A well-chosen dinner party starter can set the tone for an entire meal, so it is always worth a little extra thought. This fantastic collection of recipes contains plenty of suggestions, from easy starters to molecular masterpieces or even Christmas starter ideas, which are bound to get your meal off to the right start.

Marcello Tully’s warming Celeriac and blue cheese soup recipe makes a fantastic vegetarian starter in the colder months, or try Theo Randall’s Beef carpaccio as an impressive Italian starter. During the warmer months opt for a lighter dish, such as Rob Howell’s Tempura spring onions (especially useful if you're after a vegan starter), or Simon Hulstone’s glorious Scallop ceviche recipe.

If time is of the essence there are plenty of quick and simple starter recipes to be found. Adam Gray’s punchy Salmon starter recipe takes just twenty minutes to make, or plan ahead and try Luke Tipping’s Citrus cured salmon recipe. In the latter fish starter, the majority of the preparation is done a day or so in advance, making it a fantastic option for dinner parties.