Whether you’re looking for inspiration for a magnificent, food-laden festive table, or planning a chilled-out summer picnic, has you covered, with a rich banquet of good viewing. There’s a specially curated collection of festive and entertaining-focussed episodes and shows, featuring all your favourite chefs and cooks from Poh Ling Yeow to the Hairy Bikers, that goes live on On Demand on December 1, plus you can also catch up on the festive shows coming to SBS Food Channel 33 in December.
Here are some highlights of what you can look forward to.
Get festive with Poh, Nigella, Rick, Maggie and more
Join your favourite TV cooks as they create festive magic on SBS Food Channel 33 weekdays at 4.30 from Monday 9 December to Friday 20 December. The line-up includes , where the popular SBS host cooks up and (a creamy festive dessert); A Rick Stein’s Food Heroes Christmas special; Christmas cooking with Poh Ling Yeow; and festive Italian recipes from Welsh-Italian chef Michael Bonacini.
For anyone looking to get into the Christmas spirit, there’s also special festive programming during the day on 21 to 24 December 21, with Darren Robertson, Nigella Lawson, Maggie Beer, Simon Bryant, Rachel Allen, Gordon Ramsay and more lined up to share the festive spirit. Check the to find out what’s on when on Channel 33, and then catch up on all the festive cheer on SBS On Demand after the episodes air.
Peter Kuruvita's curd and treacle Source: A Christmas Feast with Peter Kuruvita
Nigelissima Christmas
Fun, casual and bursting with flavour: when Nigella Lawson embraces all the things we love about Italy and puts her Nigelissima spin on Christmas, it’s everything you’d expect it to be. Like the Nigellissima series, Nigellissima Christmas sees the domestic goddess sharing her ideas for Italian-inspired eats (catch it kicking off SBS Food’s Christmas programming on December 9 or on December, 21 as well as on SBS On Demand). But that’s not all the Nigella festive fun coming your way: look out for Nigella Bites – Christmas on SBS Food on December 23, too. The SBS On Demand Festive Feasts collection also includes selected entertaining episodes from Nigella Express, Nigella Feasts and Nigella Bites.
Embrace the spirit of Italy in Nigelissima Christmas Source: Nigelissima Christmas
The Hairy Bikers Mum’s Know Best Christmas Special
Si King and Dave Myers search out the interesting food that British mums cook for their families at Christmas. There’s plenty of smiles at a Mums Know Best Christmas recipe fair, and generous cooks open their kitchens to the pair to show them the family's favourite dishes. (See it on SBS On Demand from December 1, or on SBS Food Channel 33 on December 24.)
Dave Myers talks recipes with Hafsa Akkas in The Hairy Bikers Mum Knows Best Xmas Source: Hairy Bikers Mum Knows Best Xmas
Michael Bonacini’s Christmas
Welsh-Italian chef Michael Bonacini returns to Channel 33 in two Christmas specials. One is a magic white Christmas at his cosy farmhouse, where he shares his take on Welsh and Italian dishes from his childhood (Friday December 13, 4.30pm on SBS Food Channel 33); the other is a feast inspired by his favourite dishes from five different regions of Italy (Friday December 20, 4.30pm). His wonderful recipes include a braised veal roulade, salt cod on polenta crostini, Italian Christmas espresso zabaglione and a holiday-spiced molten chocolate cake with poached figs. (Look out for these and more coming to SBS Food soon.)
Michael Bonacini's tomato-braised veal roulade with polenta and mushrooms Source: Michael Bonacini's Christmas at the Farm
Global party fare
SBS On Demand’s Festive Feasts collection brings together a global menu of ideas for gatherings. There’s a tandoori party from Essence of India host Samira Nanda, with recipes including a ; easy ideas for cooking for crowds from Irish chef Rachel Allen; crowd-pleasing ideas from England’s domestic goddess Nigella Lawson; French, Australian and Asian festive eats from Poh and her guests in Poh's Kitchen and the Poh's Kitchen Christmas special; food from across the ditch in New Zealand, with Annabel Langbein in The Free Range Cook (including the perfect roast); and a trip down memory lane with Jamie Oliver in a Christmas episode of Oliver’s Twist. Catch it all on SBS On Demand from December 1. You can also get some great ideas from Shane Delia’s Moorish Spice Journey, screening on SBS Food Saturdays at 9.30pm from December 7, with episodes then available on SBS on Demand.
Rose-flavoured kulfi from Samira Nanda's tandoori party Source: Essence of India
The great outdoors
Summer is the time to gather your mates around a barbecue or a picnic hamper, and SBS On Demand’s got plenty on that front too (also worth noting in case the weather ruins your eating-out plans; comfort yourself with some tasty viewing during any downpours!). The collection includes picnic fare from Jamie Oliver and New Zealander Annabel Langbein; barbecue recipes and tips from Darren Robertson’s Charcoal Kitchen and The Cook & The Chef; and outdoor eats from Tom Kerridge’s Proper Pub Food (good for those who want to recreate their fave pub beer garden in their own back yard). Catch it all on SBS On Demand from December 1.
s Festive Feast collection goes live from December 1. Watch SBS Food Channel 33's festive shows from December 9 - check the for screening times.
Annabel Langbein shares tips on cooking for a crowd, picnics and more. Source: The Free Range Cook
