Former MasterChef Australia’s favourite chef Laura Sharrad has written a new cookbook; an ode to her Italian grandmother. At My Nonna’s Table features nostalgic recipes, cooking rituals and family celebrations accented by the maternal force of nature – where braised lamb served with soft polenta and old-school Bolognese are featured for you to replicate at home.
The Adelaide-based chef and co-owner of Nido Bar & Pasta and Fugazzi Bar & Dining Room spoke to The Write Drop for our At The Bar series.
MY CITY
Adelaide. It forever gets a bad rap for not having enough to do or see, but I think it has everything you want from a city, without the chaos following you home at the end of the day. I also don’t think there’s anywhere else in the country where you’re surrounded by such incredible wine regions in every direction, from the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale to the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley.
FAVOURITE FOOD MEMORY
Tough one! If we’re talking overseas, you can’t go past a bowl of gnocchi on a Thursday at Rome institution Roscioli, or the Jewish-style fried artichokes at Piperno. Closer to home, give me the gnocco fritto and whipped ricotta at our very own Nido Bar & Pasta.
FAVOURITE BAR
Locally, Maybe Mae and Honeydripper. Both are run by local legends, Nick and Raf, who are always shaking up seriously good drinks.
BEST HANGOVER CURE
A ham and cheese toastie with Swiss cheese, good smoked ham, piccalilli and a mountain of pickles, alongside a seriously cold, cold-pressed green juice.
BEST INTERSTATE BAR
I’ve been spending a lot of time in Sydney lately for work and have really been enjoying its bar scene. I’m a classic girl, so make me a good Negroni or a Charlie Chaplin cocktail and I’m a happy lady. Old loves like Baxter’s Inn and Disco Pantera are always worth a visit.
FAVOURITE WINE
A bottle of 2008 Billecart-Salmon Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé. I had this wine alongside an incredible panini from Lucia’s in my hospital room after giving birth to Florence. In 2025, I travelled to Champagne and visited the vineyards, where I was lucky enough to drink this wine again, along with many others. It was a pretty special full-circle moment.
A WINERY YOU LOVE AND RECOMMEND
Billecart-Salmon. If you know me, you know I’m a Champagne enthusiast. Last year, I was lucky enough to be invited to tour and taste at Billecart-Salmon, an experience usually reserved for friends and family. The owner, Mathieu Billecart, and I had connected online, and he kindly organised what was probably the best tour of my life. From the cellars and winemaking rooms to the underground caves and family homes, it was an extraordinary experience and a real privilege to see behind the scenes of such an iconic Champagne house.
NEXT DESTINATION
Japan. The food, the people and the culture, it’s somewhere I’d love to explore on holiday.
DINNER PARTY WITH THREE FAMOUS PEOPLE AND WHY
Taylor Swift, because I’ll forever be a Swiftie; Antonio Carluccio, whose cooking inspired me from a very young age and made me proud of my Italian heritage; and Jamie Oliver. That would be one very good dinner party!
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB
Being able to share my family’s heritage, recipes and stories through my platform. Receiving such wonderful feedback from people who connect with those stories and cook the recipes in their own homes is truly special. It’s a privilege to be able to keep those traditions alive and share them with a new generation.
