David Bowie's Heirloom Recipe
Shepherd's Pie
Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Difficulty: Peasy
Pans Required: 1 Legacy Pan
Welcome back to Heirloom Recipes, the series that rummages through the kitchen drawers of history’s most iconic figures and leaves with recipes and a little glitter on its sleeves.
We’ve stirred Al Capone’s spaghetti, flipped Rosa Parks’ pancakes, and grilled Ernest Hemingway’s burger. Today we’re donning our finest sequin apron and celebrating the quietly comforting dish loved by music’s ultimate chameleon, David Bowie.
David Bowie was known for many things. Ziggy Stardust. Aladdin Sane. The Thin White Duke. But perhaps most surprising was his love of something humble, hearty, and human. A good shepherd’s pie.
Passed down through the family, this pie became a tradition in the Bowie home. Prepared by both David and his wife Iman, it connected his Brixton beginnings with whichever corner of the world he found himself in.
His love for shepherd’s pie was no secret.
In 2013, a Tokyo café themed after his album The Next Day served a version of the dish, quietly honouring the recipe that kept the Starman grounded.
Now it’s your turn.
Make Bowie’s Shepherd’s Pie. Gather your people, cook slowly, eat well, and toast the man who reminded us to celebrate our originality.
Lamb Ingredients
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
3 bay leaves
2 T olive oil
400 g minced lamb
1 T dried thyme
½ c red wine or stock
4 T Worcestershire sauce
3 T mustard
4 T tomato sauce
400 g tinned tomatoes
1–2 t salt
Lots of black pepper
Mash Ingredients
½ kg potatoes
¼ c cream
50 g butter
1 t salt
Before The Oven
1 c frozen peas
½ c fresh parsley, roughly chopped
100 g grated tasty cheese
100 g grated mozzarella
Chopped fresh parsley
Method
In your Legacy pan over medium heat, sauté the onion, carrot, celery and bay leaves in olive oil until soft but not coloured. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the minced lamb to the pan, with a little extra olive oil if the meat is lean. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until deeply golden.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
While the meat cooks, peel and boil the potatoes until soft.
Heat the oven to 180°C.
Mash the hot potatoes with the cream, butter and salt.
Return the lamb mixture to the heatproof dish if needed. Spoon the mash over the top and spread gently to cover. Finish with a generous layer of grated cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
Scatter with freshly chopped parsley and bring it straight to the table.
Raise a glass to Bowie.
Every great recipe deserves a soundtrack.
Here’s a playlist to make Bowie’s Shepherd's Pie. Music he loved, songs that inspired him, and a mix of his best for pie assembly. Press play, cook slow, and welcome the Starman into your kitchen. Listen on Spotify.
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Heirloom Recipes is an independent editorial series inspired by recipes and stories in the public domain. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any individual, family, or estate featured. These recipes are our adaptations, created with care and respect for the lives behind them.
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