This feature is part of How I Host, an exclusive Homes & Gardens video series that invites us into the homes of chefs, entertainers, and tastemakers who celebrate the art of gathering. Each guest shares their own approach to hosting, weaving together memory and nostalgia with personal style – from timeless tablescapes inspired by family traditions to menus that tell a story. Expect ideas, recipes, and small gestures that turn every occasion into something beautifully memorable.
For Clodagh McKenna, cooking has always been about connection. Connection to the seasons, to the people she loves, and to the joy of gathering around a table. The Irish chef, author, and television presenter has spent 26 years building a life that celebrates those simple pleasures, dividing her time between a 100-acre sustainable farm in Hampshire and her home in Chelsea.
As she releases her new book Clodagh's Happy Cooking, (available on Kindle from October 30 and in hardback from February 3), Clodagh invites us into her world for this month’s How I Host. She shares four comforting seasonal recipes and her favorite fall table decor ideas, all designed to spark that feeling of warmth, nostalgia, and togetherness that defines her approach to entertaining.
Homes & Gardens' How I Host episode
How Clodagh creates her gorgeously rich seasonal tablescape
'The first thing I think about when I’m doing my tablescape, is what food I’m going to serve and also what the weather’s like outside – the seasons,' says Clodagh McKenna as she flings a beautiful wide-striped tablecloth from her tableware collection, Honey by Clodagh, in her signature caramel and honeycomb tones across her dining table.
Clodagh's tablescape embraces the current trend for using rust in interior design, as well as tapping into the mindset of the season. 'I love the colors of autumn – the browns and this beautiful honeycomb, and with the flowers I like to pick up all those gorgeous tones. Look at these delicious chocolate cosmos.' She styles the deep brown blooms in her trio of burnt caramel vases, along with bold pink dahlias, vibrant copper beech leaves, seasonal hips, and Queen Anne's Lace (daucus carota 'dara'), for additional texture and softness.
'When my guests come over, I really hope that they feel like they’re at home and that they are excited about the food,' explains Clodagh. 'We love having people around in Ireland. We’re kind of renowned for it. I grew up around the table with my aunties and cousins, and people just dropping in. And there was always a pot in the oven,' she recalls.
'These are really beautiful plates [from Nom Living] – I love the ceramics and the textures,' says Clodagh. 'I also love these amber glasses [from Zara UK] as they really match my new linen,' she shares, as she carefully places a wine and water glass at each setting.
Clodagh is all about the little details. 'I do individual salt pinch bowls for everybody because I think that it adds just a real feeling of luxury,' she explains. She also places a couple of small rustic butter dishes on the table, topped with a sprig of rosemary and a sprinkle of sea salt, for another thoughtfully curated touch.
Finally, she places fresh figs at each of the place settings, slit open with a hand-written placecard just popped in. 'I’ve been doing this for years, and it’s so funny, I’ll go to all the trouble of doing amazing tablescapes, and what people really remember are things like the fig place settings,' Clodagh laughs. 'It’s the small details that really stay in people's memories'.
'These are my new Honey by Clodagh napkins,' says Clodagh, as she wraps a chocolate brown velvet ribbon around each one,' and I love doing hand-written menus for all of my suppers. It’s just a lovely little memory of the evening', she continues, adding the final touches to her table. 'It brings that gorgeous element of surprise when my guests come and can get excited about what they're going to eat.'
'I probably entertain at least once a week – the reason I love being a chef is that I love feeding my friends and family,' she muses. And as she lights the berry red taper candles, with a sense of understated ceremony, the doorbell rings signalling the arrival of her first guests.
Clodagh McKenna's cozy fall recipes
Taken from her new book, Clodagh's Happy Cooking, these recipes are wonderfully comforting for a fall gathering. On the menu in her How I Host video, is a delicious roast cauliflower, cashew, and garlic soup, with a cheesy, seeded loaf, followed by a slow-cooked boeuf bourguignon. 'We’re going to finish it off with a parsnip cake that has a gorgeous maple frosting, topped with hazelnuts, orange zest and a drizzle of honey from our farm,' adds Clodagh.
Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic, and Cashew Soup with Garam Masala Croutons
'We have so much cauliflower growing at the moment in our farm,' says Clodagh. 'Last year I had to come up with a million ways to use it, and this roasted cauliflower soup was one of the recipes.' She tosses the cauliflower florets with cumin, and turmeric and olive oil. After roasting for ten minutes, she adds in some cashews with 'gorgeous sage, and also some lovely garlic', along with another big glug of olive oil before roasting for a further 15 minutes.
Once roasted, Clodagh purees the cauliflower mix. 'See how creamy it is from the cashew?,' she points out. 'The last thing I put in is lemon – any creamy sauces are always elevated by a squeeze of lemon.' Finally she carefully places on top some 'beautiful, but usually forgotten cauliflower leaves', a scattering of croutons, and a drizzle of good quality olive oil.
Cheddar Seeded Sunflower Bread
The smell of freshly cooked bread just can't be beaten so whether you're a seasoned baker or dipping your toe in the world of bread making, this Cheddar Seeded Sunflower Bread is a wonderful one to try. The dough is made with yogurt and the loaf topped with your choice of seeds for a rustic and delicious crunch. Serve warm alongside the cauliflower soup or beouf bourguignon and your guests won't be able to get enough.
Slow Cooked Boeuf Bourguignon
'This Slow Cooked Boeuf Bourguignon smells so good already and I haven’t even opened the pot,' says Clodagh as she lifts her steaming sage green Clodagh Casserole Pot onto her kitchen counter. 'I made this yesterday. The beef is seared alongside seared and browned shallots, and autumn mushrooms. I always put my best wine in there, garlic, bay leaves, some herbs,' explains Clodagh. 'It’s always better the next day.'
Parsnip Cake with Maple Frosting
'Parsnip cake at this time of year is my favorite cake,' shares Clodagh. 'I love a savory cake as I don’t like things too sweet. And this is a very simple cream cheese maple frosting.' She uses maple syrup instead of powdered (or icing) sugar. 'It really makes that wonderful balance between the moreish savoriness, and the sweet creaminess'. To finish and add texure, Clodagh scatters some chopped roasted hazelnuts on top, a spinkling of orange zest, and a drizzle of honey. 'And that’s it!,' she says.
Shop Clodagh's cozy fall look
While you can find real wood-handled flatware, this faux wood set captures the natural vibe, whilst being affordable enough to ring the changes with the seasons.
If you can't wait to get your hands on the Honey By Clodagh linens, these napkins by Hawkins New York are a pretty good match.
You could get crafty, like Clodagh, and make your own, but these ready-made bow napkin rings will save you time to focus on the rest of your table.
Add the finishing touch with some ambient candlelight. These beautiful berry red taper candles will set of the colors in your fall tablescape perfectly.
These hammered amber wine glasses are a good alternative to the ones Clodagh uses in her table setting if you're unable to get hold of the exact ones.
These plates are part of the Hand & Hearth with Magnolia collection for Target by Joanna Gaines. The glazed stoneware finish will bring texture and interest to a Clodagh-inspired tablescape.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.