Preheat oven to 425F. Split squash in half and scoop out the seeds; discard. Use a sharp knife or peeler to peel the squash, then cut into cubes. Spread the cubed squash onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt and ground black pepper. Add the fresh thyme and rosemary; season generously with smoked paprika and dried basil. Use a spatula and toss the squash together with the seasons. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes squash is tender and edges are caramelized.

Meanwhile, preheat a large pan over medium heat. Render the bacon until browned and crispy. Remove the bacon onto paper towels to absorb the excess grease. Into the same pan, add the corn and saute for a few minutes until lightly browned; remove into small bowl. Turn heat down slightly then add the onion, garlic and celery. Saute for 5 minutes until tender.

Place oven roasted butternut, onion mixture, broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a large soup pot. Bring the soup to a simmer and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the stove and use a blender to puree the mixture. I recommend using a submersible blender. The cream or half-and-half can be added directly into the soup pot and stirred into the bisque, OR add a drizzle of cream into each soup bowl.

For the topping, dice the rendered bacon into small bits and combine with the corn. Add half of the mixture directly into the bisque and use the remaining mix to top each bowl.