Meredith Hayden’s rise to culinary stardom began in a Hamptons kitchen and hasn’t slowed since. As the creator behind Wishbone Kitchen on TikTok, she quickly became the face of the Hamptons Private Chef craze – a viral moment that saw the internet obsess over chefs cooking for high-profile clients in luxurious holiday homes. At the centre of it all? Meredith, preparing elegant, unfussy meals for fashion designer Joseph Altuzarra and his husband in their dreamy seaside estate.
While the trend may have faded, Meredith’s appeal has only grown. Now hailed as ‘Gen Z’s Martha Stewart’, she’s parlayed her online fame into a lasting career, with her first book, The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook, landing in Australian stores on May 20.
As we await our copies in the post, we’re taking a page from her playbook – literally – and getting stuck into making the best salads from our archives.
The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook by Meredith Hayden, $55, published by Penguin, is on sale May 20 and available from Big W.
Tasty salad recipes
Until you get your hands on Meredith Hayden’s book, take your pick from these salad recipes that pass the Hamptons-private-chef checklist.
01
Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella
We love heirloom tomatoes! Considered by many as the best tomatoes for growing, this simple and wholesome salad recipe is a wonderful way to enjoy the lush heirloom tomato flavour and level up from eating them simply with a sprinkle of salt.
02
Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad
This salad makes for a tasty side or hearty main meal. Buckwheat is high in fibre and nutrients, and tossed through with other crunchy, flavoursome fillings like pepitas and cashews, it’s delicious too.
03
Melon with crab salad
A fresh melon base topped with zesty, sweet crab, this salad looks exactly like it was made by a Hamptons private chef and is an excellent one for entertaining. It not only tastes so good, but also looks impressive even though it’s beautifully simple.
04
Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing
Sliced chicken, soft noodles and crunchy cucumber, all coated in a tasty peanut dressing. It’s a classic noodle salad combination that never fails.
05
Quinoa warm brunch salad
Eggs, asparagus, mushroom and garlic go into this baby spinach and quinoa salad which is as yummy as it is good for you.
06
Lentil salad with celeriac and apple
Australia’s very own chef Matt Moran came up with this winning salad combination. “Lentils are great to give a bit of grunt to a salad,” he says. Keep it as a vegetarian salad or add chicken or pancetta.
07
Watermelon with pistachio, nigella seeds and cardamom
It doesn’t get more summery than a bowl of watermelon. This salad recipe elevates it with simple additions that make the fruit really sing.
