Michelin-star chefs cook Christmas

Some people will not deviate from the traditional favourites but, let’s face it, we’ve all had our share of disappointments at Christmas dinner. The turkey is dry, the ham is too salty, Brussels sprouts are overcooked and mushy, and the gravy is lumpy. Bring back bad memories?

Well, create new and interesting memories this year by trying some great alternatives, brought to you by Michelin-star chefs. Here are four chefs making alternative Christmas dinner recipes.

Marcello Tully creates slow-cooked Scotch lamb shoulder

If you like the look of lamb this Christmas, Michelin-star chef Marcello Tully shows you an easy to follow guide to cooking slow-cooked Scotch lamb shoulder. It’s a different take on a lamb joint as the meat is cooked, then flaked, breaded and deep fried before being served with a tarragon mousse.

A Christmas dinner with a distinctly Italian flavour from the Michelin-starred kitchens at Petersham Nurseries. Skye Gyngell raids the garden for herbs and veg that are in-season for this wholesome and earthy Italian pranzo di natale. Oysters with mignonette sauce are for starters, moving on to burrata with cicoria, dried chillis and anchovies before the main course of roasted quail with Nebbiolo with a gratin of potatoes and fennel, and braised cavolo nero and a dessert of panettone ice cream.

For something completely different we go to Peru where Michelin-star chef Robert Ortiz creates three Peruvian recipes from Lima Floral in London: a starter of simple vegetables with leche de tigre and yellow chilli, marinated pigeon with chocolate on cornbread and suckling pig with Peruvian corn.

Up your game game, with these recipes from Michelin-star chef Berwyn Davies. Enjoy rabbit ballotine with garden radishes and mustard, venison saddle with red cabbage and pine gnocchi and roast salsify. Chef Davies finishes off with poached pear in mulled wine with chestnuts and hibiscus sorbet.

This article was last updated on 20/05/2025.