Episodes
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Whether it's Turkish Delight, chocolate cake or ginger beer - some of our earliest food memories are shaped by the books we read. In this episode Sheila Dillon goes down the rabbit-hole of children's fiction to discover why young readers find descriptions of food so compelling.
She hears from bestselling children's author Katherine Rundell who insists on eating the food she features in her books. Katherine reveals what it's like to sample a tarantula in the name of fiction. Professor of Children's Literature Michael Rosen unpicks the themes of greed, temptation and fear that surface in both his work and that of Roald Dahl. At the Bath Children's Literature Festival Supertato author Sue Hendra and the illustrator Rob Biddulph talk about how children are drawn to the everydayness of food.
The programme concludes in the Children's Bookshop in North London as the Food Programme presenters gather to discuss their favourite food books of the year for both younger and older readers. They are assisted by the bookshop owner Sanchita Basu de Sarkar and the author of The Chronicles of Wetherwhy Anna James.
Presented by Sheila DillonProduced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Robin Markwell
This episode features extracts from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis read by Katherine Rundell, The Boy Next Door by Enid Blyton read by Miriam Margolyes (for BBC Radio 4 in 2008) and The Twits by Roald Dahl read by Kathy Burke (for Jackanory, BBC TV in 1995)
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Five seafood species make up 80% of what is consumed in the UK â while at the same time the vast majority of what is caught in UK waters gets exported. But is that trend beginning to shift?
In this episode, Sheila Dillon hears how initiatives like the "Plymouth Fishfinger" are hoping to make more use of fish that has often been seen as âby-catchâ, and how seafood festivals are working to connect the public with local seafood, and can even help regenerate coastal communities.
She also hears how the Fish in Schools Hero programme is working to get young people to try more seafood, and shows how simple it can be to prepare.
Also featured are Ashley Mullenger (@thefemalefisherman) and tv chef and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Presented by Sheila DillonProduced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan.
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Episodes manquant?
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Peter Frankopan, the author of Silk Roads and Earth Transformed, shares his insights with Dan Saladino on food, history and questions for our future.
Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.
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In this exploration of backstage food, Jaega Wise meets actors and musicians to find out how they eat to fuel their performance.The journey begins backstage at the Criterion Theatre in the West End, to meet stars of the hit musical Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) Dujonna Gift and Sam Tutty.From there Jaega chats to baker Stacy Donnelly whoâs provided thousands of real-life pies for Waitress the Musical on broadway, and gets advice from nutritionist and dietician Jasmine Challis on the best diet to fuel dancers.She also heads to Joe Allenâs in Covent Garden, which is renowned for feeding Hollywood stars, and chats to author of âMy Family and Other Rock starsâ, Tiffany Murray, whoâs written a memoir about watching her Mum Joan acting as chef for performers of the 70s such as Queen, Black Sabbath and David Bowie.And finally sheâll be getting to know popstar couple Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Richard Jones, to talk riders, eating on tour, and the breakfast Sophie canât do without.
Presented by Jaega Wise and produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Tory Pope.
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From the indigenous food of the USA to extraordinary cheeses from Ukraine, the wonders of fermentation to a revolutionary network of bakers, Dan Saladino shares stories of food and biodiversity at Slow Food's global gathering, Terra Madre.
Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.
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Leyla Kazim explores how neurodivergence can affect the way people eat and experience food.
The programme visits Aubergine Café in Cardiff, which is owned and run by autistic individuals, to meet the staff who explain why the café is needed and how it provides a better workplace for neurodivergent people.
Leyla also speaks to expert dietitian David Rex, who supports children with autism facing eating challenges. She meets the parents of one of his patients, a four-year-old girl recently diagnosed with ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). David explains the role of "safe foods" and how they can both aid and complicate recovery.
At The Holmewood School in north London, a specialist school for neurodivergent children, teachers and students share with Leyla how their new food technology kitchen is transforming some children's relationship with food, while also building skills and pride.
And renowned chef Heston Blumenthal, owner of The Fat Duck restaurant, discusses his own experiences with ADHD and bipolar disorder.
The programme also features:
Kate Tchanturia, a professor of psychology in eating disorders at King's College London, who developed the PEACE pathway to support autistic people with anorexia.
Lucinda Miller, clinical lead at NatureDoc and author of Brain Brilliance, a book of recipes and guidance for parents of neurodivergent children.
Leanne Maskell, founder of ADHD Works, a company providing ADHD coaching.
Presented by Leyla KazimProduced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan
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Jaega Wise travels the country to meet the three finalists in the Drinks Producer category in this year's BBC Food and Farming Awards.
Her journey takes her to Belfast and the Bullhouse Brewery which began life in a farm shed. Now thriving in an industrial estate, head brewer Will Mayne talks about his frustrations with the current alcohol licensing system in Northern Ireland which he says made it hard for him to open a pub and sell his beer. The controversial "Surrender Principle" means there's a cap on the number of issued pub licences which can be sold for one hundred thousand pounds each. Jaega also hears from Colin Neill - the chief executive of the trade body Hospitality Ulster - who believes the current system keeps standards high in pubs and does work for publicans.
Then it's on to East Sussex and the producers of a fermented milk drink nicknamed "the champagne of dairy". Ki-Kefir was co-founded by Sam Murphy who started off making kefir in her London kitchen. It proved so popular with friends and family that she linked up with a dairy farm when she moved to the countryside to expand her production. She shows Jaega how kefir is made and discusses its potential health benefits.
Lastly, Jaega travels to Scotland to see the country's oldest working distillery. The Glenturret Distillery in Crieff has been producing whisky since 1763, with a short break during the years of Prohibition. Distillery manager Ian Renwick hosts a tour and uncorks some 15-year old whisky in the tasting room.
Jaega also mulls over the shortlisted three with the drinks journalist Olly Smith in a whisky bar in London.
Presented by Jaega WiseProduced by Sam Grist and Robin MarkwellArchive Clip from Saturday Kitchen on BBC1 from 14th Sept, produced by Cactus TV.
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Dan Saladino looks at 10 potentially planet changing ideas for the future of food, from a farm out at sea to a pioneering rethink on how we can feed cities. Dan meets the scientists, entrepreneurs and risk-takers focused on transforming the health of the planet, and us.
Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.
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Why does food do our heads in?
This episode is a panel recording from 2024 Abergavenny Food Festival with a live audience.
Sheila Dillon is joined by Chef Heston Blumenthal, who recently went public about his diagnosis of bi-polar, and having ADHD (Attention Deficit hyperactivity disorder); chartered psychologist Kimberley Wilson, the author of "Unprocessed: How the Food We Eat is Fuelling Our Mental Health Crisis"; Natalie Hackett the Headteacher of New Lubbesthorpe Primary School in Leicestershire who was crowned School Leader Food Hero of 2024, at the Jamie Oliver School Food Awards; and Dr Ally Jaffee, co-founder of Nutritank, an organisation set up to make sure that future doctors learned that food, along with exercise, is central to health. Dr Jaffee is now a resident doctor specialising in psychiatry.
The discussion focussed on the known connections between food and mental health, from childhood through to old age.
Presented by Sheila DillonProduced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan
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Leyla Kazim traces the journey of this unassuming wonder food, from its health benefits to its origins.
Nuts, which once would have been central to the diet of our ancestors, are now often treated as a nice-to-have health choice. Itâs a food we need to reconnect with, and to do so, we can learn from both the latest science and other food cultures.
Leyla hears from Professor Sarah Berry of Kingâs College London, who has studied how the form in which we eat nuts - whole, ground, in butters or milks - affects how much of their benefits we receive. Swapping nuts for your daily snack, however you eat them, could help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, as Sarah explains.
As health benefit messages around nuts take off, there has been a huge boom in demand. But whatâs the impact of this on the worldâs nut farmers, traders and environment? Without much origin information provided on nut packs, Leyla sets off to find some answers of her own. And her journey takes her across the world: from cashew plantations in west Africa, processing plants in south East Asia, markets in Turkey and walnut orchards in Kent. Not to mention a little diversion into Californiaâs organised crime rings. Because there is another story here about how high demand has a price.
She spends a day with Charlie Tebbutt, founder of Food & Forest and one of the only companies to be actively selling British-grown nuts. Charlie also buys direct from other growers around the world, who are using a sustainable farming system called agroforestry, to preserve water, improve soil and diversify their income. Charlie is about to open a first-of-its-kind processing facility in Bermondsey, south London, where he hopes to de-shell and process British-grown hazelnuts in way that improves quality and allows the industry to scale up. Leyla visits his walnut orchards in Kent to ask: could British nuts ever replace imports?
If weâre trying to eat more nuts, there is also much to be learned from other countries. Specifically Turkey, where nuts are revered as a cornerstone of the cuisine and food culture. Leyla meets Turkish food writer and chef Ozlem Warren in her local Turkish supermarket, to reminisce over the Turkish 'green emerald' pistachios, green almonds and fresh walnuts, which are enjoyed by Turks in sweet or savoury dishes, at celebrations or indeed, at any other time of day.
Presented by Leyla Kazim and produced by Nina Pullman for BBC Audio in Bristol.
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Dan Saladino visits a unique collection of sourdough bread starters from around the world and explores a hidden world of grains, yeasts, bacteria and their influence on our health.
Produced and presented by Dan Saladino
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As MPs return to Westminster after the summer recess, The Food Programme catches up with three of the newer recruits to discuss future food policies.
Sheila Dillon meets Dr Simon Opher MP (Labour), Aphra Brandreth MP (Conservative) and Sarah Dyke MP (Liberal Democrat) at the head office and kitchens of catering firm Social Pantry, who work with ex-prisoners on their zero-waste food offering.
The questions come from some familiar voices to The Food Programme, including Dr Chris Van Tulleken, Asma Khan, Nicole Pisani (Chefs in Schools), Professor Tim Lang and Helen Browning (Soil Association).
Can this group of MPs push food and farming up the agenda in Parliament, and if so - what will be their focus?
Presented by Sheila DillonProduced in Bristol by Natalie Donovan
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Food waste isn't a new story. So why cover it again? Well, in the UK, we are still wasting over 10 million tonnes of food a year. That's food that could have been sold, eaten, cooked and enjoyed.
Clearly this is a problem that isn't going away. But crucially, we have a new government who have said that a zero waste economy is one of their top priorities for the environment. What will this mean for food waste? And is it individuals, or businesses, who can really make a difference?
In this programme, Leyla Kazim goes after some new answers. Does the answer lie in the design of our fridges, for example? Or in making it law for supermarkets to tell us how much food they waste? Along the way, she meets the people who have made it their lifeâs work to help us cut waste, from dumpster divers to fridge enthusiasts.
Ever wondered where all the unsold food from supermarkets goes? Matt Homewood, AKA The Urban Harvester, went to find out one night in his home town of Copenhagen, Denmark, and what he found shocked him. He began 'dumpster diving' every night and sharing pictures of his food swag on social media. Leyla hears how these posts began to go viral and were the start of Mattâs activism to put the spotlight on supermarket food waste.
Food waste is often talked about in terms of redistribution to charities or food banks. But that isnât the only answer, finds Leyla, when she visits Katy Newton, founder of Wasted Kitchen in Kent and a finalist in the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2024. Katy buys or trades for the surplus food she uses to make her takeaways, ferments and deli salad boxes, which go back on sale at the food hall next door. Katy explains why she wanted to counter the narrative around food charity and help people be more confident in the kitchen along the way.
Leyla hears an update from Wrap, the organisation that runs the UKâs official food waste scheme, to find out what action has been taken so far and whether they would support a law to make food waste reporting legal. She asks the same question to the new government, before calling on journalist Ian Quinn, chief reporter at trade magazine The Grocer, for his take on what's happening in the industry.
Online there is a growing network of influencers helping people eat everything they buy to save waste, but also, save money. Two of the most popular, Elly Pear (another finalist for this year's Food and Farming Awards) and Max La Manna, meet in Ellyâs kitchen in Bristol to share their best food waste tips and approach Ellyâs fridge, ready-steady-cook style, to cook lunch with last night's leftovers.
Talking of fridges, at her home in London, Leyla hosts PhD researcher Emma Atkins for one of Emmaâs unique âfridge sessionsâ. Emmaâs research looks at our relationship with the fridge, how its design can hinder our food waste efforts, and how fridge history is linked to over-buying of food. She quizzes Leyla about her food waste hotspots and explains how we might be hampered in our food waste efforts by the objects and systems around us.
Presented by Leyla Kazim and produced by Nina Pullman for BBC Audio in Bristol.
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Food, identity, myths and reality. In a globalised world can a dish reflect who we are and where we live? Dan Saladino explores fascinating stories of food, music and tradition in an ever changing and fast moving world.
Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.
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Sheila Dillon hears why some clinicians and researchers want the condition 'Ultra-Processed Food Addiction' to be recognised by groups such as The World Health Organisation.
Earlier this year, Dr Jen Unwin (clinical psychologist) and some like-minded international colleagues, including Dr Chris Van Tulleken (scientist, author and broadcaster), came together in London to discuss why they believe Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF), as defined by the NOVA Food Classification system, are the most problematic, and are causing more addicted like behaviours in people. They say if the addiction was formalised, then Government's would have to do more to regulate these foods and the food industry.
People who consider themselves food addicts, explain to Sheila what the addiction is like to live with, how they stay abstinent from certain foods, and why they believe it would help others if the diagnosis was available to more people.
Sheila also speaks to a specialist in Eating Disorders who says they don't believe the scientific evidence for Food Addiction is strong enough, and has concerns that labelling certain foods as 'bad' or 'toxic' could lead to more disordered eating.
Presented by Sheila DillonProduced by Natalie Donovan in Bristol.
Additional Resources: https://the-chc.org/fashttps://liberatetoday.org/https://liberatetoday.org/
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Finland has once again topped the ranking for the happiest country in the world. But what has food got to do with it? In this programme, Sheila Dillon finds out whether what they eat, their food culture and unique food policies are helping Finns feel happy. What we could we learn from this enterprising Nordic nation? And what challenges are they still facing?
In Helsinki, Sheila visits restaurateur and âhappiness hackerâ Luka Balac, who in his spare time takes tourists through a day in the life of âa happy Finnâ, and explains how his approach to food hospitality fosters his own sense of happiness. Next. she joins a city food and walking tour to taste Finnish specialties like Karelian pies and cloudberry jam to find out more about the food habits of the locals.
Finland has had its fair share of unhappiness with high depression and suicide rates in the past. Now, there are new efforts to improve mental health via food. Sheila speaks to Aino Kipfer, a researcher in Eastern Finland, who is part of a project aiming to treat depression with better diets, building on the pioneering science around food and mood. She also hears more about how food is linked to security in the eastern region from Kirsi Vartia, of the Rural Women's Advisory Committee, who shares her own personal tips for happiness.
Sirpa Sarlio, an advisor at the government's Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, explains why Finland became the first country in the world to offer free school meals, and why this ended up as a strong foundation on which to build a happy and healthy wider society. Back in London, Sheila visits diplomat and food enthusiast Markus Hippi, at the Finnish church and community centre in Rotherhithe, to hear how the UK compares in terms of food culture and happiness from the point of view of Finns living abroad.
Presented by Sheila Dillon and produced by Nina Pullman for BBC Audio in Bristol.
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Jaega Wise and Robbie Armstrong explore the exponential growth of celebrity-backed drinks brands. She asks why so many stars want a piece of this rapidly growing pie, and charts the rise of everything from A-Lister tequilas and rums to supermarket shelves stacked with celeb-branded wines.
Jaega heads to one of UKâs biggest drinks events of the year, Dr Dre and Snoopâs Gin & Juice launch, where she speaks to Shaquille OâNeal, Yungblud, Ella Eyre and Yasiin Bey on the star-studded red carpet.
She hears from Blurâs Alex James about his English sparkling wine, and chats with Emma Watsonâs brother Alex about the premium gin heâs launched with his sister.
Brett Berish of Sovereign Brands talks about the process behind creating some of the worldâs most popular celebrity-endorsed spirits. Filling up his cup with more than a splash of cynicism, Aaron Goldfarb guides Jaega through the winners and losers in his list of the best and worst celebrity spirits on the market.
Jaega sits down with Noble Rot founder Dan Keeling, who discusses his previous career in the music industry, why he thinks celebrities should leave the winemaking to winemakers, and the growing trend of vigneron-as-celebrity.
Producer Robbie Armstrong pops a few star-studded corks with wine writer and author of âCorkerâ, Hannah Crosbie, explains the appeal of celebrity booze for consumers, and talks us through which ones might be worth your money. Jennifer Creevy, head of food and drink at trend forecaster WGSN, predicts what the future holds for the celebrity category â and which drinks might come of age while others spoil.
Presented by Jaega Wise. Produced by Robbie Armstrong.
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A meeting with top chef HĂ©lĂšne Darroze at Mayfair's Connaught Hotel leads Sheila Dillon to ask the question, why aren't there more female Michelin starred chefs?
Statistics from the Office for National Statistics suggest 37% of all chefs working in the UK are female, but when you look at the numbers leading Michelin starred restaurants, the number drops to around 8% (according to analysis by Chefs Pencil, 2022).
Includes interviews with Nigerian-born chef Adejoké Bakare, who in February, became the first Black woman in Britain to earn a Michelin star; chef Sally Abé who has recently published her first book, "A Woman's Place is in the Kitchen" and Sarah Francis who returned her Michelin star after 8 years running The Checkers (a restaurant in Montgomery, Powys).
Plus we hear from young upcoming female fine-dining chefs about how they feel the industry is set up for women wanting to reach the top jobs.
Presented by Sheila DillonProduced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan
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As the summer holidays kick off and people plan for journeys far and near, Sheila explores what food is provided on trains and at train stations across the country. A new report by the Office for Road and Rail suggests passengers pay around 10 per cent more for food inside stations, where catering leases often roll over automatically with limited opportunities for new food businesses to enter the market. Sheila finds out who the biggest players are in rail food and speaks to a range of people from station operators, food retailers and train companies to find out: is train food as bad as it once was?
Not many people spend their lives in constant motion, but travel writer Caroline Eden is one of them. Sheila shares a train picnic with Caroline on the train line leading up to Scotland's walking country, and hears stories of food shared and meals eaten on remote routes during Caroline's travels through Central Asia and beyond. Pasties are one of Caroline's favourite journey foods, and she's not alone. From the tin miners of Cornwall's past to their omnipresence at stations today, pasties might just be one of the UK's longest-standing foods eaten on the move.
Sheila also hears from travel correspondent Simon Calder, reporting from a station cafe on the Swiss-Italian border, with his perspective on how train catering has changed and his top tops for eating well on the move. How does food on trains compare in other countries and is there anything we can learn from the food cultures of others? Tokyo food tour host Yukari Sakamoto explains the tradition of Japan's Bento boxes, nutritious, freshly-cooked boxed meals bought at stations and eaten on trains across the country.
Presented by Sheila Dillon and produced by Nina Pullman for BBC Audio in Bristol.
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As part of Just One Thing Day on Radio 4, Sheila Dillon looks back at Dr Michael Mosley's legacy and comes up with 5 reasons why he mattered in getting us all to understand why eating better leads to living better.
Through listening to the Just One Thing archive, and some of The Food Programme archive, we can see how his "just one things" were connected to much bigger things, and how he was able to show us, through examining the evidence for that thing, and trialling it on willing members of the public, that change can begin, and maybe has to begin, with individuals.
As promised, here's a list of the programmes featured:
Just One Thing: Change Your Meal Times - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000zt7d Snack Smartly - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001wq7f Swap Out Sugar - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001gx56 Try Some Turmeric â https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jt2h Eat Slowly â https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001zvvr Enjoy Oily Fish - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017tbn Food Special with Tim Spector - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001ngjx
The Food Programme: Doctor's Orders: Getting Tomorrow's Medics Cooking - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09wr9q9 The Eatwell Guide - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b86702 Turmeric â https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08rpd85 Mindful Food and the Art of Attention - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00193rb How We Eat: 4. Eating as a Family - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b099w3v4 Omega 6 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b00jc3sw The Food Programme â Fixing Dan - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001h44h
Presented by Sheila DillonProduced in Bristol for BBC Audio By Natalie Donovan
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