/ 27 August 2025

Alexandra Dudley’s Working Lunch

We’ve all been there – stuck for weekday lunch inspiration the moment Monday morning arrives. In her monthly column, SheerLuxe contributor Alexandra Dudley is serving up fresh, easy ideas – whether you work from home or like to take a lunchbox into the office. For her August column, she’s sharing a speedy, dish that focuses on summer-ready pesto…

Alexandra Dudley

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STAYING IN

Pesto Chicken & Potato Salad

I think this salad tastes best a bit chilled, making it perfect for ‘meal-prepped’ weekday lunches. I use roasted and salted cashews over pine nuts, which saves time and adds a wonderful creaminess to the pesto.

Serves

Ingredients

600g of potatoes

100g of spinach

250g of shredded cooked chicken

2 tbsp of capers, rinsed & drained

For the pesto:

60g of roasted salted cashews

1 garlic clove, finely grated

Juice of ½ lemon

1 bunch of basil

Olive oil

Salt

Method

Step 1

Chop the potatoes into roughly inch-size pieces and boil for 10-15 minutes until they can be pierced evenly with a knife. Drain and allow to steam dry before letting them fully cool.

Step 2

Blitz the pesto ingredients in a food processor until you have a textured pesto adding as much olive oil as you desire.

Step 3

Roughly chop the spinach leaves and add to a large bowl with the potatoes, chicken, capers and pesto. Toss everything together and enjoy.

GOING OUT

Canal, Westbourne Park

The latest opening from the team behind Bar Crispin and Bistro Freddie, Canal opens with a brand new – and perhaps the best – summer terrace in London. The restaurant overlooks the Grand Union Canal in Westbourne Park and stays sun soaked long into the evening. The menu shifts with the seasons, balancing simple ingredients with modern European flair. Monkfish is cooked on the grill and served with buttery sweet collapsed tomatoes, crudo is stained with British cherries, and there are cheeseburgers for the table. Do not sleep on the tiramisu or the olive oil soft serve. These are proper puddings that demand at least two spoons and another round of espressos for the table.

Visit MASON-FIFTH.COM

For more from Alexandra, follow her @ALEXANDRADUDLEY or visit ALEXANDRADUDLEY.COM