It’s almost that time. Friends and families are preparing to gather for Easter celebrations, in addition to connecting to mark the arrival of spring, and they’re going to be doing so over some mouthwatering meals. Need some ideas of what to bring to life for the holiday and season at large? We’ve asked some talented chefs to recollect their fondest Easter Sunday dinner memories. From the loved ones in the kitchen cooking the food, to the delicious spreads and the happiness those occasions brought.
These culinary experts also talked about the Easter and spring dishes they serve for brunches, lunches and dinners. From appetizers and entrées you can make too, as well as crab, cod fish and lamb, to breads, hearty salads and classic deviled eggs, it’s food so tasty your guests will want seconds—and thirds!
Amaris Jones
Red Rooster, Miami
Whether she’s a chef at-large for Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster, working with celebrities including Rick Ross or curating executive events for the likes of Vice President Kamala Harris, Amaris Jones is making some top-tier memories in the present. But to do her work, she pulls from her past, and that includes her fondest recollections of Easter dinners. Jones reminisces, “Best Easter meal I had growing up was slow-roasted beef roast, packed with herbs, surrounded by veggies and paired with creamy buttermilk mashed potatoes and savory gravy.”
“My cousin Francis, a grandmother figure, created those feasts with warmth, love, and unforgettable flavors,” she adds. “Unforgettable” describes the dish she makes now this time of year. She proudly recommends “Florida City Crab Cakes. It’s tender snow crab meat, perfectly seasoned and seared to a golden brown.”
Tre Sanderson
Top Chef Canada Winner (2022)
When Trevane “Tre” Sanderson won Season 10 of Top Chef Canada, two things were evident: He became the first Black man to wear the crown and his Caribbean roots played a significant part in his success. The holidays for Sanderson, were some of the biggest highlights of his young life. “Easter was big in our Jamaican household,” he says. “My grandmother used to make fried red snapper with escovitch. So much flavor and texture. She’d throw down and make all the classics: spice bun, ackee and salt fish with fried dumplings. But the snapper was my favorite.”
Sanderson’s grandmother inspired his great taste. For his go-to meal this Easter, the chef recommends honey ham roast and plantain bread. “It’s incredible and pairs nicely with a variety of spring ingredients. Incorporate some fresh fish and plantain bread too.”
Jasmine Norton
The Urban Oyster, Baltimore
She’s a trailblazer! When chef Jasmine Norton turned her passion for oysters, which she picked up from her father, into creating a restaurant in 2018, she broke a barrier. Her award-winning The Urban Oyster restaurant made her the first African-American woman to own an oyster bar in the U.S. Norton’s parents prepared her for that moment, as their own creations in the kitchen inspired her greatly.
Her memories are still crystal clear. “The best Easter dinner entree I had growing up was fried trout,” she says. “Our Easter dinner fish fry was a joint effort by my parents. Dad would fry the fish. Mom would make the sides. My extended family would come over after church.” Norton recommends her eatery’s spring-like dish, the Yardbird, for the upcoming holiday and spring season as a whole. “Sweet tea-brined Cornish hen with garlic paste. It was inspired by my mom.” In second place, she praises her delectable deviled eggs with fried oyster fritter.
Tristen Epps
Ocean Social, Miami
Fresh island flair touches a lot of the dishes served by chef Tristen Epps at his beachside establishment. The winner of Food TV’s Chopped says the same flair was found in the creations made for Easter when he was growing up. “My favorite Easter Sunday meals are different with my family. I am Trinidadian, and we typically eat hot cross buns and cheese and flavorful goat curry and roasted whole fish.”
He fondly remembers the women who made those meals extra special. “My grandmother and aunts cooked and hosted dinner after making me go to church,” he says. They also instilled in him the value of variety. “We think of Easter being this feast of lamb and meat. But it’s springtime! Celebrate with light starters like our Garden of Eden Salad. Tender lettuces and crisp vegetables with green goddess dressing.”
Suzanne Barr
Suzanne Barr Food, Fort Lauderdale
Her book My Ackee Tree: A Chef’s Memoir of Finding Home in the Kitchen, details chef Suzanne Barr’s passion for preserving her Jamaican heritage. The Toronto-born author who resides in Florida vividly recalls Easter meals in Canada. “During the spring season and holiday celebrations we had Jamaican spiced Easter bun, aka, bun and cheese, which featured sweet, spiced buns with creamy, sharp cheddar cheese,” she recalls.
“That’s what Easter meant to me and my family. Grandmother used to make it, and we enjoyed it from Good Friday to Easter Sunday.” These days, West Indian cuisine is still on Barr’s mind and spring menu. “I love offering clients my Stamp and Go Salted Cod Fritters. Enjoy it straight out of the pan or throughout the day as a snack or side dish.”
Tony Tone
Personal Chef, Orlando
As a former chef for Disney, Anthony Blakely has a lot of experience cooking for people who love to have fun. Now, professionally known as Chef Tony Tone, he’s the fun guy who’s an expert in brunch and soul food that’s got both an east and west coast touch. Tone says that Easter meals are special to him. “In Tidewater, Va., Easter Sunday was a tradition that my dad started back in 2007,” he says. “He introduced me to grilled lamb chops.”
That was a momentous occasion this comfort food specialist will never forget. Now it’s a part of his own menu. “I remember the taste like it was yesterday. Since then, I’ve made it a tradition to cook grilled lamb chops for my loved ones on any festive occasion,” he says. These days, at this time of year, Tone is throwing down, making his own Double Cut Grilled Jerk Lamb Chops.
