Joy and Abundance: Autumn Entertaining with Peter Som
Tips, recipes, wine pairings, and inspiration for a season of celebration.
- November 4, 2025
- 1 min read
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Print Wine101
Autumn Entertaining with Peter Som
At Rombauer, we approach each season as a new opportunity to gather, celebrate, and savor the Joy of Wine. As we settle into November, our friend and culinary collaborator Peter Som — award-winning designer, lifestyle expert, and author of Family Style — shares his favorite ways to bring warmth and ease to autumn entertaining.
From cozy ingredients and rich tablescapes to can’t-miss recipes and wine pairings, Peter shows us how to embrace the season with style, comfort, and connection.
When you picture your ideal autumn harvest gathering, what comes to mind?
When I think of an autumn harvest gathering, it’s all about that golden, late-afternoon light and the feeling of abundance. If the weather allows, I’m thinking of a long table outdoors or a candlelit room for indoors. There’s always a relaxed energy of mismatched linens, big rustic platters of food meant for sharing, and that easy hum of conversation that happens when everyone feels at home.
Which autumn ingredients do you find yourself reaching for again and again? And how do you use them to create dishes that feel both elevated and approachable?
Fall cooking is my comfort zone. I find myself reaching for squash, sweet potatoes, apples, cabbage and hearty greens again and again. I love roasting them to coax out their sweetness, then balancing that with bright, punchy flavors — maybe a drizzle of chili crisp, a squeeze of lemon, or a sprinkle of one of my spice blends. It’s about that mix of cozy and fresh — elevated enough for a dinner party but still totally unfussy.
You’ve often said your approach to cooking mirrors your design philosophy: effortless, yet impactful. How do you translate that into an autumn tablescape — from colors to textures to those small details that make it feel special without being overdone?
Whether it’s food or fashion, I’ve always believed in the beauty of restraint. For an autumn table, I lean into natural tones— burnished copper, deep fiery reds, olive green, creamy neutrals — layered with texture: linen, ceramic, a sprig of rosemary tied around a napkin. The goal is not perfection, but warmth. It should feel considered but not stiff — stylish but welcoming.
Is there a recipe from Family Style that you feel is especially suited to an autumn harvest table? Why does it work so well this time of year and what Rombauer wine would you pair with it?
My Mushroom Strata from Family Style is the ultimate fall dish — hearty, deeply savory, and perfect for feeding a crowd. It’s layered with sourdough, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and Gruyère, baked until golden and crisp on top with a custardy bottom underneath. It’s a dish that feels both comforting and elegant. Ideal for brunch, a cozy dinner, or a potluck with friends. I love pairing it with Rombauer Pinot Noir — its richness and fruity notes play beautifully with the earthy mushrooms and creamy texture of the strata.
As you think about autumn menus, how do you approach wine pairing?
For me, pairing wine is about balance and mood — the same way I think about design or cooking. Rombauer Chardonnay is my go-to for creamy, cozy dishes — think my roast chicken — its richness and that hint of oak play so beautifully with fall flavors. Rombauer Zinfandel brings this warm, spicy energy that I love alongside something slow-cooked or smoky, like my black garlic short ribs or my roasted carrots with gochujang honey butter. And Rombauer Merlot? It’s the dinner party crowd-pleaser — soft, velvety, and perfect with everything from a classic pasta Bolognese to a simple cheese board by the fire.
Your book beautifully reflects your family’s influence on your cooking. Are there fall family dishes or traditions that you like to incorporate into your fall entertaining?
Fall always brings me back to my family’s kitchen — the smell of rice cooking, my mom’s soups simmering on the stove, my grandmother’s apple cake cooling by the window. Those moments shaped how I entertain today. I love weaving those flavors and memories into my gatherings — a nod to where I came from, but reimagined for the life I live now. In the end, that’s what cooking — and sharing food at the table — is really about: memory, connection, and joy.
Fall Quick-Fire Round
Favorite fall ingredient? Apples!
Coziest dish you crave when the weather turns cool? Braised Short Ribs
Most underrated side dish at a harvest table?Cabbage! It’s one of my favorites and takes on flavor so perfectly.
Wine + autumn snack combo you secretly love? Rombauer Pinot Noir and prosciutto with potato chips.
One tablescape item that instantly makes it feel like fall? Pomegranates and pears (I love using fruit in my tablescapes)
Go-to playlist vibe or song for an autumn dinner party? Chill, retro and a bit nostalgic.
Dish that always disappears first at your autumn gatherings? My Grandma’s Apple Cake
Celebrate the Season
Discover more fall recipes, pairing inspiration, and the wines that make every gathering feel like home.
