For Meredith HAYDEN, the dynamo behind WISHBONE KITCHEN, no occasion is too small to celebrate. But please make it just a little bit luxe.

the dynamo behind WISHBONE KITCHEN.

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EVERY TIME SHE GATHERS with her closest girlfriends, all of whom grew up with her in New Jersey, Meredith Hayden makes a toast. Whether they're sipping champagne or drinking Diet Coke, no get-together is too low-key for a touch of something special. She's even been known to turn household chores into an occasion: "If I do my laundry and put it away on the same day," she says, "I'll order Taco Bell, put some kombucha in a wineglass, and eat dinner watching my favorite Bravo shows—that's my idea of celebrating. Maybe for you it's about eating your soup out of your fanciest bowl or drinking your iced coffee with your favorite straw. There are so many little moments around food that you can use to bring more joy into your life." Of course, as tantalizing as it may be, unwrapping a Cheesy Gordita Crunch with extra sour cream (her go-to order) isn’t what Meredith’s roughly 2.3 million TikTok followers come to her for.

CRUSHED OLIVE SPREAD Inspired by a dirty martini with stuffed olives, Meredith pairs her Castelvetrano tapenade with a wedge of funky blue. "This is just the perfect little spread to serve at a party," she says. "I think more people should be eating tapenade."

A former private chef, the 28-year-old social media sensation and cookbook author (her first,