The foods of southeast Asia—think Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore—make ideal picnic food. These cuisines are light and sprightly, with interesting interplay between sweet, salty, bitter, and sour flavors.

A Thai grilled chicken is the star of the menu, and it can be grilled at the picnic spot or cooked at home and then enjoyed at room temperature. It’s a fairly long menu; certainly, one where the work will go faster if divided between a few cooks. This way of eating is typical of southeast Asia, where a bountiful, eye-pleasing spread of proffered dishes is always equated with good hospitality.