THE FIFTH COURSE x CAMPERS EP. 6
Joshua McFadden: The chef who rewrote the vegetable playbook.
I can’t remember exactly when I bought Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons, but I can remember my reaction to every recipe: absolute, delighted shock. One dish was better than the next. The book quickly became a forest of Post-its, borderline excessive and undeniably deserved. For the first time, vegetables made complete sense to me. Not as sidekicks or obligatory greens, not as filler, but as the beating heart of a dish. Texture, brightness, acid, crunch, restraint. Suddenly everything clicked.
Meeting Joshua in person for Campers felt like meeting the architect behind so many meals that have shaped my cooking. He arrived with exactly the energy you’d expect from someone who treats the seasons as collaborators: grounded, curious, wonderfully wacky, fully tuned in. He balances chaos and intention with this effortless ease. He talks about produce the way most people talk about family.
Our usual routine, where I cook for the guest, didn’t stand a chance. Joshua and I ended up cooking a stunning pomodoro together. Well, he cooked and I learned…while being lovingly scolded. Apparently I should be weighing and timing my pasta. He’s not wrong, but my Italian grandmother taught me to feeeeeeel when the pasta is done. And honestly? As I type that out, I think Joshua might have a point.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Who is he: Joshua McFadden
What he does: Chef, farmer, and bestselling author of Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables, Grains for Every Seasons, Six Seasons of Pasta
Where to find him: @jj__mc
Joshua’s story starts long before Six Seasons found its way onto kitchen tables from Brooklyn to Portland to Paris. He trained in some of the country’s best kitchens, absorbing technique, discipline, and a deep respect for craft. But everything shifted when he discovered what would ultimately define his career: the quiet magic of vegetables.
At some point, and he talks about this beautifully, the farm became just as important as the kitchen. He started working the land, studying seasonality, and building relationships with the people who coax flavor from the soil. That farmer–chef duality is what sets him apart. He’s not just cooking with vegetables; he’s in conversation with them. Today, he even owns his own farm in Oregon. (waiting for an invite…..)
Six Seasons didn’t just become a beloved cookbook. It became a mindset. It changed the way home cooks shop, taste, and build a plate. Since then, Joshua has opened restaurants, collaborated closely with growers, and continued crafting dishes rooted in restraint and clarity. At his core, he’s still doing what he does best: sourcing incredible ingredients, treating them with respect, and cooking the hell out of them.
WHAT’S ON THE PASS
Pickled Cantaloupe and Pomodoro
Joshua is a huge fan of pickled anything. His all-time favorite? Pickled cantaloupe. I had never even heard of it. So, of course, I had to play around and surprise him with a jar of freshly pickled melon. And wow — what a flavor combo. I paired it with prosciutto, and it was perfection.
You should absolutely try it at home. Here’s the recipe I used.
The pomodoro we made together was quite literally the best pomodoro i’ve ever made. We cooked it step by step from his cookbook, The Six Seasons of Pasta
THE CONVERSATION
Some favorite moments:
The great debate X2: There were not one but two debates on this episode. Joshua and I had opposite answers, so I want to know your thoughts! Please leave a comment below.
Would you put lemon in your pomodoro sauce?
Are you a Cool Ranch or a Nacho Cheese?
Joshua allowed curiosity to lead the way. Joshua is an incredibly impressive chef and human, but what moved me most was his willingness to bet on himself. At the peak of a fast-rising chef career, he realized he needed something more grounded. So he stepped off the track completely and found clarity on a farm in Maine.
That pivot changed everything. It’s where he first understood the idea of six seasons, fell in love with pulling kale straight from the earth, and eventually wrote Six Seasons, a James Beard Award winner. He went on to write two more books rooted in that same seasonal philosophy. Joshua is so much more than a chef. He’s someone who follows instinct, honors the land, and lets curiosity lead the way.
Joshua reminds us to cook with the seasons — to stop reaching for out-of-season ingredients just because we’re used to them or craving them. If you love a Christmas asparagus recipe, try the same method with what is in season instead, like squash or Brussels sprouts.
A favorite personal detail. Joshua’s go-to snack is a BLT with peanut butter.
SIDE PLATE
What really stayed with me from this episode was knowing when to grind and when to listen to that part of you that needs change. Life moves fast, and it’s so easy to keep going just because that’s what everyone else is doing. But at the end of the day, you’re responsible for you. If something feels off, you’re the only one who can shift it.
Joshua picking up and leaving New York stuck with me. That took guts and a level of confidence most people never tap into. He let himself pivot, opened a completely foreign door, and had no idea where it would lead. That leap changed everything. His time on the farm in Maine was so transformative that he recently bought his own 50-acre farm, which he’s now building out.
It’s a reminder that trusting yourself can take you places you never planned, but always needed.
OTHER RECS THIS WEEK
Snack: I’ve been on a major salami kick lately. It started when I was sourcing meat and cheese for a grazing board a couple of weeks ago. My first stop is always Murray’s. I sampled a bunch and fell hard for the Red Bear Tipsy Cow Beef Brandy Salami. It’s a little younger, a little twistier, and absolutely delicious.
Outfit from the Episode: Sezane butter yellow skirt. My T-shirt is an oldie <3
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Joshua reminded me that creativity doesn’t always hit like lightning. Most of the time it grows quietly, the way a seed pushes through the soil — slow, patient, a little wacky, totally true to its own rhythm. His food tastes like that. It tastes like someone who’s really listening to the land, to the seasons, to what’s happening right in front of him.
There’s something grounding about that kind of cooking. It makes you want to slow down, pay attention, and let ideas take their time.
Joshua was a joy and a pleasure with contagious laughter.
The full episode is live now. Watch here
SOUND BITES
Thanks for pulling up a seat.
xx,
Gina