| JAMBALAYA | Signature dish of the theme city |
| CASSOULET | French daube or stew of confit de canard, haricots blancs and saucisse de Toulouse that is a hearty signature dish of the Languedoc region (9) |
| MARDIGRAS | Celebration in the theme city |
| BROADBEAN | Pulse used as an ingredient of the coronation quiche, signature dish of Charles III's 2023 coronation (5,4) |
| AUTOGRAPH | Signature dish of ragout served by a pub (9) |
| IMAM | From Arabic for "lead the way" or "he guided", title, found in the name of a "swooning" aubergine dish, of the prayer or salat leader of a mosque (4) |
| SPLATTER | Topping of signature dish making a splash |
| SPECIALITY | LA City pies cooked as a signature dish? |
| HOTPOT | Late barmaid Betty's signature dish in Corrie, still served at the Rovers (6) |
| NOBU | Restaurant whose signature dish is black cod with miso |
| ROME | Where cacio e pepe is a signature dish |
| ORANGECHICKEN | Entree that Panda Express calls its "signature dish" |
| NEILHANNON | Frontman of the pop band The Divine Comedy and writer of the theme tune to the TV sitcom Father Ted |
| LASAGNE | Pasta in the form of sheets used to make a dish of the same name (7) |
| PLATDUJOUR | What is the French phrase for the dish of the day in a restaurant? (4,2,4) |
| CASSEROLE | Dish (served in a dish of the same name) (9) |
| STEW | The dish of the West |
| TANDU | Letters Of the alphabet, which are, fittingly for 2021's first crossword, the initials of the theme entries |
| MAMA | Honoree of the puzzle (and the starts of the theme answer words) |
| DUJOUR | French phrase describing the dish of the day on a menu (2,4) |
