As a food lover and author, I’m endlessly fascinated by what goes into crafting a cookbook that is as inspirational on the page as it is on the plate. James Beard Award–winning author Joshua McFadden’s new book, Six Seasons of Pasta: A New Way with Everyone’s Favorite Food, currently ranked No. 1 in Pasta and Noodle cooking, is exactly that: a celebration of seasonal ingredients, simple techniques and the joy of cooking. McFadden will share his culinary wisdom at UCSC’s Cowell Ranch Hay Barn on Oct. 21.
“I grew up around farming, animals and big gardens,” McFadden says. “That probably led me to culinary school after dropping out of film school. I worked on a farm first, then jumped headfirst into the culinary world.”
Curious about the detour, I asked, “Was it the farming, a love of food, or the allure of a creative career?”
“Film school professors kept asking what I wanted to do. I said, ‘Make movies,’ and they said I had to focus on one thing. I realized I didn’t want to focus on just one thing. I started going out to restaurants more, fell in love with their design and food. My family background is in interior design and industrial arts, so I’ve always been drawn to spaces. And I’ve always loved food. Telling a story and throwing a party—that’s what I love.”
Alice Waters claims McFadden has the soul of a farmer, as stated in her book review. “I guess I share the same love affair farmers have with their produce. I do it by putting it on a plate and keeping it simple—never messing it up,” he explains.
Seasonal food is central to his approach. “We live in a world with better food than ever—and worse food than ever. Seasonal food is often tastier, more nutritious, and supports local communities. You can’t fake good food with bad ingredients. People are confused because grocery stores carry everything year-round. Seasonality is a compass for quality.”
His recipes balance tradition and innovation. “It’s all grounded in Italian techniques I learned while living in Rome for six months. I extend those methods to seasonal vegetables and local ingredients, but keep it simple. Nothing in my book is something I wouldn’t serve in Italy.”
On the difference between Italian and American pasta, he laughs: “Italy is small; a lot of their wheat comes from Oregon and Washington. There’s incredible American pasta available now—Flour & Water and Sfoglini, for example. (Both brands are available locally at Staff of Life and elsewhere.] Good pasta is out there everywhere if you look for it.”
Pasta, of course, is the ultimate comfort food. “I make vegetable-forward dishes, but pasta is the number-one food in the world. A bowl of pomodoro is a universal favorite. It’s more popular than pizza. Italy is known for their pasta, but noodles are a comfort food in so many cuisines,” McFadden says.
For home cooks surrounded by Santa Cruz’s markets and farms, McFadden’s advice is practical: stock your larder. “Have salts, vinegars, oils, spices, grains, pastas, beans. Then when you go to the market, you’re ready to buy what inspires you and turn it into a meal. Cooking is both nourishment and creativity.”
He also emphasizes learning by doing. “I aim to teach, not tell people how to cook. When you work with something like tomatoes, you create a moment of success—or failure—and learn from it. That lesson carries forward. Mistakes aren’t mistakes—they’re understanding why good pasta is good pasta.”
McFadden is inspired by regenerative agriculture, heritage grains and local eating. “There’s so much misinformation, and people live fast lives, but slowing down to connect with food is always positive. Cooking and eating deliberately, even a little, matters.”
At his upcoming event, expect more than recipes. “We’ll talk about the new book, past books, future projects—lots of fun things. But mostly, I hope people walk away excited to cook with good ingredients, seasonally and simply.”
Joshua McFadden speaks at 7pm on Oct. 21 at Cowell Ranch Hay Barn on the UCSC campus.
Learn more about author and plant-based nutrition expert Elizabeth Borelli at ElizabethBorelli.com.
