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good food

Week 5 of Rethinking the Pantry brings it home with the ultimate flavour foundation: stocks and jus. Learn why real stock beats powders and supermarket cartons, how to use stock and jus like a chef, and how to upgrade one everyday meal with a simple stock swap.

Week 4 of Rethinking the Pantry shows you how to stop one-use relishes, preserves and jams taking over your fridge. Learn the “earn your place” test, easy multi-use ideas (including savoury “Jam it” tricks), and a simple 3-use challenge that builds flavour and pantry confidence fast.

Week 3 of Rethinking the Pantry introduces the dual-purpose rule for sauces and condiments. Learn how to spot “keeper” sauces, use them as marinades, finishers, or bases, and turn one bottle into multiple meals — with less clutter and more flavour.

Dull food isn’t always a cooking problem — it’s often a spice problem. In Week 2 of Rethinking the Pantry, Chef Ian shows you how to smell-test your herbs and spices, refresh what matters, and use purposeful blends to get better flavour with less clutter..

A simple, confidence-building introduction to the Rethinking the Pantry series. Chef Ian explains why pantries feel “full but empty,” and shares one mindset shift that makes ingredients more useful: stop shopping for recipes and start using ingredients as tools — beginning with one small weekly challenge.

Frozen prawns can be amazing — if you thaw them properly. Chef Ian shares his quick sea-salt brine method (hello, juicy sweet prawns with firm texture) plus easy flavour pairings and a crowd-pleasing Drunken Sailor prawn cocktail cup serve.

Create a stress-free pasta night with Chef Ian’s Pasta Night Bar: Rustichella pasta options, two easy sauces, a flavour finish station, vacuum-seal prep-ahead reheating, and homemade freezer garlic bread (plus chilli cheese and herb-onion variations) for effortless entertaining.

Create a fun, low-fuss ice cream buffet that wows a crowd. Chef Ian shares the simple formula for choosing flavours, building a toppings bar, keeping everything cold, and adding one easy “chef touch” to make it feel special.

A butter board is the ultimate “set it down and relax” starter. It buys you time, fills the gaps while you finish the main, and makes people feel instantly looked after — with barely any work.

Discover Banks Botanicals—an Australian alcohol-free botanical spirit for spritzes, entertaining and cooking. Learn Chef Ian’s easy serving ideas, plus sauces, glazes, pickles and dessert tricks.