If Playlists Had Menus Volume1: Seattle to California

Last week, I wondered what would happen if an album could be served as a meal.

Not one song paired with one recipe, but an entire listening experience imagined as a tasting menu. An amuse-bouche. A first course. Soup. A vegetable course. A main. A palate cleanser. Dessert. Each course carrying the mood of the music rather than the lyrics.

Then I realised my first menu didn't have to begin with an album at all.

It had to begin with a playlist.

Not the soundtrack of my entire college life, but one of the many playlists that shaped those years.

College wasn't just lectures, assignments and kitchen duties. It was discovering bands that would become lifelong companions. Songs that played through campus conversations, late-night common room hang outs, train rides to Sydney over the weekends, practical exams and those wonderfully uncertain years when life seemed to stretch endlessly ahead.

This isn't a definitive '90s playlist, nor is it strictly grunge. These are simply seven songs that have stayed with me. The ones that still live comfortably in my core memories.

As I put this playlist together, I smiled when I realised that three of these songs also appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Singles. No wonder they continue to feel like the soundtrack to that chapter of my life.

This first menu celebrates the alternative rock songs that never really left my playlist.

If your favourites aren't here, don't worry.

They'll probably find a place at another table.

If Playlists Had Menus

Volume 1: Seattle to California

A Seven-Course Playlist

Amuse-Bouche

"Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns" by Mother Love Bone

Badal Jaam

One of my favourites from the ITC kitchen. Thick slices of aubergine topped with tomato relish, creamy coriander yoghurt and baked until everything comes together in one comforting bite.

A gentle beginning to the evening.

First Course

"Come As You Are" by Nirvana

Pao Bhaji Vol-au-Vents

This dish was born during my Open Day at Blue Mountains Hotel School in Australia.

My faculty wasn't keen on me baking fresh pao and suggested I use the vol-au-vent shells from the baking class instead. I filled them with buttery pao bhaji, topped them with cheddar and discovered a party favourite that has stayed on my menu ever since.

Sometimes the best recipes begin as happy compromises.

Soup

"Would?" by Alice in Chains

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Rain outside.

A warm bowl in your hands.

Simple, comforting and exactly where this menu wants to slow down.

Vegetable Course

"1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins

Cheesy Garden Zucchini Boats

Fresh garden vegetables tucked into tender zucchini boats, finished with a generous layer of melted cheese.

A lighter course that lets the evening catch its breath before moving on.

Main Course

"Otherside" by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Mushroom and Rice Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce, Sweet Corn with Herb Butter

Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savoury filling of mushrooms and rice, gently baked in a rich tomato sauce and served with sweet corn finished with herb butter.

A dish that's hearty without being heavy, quietly anchoring the meal.

Palate Cleanser

"When I Come Around" by Green Day

Lemon & Basil Sorbet

The cutest Lemon made by Tanvi

Bright.

Sharp.

Refreshing.

Exactly what's needed before the final course.

Dessert

"State of Love and Trust" by Pearl Jam

The Blue Mango's Boozy Gulab Jamuns in a Custard Jar

Warm gulab jamuns resting in silky custard, served in a jar with just enough spirit to end the evening smiling.

The perfect finale to a playlist that has travelled with me for decades.

Every dish on this menu belongs to a different chapter of my life. Some came from hotel school. Some from restaurant kitchens. Some from parties, cafés and years spent feeding friends and strangers alike.

Together, they tell my story as much as the songs do.

This is the first table in what might become a series.

There are more playlists waiting to be served.

And maybe, somewhere down the line, a few complete albums too.

Until then...

Pull up a chair.

Something’s always cooking.