Harvest Like a Pro with James Strawbridge

As the days grow cooler and the boots and coats pile up by the door, it is the small comforts that make your house feel like home again. The hum of routine returning, the soft glow of a well-set table, and the promise of meals that warm from the inside out. The dip in temperature calls for comforting dinners that linger, full of flavours that soothe, and living spaces that invite you to pause, breathe, and savour the simple pleasures of the season.

For a touch of inspiration, chef, food photographer, and writer James Strawbridge shares a taste of autumn from his coastal garden:

“It’s harvest time here in Cornwall – the dogs insisted on a walk up to the field, so I grabbed my foraging basket and came back with a proper bounty: corn, beans, and homegrown squash from my three sisters garden, ready for a hearty family chilli. The boot rack kept the mud at the door (essential when the dogs try to steal the show), and back in the kitchen I roasted wedges of squash with cumin, smoked paprika, and a drizzle of oil – skin and all, for that rustic sweetness.

Paired with a classic beef and bean chilli, fresh parsley snipped straight in with my trusty scissors, fluffy rice, and a grating of cheddar, it’s the kind of seasonal comfort food that makes the shift into autumn feel just right. A proper harvest feast – best enjoyed after a muddy dog walk and a trip to the veg plot.”