All over the world, every family has its own Christmas tradition, and no matter your heritage, it’s always guaranteed to be delicious. We asked seven top chefs with roots in seven different nations – from France and Great Britain to the Philippines and Japan – to share the dishes that take pride of place at their festive table. Whether you want an old-fashioned centrepiece or a cheeky twist, there’s something here that might just become your family’s new tradition.
"Neapolitan lasagne is a dish that I grew up eating on Christmas Day. This is my favourite type of lasagne. Unlike lasagne bolognese, made with meat sauce and bechamel, the Neapolitan version is made with sausage, meatballs, ricotta, mozzarella and hard-boiled eggs." – Federica Andrisani
"This chicken recipe means a lot to me. I couldn’t have figured out this recipe without the expertise of the Chinese chefs I worked with in the past. Many different tests, without a word of English coming back, but their skill on the wok and playing with different ratios to get it just right." - Chase Kojima
"The traditional beef wellington is a British classic which dates back to 1900. Typically, I would make beef wellington on Boxing Day and turkey on Christmas Day, but this recipe combines these two classics for the best of both worlds." - Clare Smyth
"What I love about this recipe is how versatile it is. It can go with many other things that you, or your family and friends, might cook. Typically, we Filipinos would enjoy this with spicy vinegar with soy sauce and some atchara (pickled green papaya), but it would also absolutely be awesome with a Western-style gravy!" - John Rivera
"I just love the smell of roast chicken. It reminds me of Christmas at home in Paris. Normally in France, I would use truffle in the stuffing because it’s winter. For the Australian summer, I use salsa verde as a fresh but delicious sauce." - Guillaume Brahimi
"Tikin xic translates to ‘dry fish’. Locally, the marinade would be made with sour oranges, but I use a mix of orange juice and vinegar. It’s fun to make and a dish that. will impress. It will also take a fair bit of planning, as it is quite involved. "First, you’ll need a large coal barbecue; gas will not give you the same flavour and heat. You’ll need a large grilling basket to press the fish in (or see notes), and finally you’ll need a whole fish that’s been butterflied with the scales on. Choose a fresh fish and ask your fishmonger to butterfly it (the head needs to be split, too). You want the fish with the scales on, as these will protect the meat from burning. "Most recipes would remove the spine, but I like to leave it in, as it gives flavour, and it’s easier to remove when cooked. Choose a fish that has firm meat - I like to use snapper or nannygai." - Daniella Guevara Munoz
"Normally, I serve this dish with yoghurt flatbread, tahini yoghurt and onion and sumac salad. I shred the lamb after cooking and serve it on top of flatbread, with the salad and yoghurt. This can also be done on the barbecue. Sometimes I cook the bread underneath the spit, letting the fat drip onto it." - Ella Mittas
