Forget fussy dos where you’re holed up in the kitchen plating individual portions and running around topping up glasses — the summer barbecue is all about relaxed dining. Think communal sharing plates, dishes you can prepare in advance and assemble at the last minute and drinks that guests can help themselves to.

It’s a quintessentially Australian way of hosting, so you’re going to need a quintessentially Australian menu to serve your nearest and dearest when they drop by. Naturally, there’s nowhere else to start but at Chatswood Chase. From fresh produce to caught-that-morning-fresh seafood, consider Chatswood Chase your one-stop-shop for everything you need to nail the backyard barbie.

When people arrive…pour them a cheat’s watermelon gimlet. Make the base (watermelon juice, gin, simple syrup and lime juice) in advance and pour over ice in a glass. Add a sprig of mint if you’re fancy. Swing by LoSurdos for the watermelon and lime, Vintage Cellars for the gin and Wheel&Barrow for glasses to serve it in.

To start: Canapés are too much work. Instead, head to Astakos to get your hands on the freshest seafood in the city. Cooked prawns need little more than a squeeze of lemon to be delicious and oysters always go down a treat. To level them up, make a tangy vinaigrette to serve alongside — we love Recipe Tin Eats’ Japanese version, and you can pick up everything you need for it at Tong Li Supermarket.

For the main event: Christmas may be over, but who would say no to slices of sticky glazed ham in fluffy, crunchy bread rolls (from Bakers Delight, of course)? You can still pick a leg of ham up at Coles, but if you don’t want to turn the oven on, grab a burger kit and some sausages from Vic’s Meats and fire up the barbecue. When it comes to sides, opt for easy but impressive salads you can pile onto platters and let guests help themselves to. Try this peach and mozzarella one from Jamie Oliver, Ottolenghi’s summery couscous or Alison Roman’s lemony and fresh potato salad.

To end on a sweet note: It’s hard to go past tropical fruit when it’s at its prime in summer. Keep dessert simple: grab a bunch of in-season stone fruit from LoSurdos (think mangoes, peaches and nectarines), sprinkle them with brown sugar and grill them on the barbecue until they’re syrupy and caramelised. Serve them with vanilla ice cream you picked up at Coles and cinnamon brioche swirls from Pattison’s Patisserie.