On The Table This Autumn

With autumn menus landing, we sat down with Phil Skinner, Regional Head Chef across many of Chestnut's larger pubs and Big House hotels, to talk about the unusual summer we've just had, what it means for the plate this autumn, and thirteen years of watching this business grow.

Phil’s Chestnut story goes back almost to the beginning. “I came on board two weeks before we opened The Packhorse Inn," he says. “I still remember the opening couple of weeks - you had Philip Turner (founder) himself coming in, taking plates to tables, helping out.”

Since then, he’s watched Chestnut evolve. “It’s grown massively. Now we’re a 24-strong, multi-faceted business. I think I’ve seen everything across the business. It’s been quite an exciting thirteen years.” One moment that stands out is reopening The Three Blackbirds after the fire (March 2018) - only to enter the first COVID lockdown a week later. “We adapted the business, the menu, everything, to reopen again. We had really good local backing from our community.”

Today, Phil’s role takes him across our kitchens, supporting Head Chefs and their teams.

“I describe it as a support network - whether that’s training, admin, jumping on the pans, talking about food or just being asked, ‘have you got a recipe for this?'”

It’s the variety he enjoys most. “Every kitchen, every business is different - different personalities, different food, different volumes.” With autumn approaching, Phil is ready for a change of season. “I’m a game man - I love big game. Autumn and winter are exciting times of year. We can have some fun with food.”

The Old Bridge, Huntingdon

He’s particularly looking forward to hearty dishes, from braised beef cheeks to short ribs. “I’m a hearty, meat-and-two-veg sort of guy at heart.” For Phil, the best menus balance creativity with familiarity.

“You take a standard dish and elevate it, keeping the flavours people expect, but done really, really well. That creativity coming through from our chefs and on our menus is what makes the difference.”

The Heatwave Effect

July 2026 was the driest July on record, with more than two-thirds of England experiencing drought conditions, putting pressure on agriculture and water supplies. [Financial Times; Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit; The Guardian]

For East Anglia, this is particularly relevant. The region is one of the UK's most important vegetable-growing areas and has faced severe rainfall deficits. Phil expects many vegetables and fruit - especially cauliflower and broccoli - and apples to be the crops to watch most closely this autumn. Furthermore, meat will also see prices rise due to a lack of grass for grazing forcing farmers to supplement with feed. However, greater variation in availability creates an opportunity to build menus around what is genuinely in season and available from our growers and suppliers.

The Crown, Stoke-by-Nayland

Fruit has generally fared better in the heat, with berries and stone fruit benefiting from the warm conditions, while English vineyards are also reporting promising prospects. This gives us an opportunity to carry some of summer into our autumn menus, using fruit across savoury dishes too - from roasted or poached fruit with game and sauces, to compotes and seasonal cocktails. Ultimately, changing availability gives us a chance to create menus that feel genuinely rooted in the season, making the most of what the land provides. [The Guardian]

To enjoy our autumn menus, make a reservation at one of our pubs or Big House hotels this season.

References:

Financial Times, British farmers need more help to cope with brutal heat, 16 August 2026. Financial Times article Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit, UK heat stress impact on food, farming, crops and farmed animals, 24 June 2026. ECIU article The Guardian, Milk, wine, salad: how your food will be affected by the summer of heat, 14 August 2026. The Guardian, 'Worst we've known': UK turns to imports as drought and heat hit vegetable crops, 1 August 2026. The Guardian article on vegetable crops.