In the summer months, few things are more enjoyable than gathering around the table with family and friends.
For home cook and cookbook author Julia Busuttil Nishimura and her partner Nori, outdoor entertaining is a cherished ritual. Their approach combines Julia’s love for fresh, seasonal ingredients with Nori’s expertise as a Japanese chef, to create relaxed, memorable experiences—whether it’s a casual meal with their two boys or a larger gathering where they like to rustle up delicious Mediterranean-inspired dishes for al fresco dining, they always manage to make summer entertaining feel effortless and fun.
We sat down with Julia and Nori to chat about working as a team, how they make sure every gathering feels warm and welcoming, and the one small detail that can elevate any entertaining set up.
What design movements do you love at the moment?
Julia: I am loving the mixing of textures in design and the celebration of individual style and one-off pieces. I love how my antique ceramics mix in with my new pieces.
Nori: I like the fact that more care is being taken in terms of sustainability. I really like natural materials too.
How do you like to style your space when entertaining?
Julia: It really depends on what I’m making or the event, but I do like to keep things pretty simple. I don’t like an overly crowded table and like things to feel quite light and airy, especially in summer. I love using fruit or vegetables as table decorations (I can then cook with it later) and I like to pick seasonal flowers too.
What inspires your entertaining style?
Julia: My entertaining style is always influenced by the seasons, and I like to let that guide me on how I will put something together.
Regardless of what I am cooking, or who I am cooking for, my style never really changes. I like to entertain in a very low-key and warm way where my guests feel welcome. I like simple tableware and I like to let the food shine.
Nori: I have a very casual entertaining style but overall my goal is to make sure guests feel well looked after which I suppose is inspired by my Japanese culture. In Japanese we say Omotenashi, which is to wholeheartedly look after guests.
How do you work as a team when you have guests coming?
Nori: Julia is the main host and I like to work in the background more to make sure things are running smoothly. You will often find me in the kitchen chopping and preparing while Julia is finishing off the table setting or maybe putting the last touches on a cake.
Julia: When we have guests coming, I know I can always count on Nori which is very comforting. I like to have a very clean house, so there is a lot of compulsory tidying and cleaning beforehand.
I’m often socialising while I cook and I know Nori loves to make sure that everyone just feels really well looked after. His chef training makes him very competent in the kitchen and we really work hand-in-hand to prepare everything.
What’s frequently on your summer menu?
Julia: I like to make beautiful fresh salads like ripe tomatoes with peaches and mozzarella, or a raw zucchini one with mint, lemon and pecorino. If you’re using seasonal produce there really isn’t too much you need to do. I might cook a whole fish in fig leaves and drizzle it with some salmoriglio or cook pizzas in the pizza oven topped with figs and prosciutto.
Nori: I love to cook outside, whether it’s the pizza oven, BBQ or charcoal Japanese grill. Usually I will buy some really good quality meat and marinate it overnight and serve it with some salads or grilled vegetables.
Favourite Freedom products this season?
Julia: That’s the hardest question of them all. So many things! The Eleanora Decorative Bowl is so pretty and solid. The Lino Napkin Sets in the natural linen colour are gorgeous – I always think cloth napery elevates your entertaining. The Pesce Resin Pitcher is so beautiful with the amber tones and rich swirls throughout. I swear water tastes better when it’s poured from this jug!
This article originally appeared on Home Beautiful and is republished here with permission.
