About Us
We are a determined, industrious and passionate partnership.
We fell in love in 2010 and neither of us could believe our luck. Now living in a fairytale castle in France with our young family, Arthur who was born in 2013 and Dorothy who arrived a year later, we are firm believers in the harder you work, the luckier you get.
Dick Strawbridge
The third of seven children, Dick was born in Burma, but raised and educated in Northern Ireland. He attended Ballyclare High School before going to Welbeck where he was Head of College.
Dick then attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and, in 1979, was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals. In 1993 he was awarded an MBE for distinguished service in Northern Ireland. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2001 having served in Germany, England, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Northern Ireland.
After leaving the army, Dick had a successful career as a Programme Manager, and then trouble shooter, for a large multinational company before becoming a full-time television presenter and author.
He has an honours degree in Electrical Engineering and received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Plymouth University.
Dick has arguably the best moustache in showbusiness. He is a man of many interests, some of which are reflected in his successful and varied television career.
He hit our television screens with Scrapheap Challenge and subsequent credits include three series of It’s Not Easy Being Green and Celebrity Masterchef for the BBC and Hungry Sailors for ITV.
2015 took Dick across the pond to film Dirty Rotten Survival in America for National Geographic, whilst beginning filming Escape to the Chateau for Channel 4. Then in 2017, Dick filmed BBC4’s Trainspotters, Biggest Little Railway and Cabins in the Wild for Channel 4. After 9 wonderful series, Escape to The Chateau came to an end in 2022.
Angel Strawbridge
Angel is a 1940s vintage-clad redhead from East London. She is the founder of The Vintage Patisserie, a glamorous hospitality company, and is author of the best-selling ‘Vintage Tea Party’ series which touched the hearts of many a vintage enthusiast. Humble beginnings and hard work have secured Angel coverage in nearly every glossy and national newspaper and the fashion pack that have her on speed dial – Paul Smith, Kim Jones, Cutler and Gross, and Liberty’s, to name-drop a few.
Hungry to grow the business even further, Angel applied to the BBC business series Dragons Den in 2010. She touched the nation with her passion and heartfelt pitch, which won not only the hearts of the Dragons, but also offers of investment and the patronage from Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis.
The Vintage Patisserie did indeed grow to new heights and in 2011 she opened her first Vintage Patisserie in Hackney, East London. With eleven staff and ten events a week, business blossomed. A book deal followed and Angel’s Vintage Tea Party series has sold copies all over the world.
In 2013, Angel and Dick were blessed with their son Arthur Donald and in 2014, Angel and Dick could not believe their luck when Dorothy Francis was born. The couple married in November 2015 at their family home Chateau de la Motte Husson. Their family's journey was documented on Channel 4 series, Escape to the Chateau, beginning in 2015 and came to an end in 2022.
Escape to The Chateau
The full DVD collection of all 9 series of Escape to The Chateau, relive the best moments from our journey and follow along as we create our dream home.
The Chateau Kitchen
With 200 beautifully designed pages of recipes from breakfasts to nightcaps, this book is perfect for everything from family classics to impressive dinner parties with friends.
Forever Home
Our third book in this series, A Year at The Chateau, Living the Chateau Dream and The Chateau: Forever Home tell the full story of the years of hard graft spend rennovating.
Practical Self-Sufficiency
In Practical Self Sufficiency, Dick and James show you how to make practical, sustainable changes that will have a big impact on your life - without having to transform your lifestyle.
The Beginning
Released in 2018, this book shares the Why, How and What they did to create a new life for their family in the stunning Pays-de-la-Loire in France.
Vintage Tea Party
Angel's love for everything vintage has been beautifully presented in the pages of this book. With recipes, how-to's, tips and ideas on hosting the perfect Vintage Tea Party.