Strawbridge Over The Drawbridge: all you need to know about new BBC One Northern Ireland series

Over the next three weeks, James, the son of chateau dwelling Dick, unearths terrific tales and hopes to cook up a storm as he travels the country on a tour of the Province’s most magnificent country houses and estates.

The series includes Ballywalter Park where he is the guest of Lord and Lady Dunleath, Crom Castle where he meets Lord and Lady Erne, and Greyabbey House, the home of Bill and Daphne Montgomery.

He said: “I think these properties are designed in such a way as to make you go wow. You see them from the road and they look good but it’s not until you come round the corner and it’s just wow.”

Each of the three half-hour episodes of ‘Strawbridge Over The Drawbridge’ sees professional chef James meet the people lucky enough to call these spectacular buildings home and is taken on a tour of their sumptuous interiors while learning about the colourful past of not only the buildings but their previous inhabitants.

He said: “When I went to Ballywater I got invited to stay over in between filming. It was really nice to feel very at home even though you daren’t touch anything because they’re priceless valuables, it’s just good Northern Irish hospitality.

“I felt really relaxed and I think it made me cook better as well. Yes, I was stressed with the prospect of cooking for lords and ladies – these people know their food – but actually I realised these are people struggling to keep their properties, their business, their heritage thriving – I could relate to them, my dad has got a similar challenge with his place.”

James’ father Dick was raised and educated in Co Antrim and James himself spent two years in Lisburn from the age of six to eight.

He enjoys regular visits to Northern Ireland to stay with his granny.

He said: “Normally my granny and my aunties look after me when I come over, we don’t cook, we don’t worry about much.

“With this series I got more hands on, I got to discover Northern Ireland in a different way.

“In terms of food for me it was always cheese and onion Tayto, a pint of Guinness, maybe some Veda and an Ulster Fry. I’m able to discover seafood, shellfish, Portavogie prawns, the cheese and charcuterie, I was blown away by how good the food is in Northern Ireland.”

All James’s recipes from the series are on the BBC Food website at bbc.co.uk/food