The Food Chain

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

World Service,554 episodes

Episodes

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Can I save the family restaurant?
Following Lisa He as she puts her career on hold to try and save the family's restaurant
04 Jun 2026,26 mins
The business of food tours
How guided food experiences became a fast-growing part of global tourism.
28 May 2026,26 mins
The craft of the cocktail
Three renowned bartenders on what it takes to create the perfect drink.
21 May 2026,26 mins
How to meal prep like a pro
How batch cooking can save time, money and food waste
14 May 2026,26 mins
Rethinking the potato
The rise, fall and return of one of the world's most popular foods.
07 May 2026,26 mins
The food writers
Three food writers on how their jobs matter more than ever in times of global uncertainty
30 Apr 2026,26 mins
Can we eat for exam success?
Can a good diet support brain health, sleep and concentration during exams?
23 Apr 2026,26 mins
How to eat more fibre and why you should!
So you think you eat enough fibre? You probably don't. Here's what to do about it.
16 Apr 2026,26 mins
So you think you can't cook?
Simple tips and expert advice to help you build confidence in the kitchen.
09 Apr 2026,26 mins
Is kitchen culture changing?
Chefs reflect on tough training, pressure, and life inside professional kitchens.
02 Apr 2026,26 mins
How to have a stress-free family meal
Expert tips on how to handle fussy eaters and take the tension out of family dinners.
26 Mar 2026,26 mins
What to eat to run a marathon
Running 26.2 miles? Paula Radcliffe and others explain what to eat to race and recover.
19 Mar 2026,26 mins
Giving it all up for food
Ruth meets three restaurateurs who quit high-flying careers to chase their food dream
12 Mar 2026,26 mins
The story of the sandwich
An easy meal with global appeal, endless possibilities and hidden meaning.
05 Mar 2026,26 mins
Small kitchens
From city flats to Michelin-starred eateries - what it's like to cook in a tiny space.
26 Feb 2026,26 mins
The risk takers
The tough choices food founders make to survive.
19 Feb 2026,26 mins
How to write a recipe
Ruth Alexander learns about the art, science and hard work that goes into recipe writing.
12 Feb 2026,26 mins
Can you learn to love the foods you hate?
Exploring where food dislikes come from and whether they can be changed
05 Feb 2026,26 mins
Fermented foods: A beginner's guide
Discover the basics of fermented food. How to make it and what it's doing in our guts.
29 Jan 2026,30 mins
Dinner unboxed
What meal kits reveal about how we plan, buy and cook our food
22 Jan 2026,26 mins
Should we all eat the Mediterranean way?
How the Mediterranean diet came to be the world's most researched and recommended diet.
15 Jan 2026,26 mins
Tweaks for 2026: How to eat better
The smartest nutrition advice from 2025 to help you feel better in 2026
08 Jan 2026,26 mins
Family ties
Revisiting some of the most powerful stories from 2025
25 Dec 2025,26 mins
What is the ultimate hangover cure?
Find out what happens in your body after you’ve had alcohol and whether any remedies work
18 Dec 2025,26 mins
Food heroes and villains
Why does social media cast some foods as heroes and others as villains?
11 Dec 2025,26 mins
How to eat well in the cold
What kinds of food and drink help people keep warm while living in extreme cold?
04 Dec 2025,26 mins
To tip or not to tip?
What wait staff really think about your payments for their service
27 Nov 2025,26 mins
The servers: The highs and lows of waiting on tables
What is your table server really thinking? We hear about the working lives of wait staff
20 Nov 2025,26 mins
Food by drones?
From hot takeaways to emergency aid, are autonomous aircraft the future?
13 Nov 2025,31 mins
Turmeric: The golden spice
Rumella Dasgupta looks at the history of turmeric and its uses in both food and medicine
06 Nov 2025,26 mins