Tinsae Elsdon has run her chef’s table, Dinner With Tinsae, on and off over the years. Now, she invites guests into a dedicated dining space in her Blue Mountains home every month. The menu changes often, with each course reflecting Elsdon’s memories of growing up.

Supported by her husband, daughter and best friend, meals could start with her mum’s favourite: timatim salata, a bright tomato salad with pickled red onions and herb-laced vinaigrette. This might be followed by a prettily plated rendition of shiro, a silky chickpea stew that’s spooned between discs of injera, a spongy, fermented flatbread that’s the staple of almost every Ethiopian meal.

The presentation is more fine-dining than rustic – evidence of Elsdon’s interest in experimentation. The main course is always a shared feast, served without cutlery. Vegetable stews, chicken and lamb pieces are scooped up with injera. To finish, expect warm drinks such as coffee infused with tena’adam (a sprig of rue).