PODCAST

The Food Programme

BBC Radio 4

Investigating every aspect of the food we eat

arts food

All Episodes

42:23

A Day in the Life of a Hospital Chef

The Food Programme ·

2026/04/24

Francesco Fiore is a chef and Catering Manager at Milton Keynes University Hospital, and over the last few years has made some remarkable changes to the food experience for patients and staff. Awarded the title of “Caterer of the Year” in 2025 by the Hospital Caterers Association, Frank as he's affectionately known by his team, has transformed the quality and variety of the food, reducing waste and inspired colleagues around the hospital to collaborate and come up with new ideas.Sheila Dillon

42:04

About the Girls

The Food Programme ·

2026/04/17

Sheila Dillon discusses the rise of eating disorders among young women as part of Radio 4’s “About the Girls” series, which is hearing from teens across the UK about life in 2026.As the number of young girls suffering from eating disorders increases in the UK, Sheila Dillon hosts a discussion about what's causing the rise, and what can be done to improve treatment outcomes.Details of help and support with eating disorders are available at BBC Action LineProduced by Natalie Donovan for BBC Audio in

42:39

Generation Z

The Food Programme ·

2026/04/10

Generation Z, young adults aged roughly 18 to 30, are coming of age in a world defined by uncertainty. With difficult job and housing markets many are experiencing prolonged adolescence, often living with parents far longer than previous generations. At the same time, they are the first true digital natives: a generation growing up with the internet as a central part of their lives.In this programme, Jaega Wise explores how these seismic social and economic shifts are reshaping the way young people

41:26

Consider the Eel: Part 2

The Food Programme ·

2026/04/03

Dan Saladino follows up the debate on if the eel should be off the menu.Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

41:52

Is Food Processing the ‘Missing Middle’?

The Food Programme ·

2026/03/27

Much focus goes on food growing and selling, but is the missing link in increasing the UK's food self sufficiency actually food processing? It might be all about Ultra Processed Foods in the news, but there is another, much older, side to food processing that plays an integral role in getting food from fields to our plates.Beans, peas, oats, veg and barley can all be produced in the UK in abundance, but producers often have to transport their crops for miles to reach basic processing facilities like

41:48

Posh Water

The Food Programme ·

2026/03/20

Should we be taking water more seriously? The emergence of the water sommelier would suggest so. Jaega Wise visits a Cheshire restaurant that now offers its own water menu as well as a Peak District pub with a water bar and a borehole to draw its own spring water. She talks to the co-founder of the Fine Waters Academy Michael Mascha who believes that water should be appreciated as a product with its own terroir and hears from Dr Natalie Lamb, a water industry expert who has been trained to

42:46

What’s Next for Portugal’s Ancient Export: Cork?

The Food Programme ·

2026/03/13

Leyla Kazim reports from cork country in Portugal - where up to 10,000 of hectares of cork oak trees are being lost every year, despite laws protecting them from being cut down. Climate change is putting new stresses on the ancient forests, and as the cork industry worries that falling wine consumption could shrink global demand, Leyla asks why Portugal became the world’s biggest producer of cork in the first place, and what it will take to keep them thriving. She meets farmers using regenerative

41:35

Food Stories from the Philippines

The Food Programme ·

2026/03/06

Shaped by centuries of colonialism and challenged by a changing climate, what is the future of food for the Philippines? Recent typhoons and floods were the worst seen in decades and there has been huge biodiversity loss. In the last century 93 per cent of forest cover has been lost. The archipelago's food system also carried the influence of Spanish and American control. However, a new generation is attempting to forge a Filipino food identity connected with a deeper history and farmers are

42:07

Chefs, Creativity and the Cost of Living Crisis

The Food Programme ·

2026/02/27

In this edition Sheila Dillon explores the creativity of chefs, and asks how it’s being affected by the ongoing cost of living crisis. For Sheila, creativity in cooking is one of the pleasures we often take for granted when we go out to eat, and marvels at the alchemy chefs work with raw ingredients. But the hospitality industry is grappling with very difficult economic conditions - increased national insurance, business rates, energy bills, rent, cost of ingredients coupled with fewer customers

42:51

Eating Together

The Food Programme ·

2026/02/20

A year after sharing a £10 supper with 200 strangers in Copenhagen’s Absalon - an old church turned community hub - Sheila asks whether that experience could be recreated in the UK. After all, communal meals here are often one-offs, sometimes pricey, or feel like generous soup kitchens. In this edition, Sheila meets people determined to change that; Ingrid Wakeling and Phil Holtam from Sussex Surplus are running trial communal dining events in Brighton, using surplus food to bring strangers

42:05

The Future of Our Food

The Food Programme ·

2026/02/13

In a special edition Dan Saladino talks to the UK's biggest food producers and retailers to hear their visions for the future of food, health, sustainability and resilience.Along with the DEFRA minister Dame Angela Eagle, some of the most influential figures in food and farming are gathering at the annual Sustainable Foods event held in London. On the agenda will be health and nutrition, food security, net zero and regenerative agriculture. Will the ideas and strategies, outlined by the major

42:23

The Honey Trap

The Food Programme ·

2026/02/06

After concerns that honey from overseas is being watered down with cheap rice and corn syrups, Sheila Dillon investigates the scale of global honey fraud. It's a story of complex international supply chains with the world's food security at its heart. In 2023, the European Commission found that 46 per cent of the honey it sampled was suspected to be fraudulent. Just last year at the World Beekeeping Awards the prize for Best Honey had to be cancelled after fears that adulterated honey might be

42:47

The Low-Alcohol Drinks Revolution: Can Wine Keep Up?

The Food Programme ·

2026/01/30

One thing that could make us all healthier is drinking less alcohol – and there’s now a huge market for alcohol‑free drinks. But one category that has long struggled to deliver great taste is non‑alcoholic wine. In this episode Jaega Wise looks to find out why it’s so difficult to make a wine without alcohol that still tastes good, and asks what difference these drinks can make to people trying to cut back. Jaega begins the story of German producer Bernhard Jung, whose family pioneered vacuum

41:42

The Science of Fermentation

The Food Programme ·

2026/01/23

Fermented foods are more popular than ever, but what's the science? Dan Saladino explores the latest research into fermentation and the many health claims made for fermented food. Featuring the gut microbiome expert Tim Spector and fermentation expert Robin Sherriff.Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

41:36

Desi Pubs

The Food Programme ·

2026/01/16

Desi pubs, boozers run by people of South Asian heritage, have been around since the 1960s. Originally a safe haven for immigrant drinkers during a time when they were often barred or excluded from pubs, they are now celebrated as successful businesses and diverse spaces. They are also food destinations serving some of the best grills and curries in the country. In this programme, Jaega Wise visits desi pubs in London and the Midlands to talk to landlords and drinkers about why these places are so

41:48

A Wild Mushroom Chase

The Food Programme ·

2026/01/09

Sheila Dillon goes foraging for wild mushrooms in the Peak District in Derbyshire to find out what common fungi are easy to find - and delicious to eat. She hears from expert foragers, mushroom buyers and fungi fanatics about how the supply chain for this wild food works, from the forest floors of Eastern Europe to China's vast mushroom drying warehouses, as well as the lucrative, and sometimes dubious, trade of some of the most valuable mushrooms. Produced by Nina Pullman.

42:46

A Life Through Drink: Dave Broom

The Food Programme ·

2026/01/02

Whisky writer Dave Broom has helped transform how the world tastes and talks about spirits, bringing flavour, culture, and meaning to a new generation. In this festive edition of the programme, Jaega Wise finds out how his ideas and passions came about, and what has made him one of the most influential voices in the drinks world.Born in Glasgow, Dave Broom began his career in the industry with a job at the wine merchants OddBins. He later ran a pub in Bristol before moving into writing about spirits

41:45

Dates: A User's Guide

The Food Programme ·

2025/12/26

Dan Saladino explores culinary cultures and world religions to find out how the date became one of the earliest, most revered, and diverse of all cultivated fruits, and also a feature of Christmas. Some of the world's historically important date palm oases have survived in the south of Tunisia. Dan travels to the ancient cities of Gafsa and Tozeur to visit two of them and watches the date harvest underway. There he tastes Tunisia's most prized date, the Deglet Nour, which translates as 'fingers of

41:47

Going Cold Turkey: Alternative Christmas Dinners

The Food Programme ·

2025/12/19

Annie Gray always rejects turkey and the trimmings at Christmas. She believes they are a construct of a bygone era and will often eat pizza on the big day instead.She explores alternative dinners from Christmases past, present and future. She visits Bath to discover what would have been eaten over Christmas in the Regency period and bakes traditional mince pies - made with minced meat. She'll look at how Christmas is celebrated differently around the world and will discuss Christmas dinners to

42:27

The Food Books of 2025

The Food Programme ·

2025/12/12

Leyla Kazim takes a look at the best food books and writing from 2025, and chats to food writer Ruby Tandoh about her new book looking at why we eat the way we eat now. We hear picks from the rest of The Food Programme presenters - Sheila Dillon, Dan Saladino and Jaega Wise; books to get you cooking and books to get you thinking.Tom Tivnan from The Bookseller discusses the latest bestsellers, and Carla Lalli - cookbook author and former Bon Appétit food director - helps bust some common myths and

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The Food Programme

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