3 Private Chef-Approved Lunch Recipes From Wishbone Kitchen

Meredith Hayden is one of TikTok’s most famous chefs, best known by her online moniker Wishbone Kitchen (a nod to her mother’s weekly roast chickens, where they would share a wishbone and make a wish). After honing her craft at culinary school in New York (while also working full-time at Vogue), Hayden landed a job as a private chef in the Hamptons. She began sharing videos of her life on social media, and quickly went viral – now, she has over two million followers on TikTok. So it was only a matter of time before Hayden released a cookbook.

The Wishbone Kitchen offers the chance to cook like a private chef, featuring over 200 recipes ranging from dips to pasta dishes to showstopping desserts. Below, we share three, perfect for summer lunches.

3 Recipes From The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook

Lobster Avocado Salad

(c) Emma Fishman

‘This recipe is a celebration of summer. Juicy heirloom tomatoes, plump chunks of lobster meat, creamy avocado, tender microgreens, and a simple herb dressing to bring it all together. It pairs perfectly with a hot sunny day (or pretending it’s a hot sunny day) and good company.’

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the herb dressing

• 2⁄3 cup mayo 
• 1⁄4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves 
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon 
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh chives 
• 1⁄2 small shallot, roughly chopped 
• 1⁄2 lemon, zested and juiced (1 to 2 tablespoons) 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

For the salad

• 4 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1⁄4 inch thick 
• 1 medium-large avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced 
• 1 lemon, halved 
• 2 heads Bibb or Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated 
• 1 head frisée lettuce or bunch  of watercress, leaves separated 
• 1⁄2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into 1-inch  pieces 
• 1⁄4 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves 
• 1⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh chives 
• 1 pound cooked lobster meat from about 2 lobsters (page 62), cut in bite-size chunks 
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling 
• Flaky salt 

Method:

1. Prep the dressing: Using a blender or immersion blender, process the  mayo, basil, tarragon, chives, shallot, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice,  and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and/ or lemon juice as needed. 
2. Prep the veg: Season both sides of the tomato slices with flaky salt and set aside. Season the avocado slices with a pinch of flaky salt and a squeeze of lemon  juice. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the Bibb lettuce, frisée, basil, and tarragon. Add a few tablespoons of dressing plus a few pinches of flaky salt and toss to coat. 
3. Assemble and serve: Arrange a layer of tomatoes and avocado over a  serving platter or individual plates and drizzle them with extra-virgin olive oil, then begin to build the salad. Top the tomatoes with a pile of the lettuce mixture, layer in some of the lobster, more of the tomatoes and avocado, more lettuce, and more lobster. Finish with a sprinkle of chives, freshly grated lemon zest, and another drizzle of olive oil. 

Chicken Cutlet Club

(c) Emma Fishman

‘I love a club sandwich, and I feel a personal obligation to order it whenever it’s on a menu. So I wanted to create a version catering to my own, very niche, personal preferences, because isn’t that what recipe developing is all about? My ideal club sandwich contains a ranch-y panko fried cutlet (that’s not too thin but not too thick), oven cooked bacon, very finely shaved cabbage, salted heirloom tomatoes, all drenched in homemade ranch.’

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced and pounded into ¼-inch-thick cutlets  
• ½ cup plain flour 
• 2 medium eggs, beaten 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 8 slices bacon  
• Vegetable oil, for frying 
• 12 slices soft white sandwich bread  
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, preferably heirloom, sliced ¼ inch thick 
• ½ medium head green cabbage, very finely shredded on a mandoline (about 3 cups)  
• 1 cup Buttermilk Ranch (see below)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper  

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 
2. Bread the cutlets: Set up a dredging station with separate wide, shallow bowls for the flour, the eggs, and the panko. Season the chicken with  salt and pepper. Working with one cutlet at a time, coat each one in flour, then egg wash, then panko, pressing the crumbs in so they adhere. Transfer the breaded cutlets to a roasting tray or a plate and into the fridge for 15  minutes for the breading to set.  
3. Cook the bacon: Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes for thick cut. Transfer to a kitchen towel–lined plate to drain and cool. 
4. Fry the cutlets: Add 1 to 2 inches of oil to a high-sided pan. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 180°C. Test the oil temperature  by dropping in a few panko crumbs; they should sizzle immediately but not burn. Fry the cutlets, working in batches, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack-lined roasting  tray to let the excess oil drain and season with a pinch of salt.  
5. Toast the bread and prep the veg: Lightly toast each slice of bread in a toaster until barely golden. Season the sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper and transfer to a kitchen towel–lined plate to absorb excess moisture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cabbage with enough ranch to coat and a  pinch of salt. Toss to combine. 
6. Assemble and serve: To build each sandwich, start with a slice of toasted  bread and layer on a handful of dressed cabbage, a fried cutlet, a hefty drizzle  of ranch dressing, a second slice of bread, 2 pieces of bacon, 1 to 2 slices of tomato, another handful of cabbage, more ranch to taste, and a final piece of bread. Skewer with toothpicks in each of the four corners, then use a sharp serrated knife to cut each sandwich into quarters. Serve with extra ranch for dipping.  

Buttermilk Ranch

Ingredients:

• 2⁄3 cup whole buttermilk
• 1⁄3 cup mayo
• 1⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated shallot
• 1 medium garlic clove, peeled and finely grated
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayo, chives, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the shallot, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a couple cracks of pepper. Season with more lemon and/or salt, if needed, and set aside. The dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Tomatoes and Corn

‘I first made this dish one August afternoon while working as a private chef, when the cherry tomato yield from the garden was so abundant I was borderline desperate to use them up in a timely fashion. And as the saying goes, what grows together goes together, so I recruited fellow star summer veg, sweet corn, to join the party. Since it was peak summer, the tomatoes were too juicy and the corn too sweet to be anything other than their best selves. I’ve dolled them up a touch with (store-bought) chilli-infused oil and a sprinkle of fresh herbs, but otherwise let their flavours say what they need to say.’

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:

• 4 ears sweet corn, kernels cut from the cobs
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons chilli-infused olive oil
• ½ teaspoon flaky salt
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn in 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Method:

Assemble and serve: In a large bowl, combine the corn, tomatoes, olive oil, flaky salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss to coat. Gently fold in the herbs. Transfer to a serving bowl.

HOT TIP: If you can’t find chilli-infused olive oil at the store, you can sub with extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of chilli flakes for heat.

The Wishbone Kitchen by Meredith Hayden (Ebury Press, £26). Photography by Emma Fishman.