of butter. If you have any chicken fat, cooking the flatbread in that is amazing and brings another layer of complexity, as chicken and caviar is a match made in heaven.” – Paul Farag

“These tasty bites combine crispy tofu with a crunchy sesame coating, served with fresh lettuce and zesty pickled radish. They’re a flavourful and fun twist on tofu that you’ll love!” – Luisa Brimble

These savoury skewers are the perfect entree to serve guests when you're next entertaining. Super-quick and easy to make, layers of roasted capsicum, kalamata olives and white anchovies are stacked together on a thin skewer to make one delicious bite-sized treat. Simple, elegant and insanely good, you can't go wrong. Recipe note: You'll need 6 thin 8cm skewers. Pair this recipe with our smoked salmon and quail egg skewers and prosciutto skewers with manchego cheese.  

These punchy marinated mushrooms make the perfect antipasti starter or a brilliant fresh brunch. Start one day ahead for a party starting dish.

These crispy salt and pepper crab sticks are the perfect snack to make on a hot summer's day. Super fast and easy to make, Surimi seafood sticks are a quick and delicious option, only needing a handful of pantry staple ingredients and cooked to perfection in minutes. Swing past your local supermarket or fish shop and create the perfect salty snack to share with friends with a squeeze of lemon to serve.

"The freshness and quality of the seafood from Queensland’s coast is unparalleled. My auntie used to make a similar smoked fish dip for every celebration. It’s her signature dish; whenever she served it, it always felt like a warm welcome home. The rich, creamy dip with the perfect balance of smokiness and freshness was a highlight of our family feasts." – Sarah Todd

This creamy, garlicky mediterranean inspired dip is full of flavour and perfect as the starter to your next long lunch.

“Being the Cali boy that I am, I add an American twist to my lumpia (Filipino spring rolls), and what’s more American than a bacon cheeseburger? Instead of filling these fried rolls with pork and vegies, they’re stuffed with all the great elements of an American burger: ground beef, bacon and cheddar.” – Snoop Dogg

"The simplicity of the ingredients shines in this dish – selecting the very best of the season is key." Recipe from delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Award 2023 winner Torello Farm.

This simple canapé is made better by using the best scallops possible (these may need to be ordered in advance). If scallops are unavailable substitute cooked and peeled prawns.

"Bò lá lôt are perfectly wrapped beef parcels in betel leaves. When cooked over a charcoal grill, the smell of grilled betel leaf is incredibly fragrant. These really are a must-have at any barbecue."

"School prawns are really tasty and everyone eats the whole thing, which is great. I love those little snacky things with a drink, and this is a really easy one for doing something fried without it being overly messy.” – Matt Stone