The Food Chain

How to have a stress-free family meal

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Are your family meals calm and connected? Or have they become dominated by battles with fussy kids or awkward teens?Mum-of-one Ruth Alexander gets adv...

What to eat to run a marathon

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What should runners should eat to train for, and complete, a marathon? With major races like the London and Boston marathons approaching, more peop...

Giving it all up for food

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ruth Alexander meets three people who gave up well-paid, high-flying careers to start all over again in the world of food. Nisha Katona left a career ...

The story of the sandwich

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Shattering the myth of its aristocratic origins and exploring some of the boldest creations; Ruth Alexander finds out about the history, culture and f...

Small kitchens

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From Michelin starred kitchens to Hong Kong’s high rise tower blocks, via informal settlements in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. Ruth Alexander hears f...

The risk takers

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Every food company starts with a gamble - and not all of them pay off. In this episode Ruth Alexander speaks to business owners about the risks they’...

How to write a recipe

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We all have recipes we turn to again and again, perhaps from the stained pages of our favourite cookbooks, or handed down through families. But have y...

Can you learn to love the foods you hate?

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us have foods we refuse to eat - think coriander, or maybe olives. But where do those strong dislikes come from, and is it possible to change ...

Fermented foods: A beginner's guide

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Fermented foods are fashionable – kimchi, kefir, kombucha – they're all having a moment, many thousands of years on from where they were first pro...

Dinner unboxed

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Meal kits have become a familiar part of food shopping in many countries, offering pre-portioned ingredients and recipes delivered to the door. But ho...

Should we all eat the Mediterranean way?

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Thousands of studies back the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet. In fact, it's considered to be one of the most widely researched diets in the w...

Tweaks for 2026: how to eat better

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ruth Alexander gathers the most useful, actionable nutrition advice from our episodes of 2025 to help set you up for 2026. Things like how to nourish ...

Family ties

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Food is at the centre of family life – on ordinary days, in the everyday rush, during the dramas, and the quieter moments too. In this episode, Ru...

What is the ultimate hangover cure?

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With the festive season approaching in parts of the world, Ruth Alexander explores what’s actually happening in the body during a hangover, why some...

Food heroes and villains

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Social media is awash with nutritional misinformation with foods often cast as superheroes or villains. So how can we separate fact from fiction? And ...

How to eat well in the cold

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you eat well in freezing the cold? When you live in some of the coldest places on earth, what you eat, and how much, really matters. Ruth Alex...

To tip or not to tip?

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ruth Alexander explores the art and etiquette of tipping and how it varies around the world. She hears from staff and customers in countries where ti...

The servers: The highs and lows of waiting on tables

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the highs and lows of waiting on tables? Ruth Alexander speaks to restaurateurs from London, New York and Mumbai to find out about the inner ...

Food by drones?

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From pizza delivery to emergency aid, are autonomous aircraft the future? Ruth Alexander looks into whether drones are a feasible alternative to deliv...

Turmeric: The golden spice

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Turmeric has been revered for thousands of years, not just for its mellow taste but for its golden colour and its supposed health giving properties. R...

The chefs

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You've got to be full of passion to make it as a top chef. It's a highly skilled and physically demanding job that comes with long hours.Ruth Alexande...

The coffee habit: Why do we love it so much?

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For millions of us around the world, the day hasn't begun until we've had our first cup of coffee. Ruth Alexander traces our love affair with coffee...

The power of pepper

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Pepper is ubiquitous at the dining table, but arguably most of us don’t know much about it. In this programme John Laurenson finds out about the pe...

How (not) to complain

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How confident would you feel about complaining if a restaurant meal was not up to scratch? Restaurateurs in the UK, South Africa and the United State...

Portion size: How much should you eat?

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How much food is the “right” amount - and why is it so hard to work that out?Ruth Alexander explores the world of portion sizes, starting with the...

Dining etiquette: What really matters?

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Listeners to BBC World Service told us they hate it when fellow diners chew noisily or talk with their mouth full. But what is polite at mealtimes can...

How to set a food trend

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you tried Dubai chocolate, hot honey or the fruit sando? They’re just a few examples of viral food trends which got everyone talking on social ...

Flavour: The potato chip story

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Self-confessed crisp lover Ruth Alexander traces the story of the crisp or potato chip, starting with a tasting experience matching fine wines and “...

Should I eat breakfast?

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

High prices, busy lives and the rise of intermittent fasting mean more people are skipping breakfast. This week, Ruth Alexander speaks to three expert...

Bottom trawling and the future of global fish supplies

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bottom trawling is one of the most widely used - and most destructive - fishing practices in the world. Dragging heavy nets across the seabed damages ...

Making care home food better

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The quality of food in care homes for the elderly can be underwhelming. Ruth Alexander talks to the people highlighting the issue and finding ways to ...

Garlic: Food or medicine?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From ancient Egyptian pyramid builders to French chefs, garlic has been prized, feared, and even used to ward off evil. In this episode, Rumella Dasgu...

The anti-dementia diet

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The World Health Organisation says close to 60 million people are living with dementia; and there are 10 million new cases every year. But could what ...

Eating well with dementia

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dementia is a syndrome associated with a decline of brain function that can affect memory, thought processes and behaviour. In some cases this can imp...

India's caste system and food

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Something as simple as sharing a meal or utensils can carry social stigma for the millions born into the bottom of India’s caste system, a social st...

A place at the table: fostering and adoption

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s at stake when a child has their first meal in a new home? For children entering care, especially those who have faced food insecurity, that f...

Protein v fibre

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Protein is a health and fitness buzzword – plastered on packaging, prioritised in diets and praised by fitness influencers. But is our preoccupation...

Video game food

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It can be the difference between life and death for your character, signal you’re on a hostile planet or in a sumptuous world, or can even give you ...

The story of your plate

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can we tell about a society from the plates, bowls and cups it uses? In this programme Ruth Alexander learns about the history of pottery, from e...

Thai food: Winning hearts and minds

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Love Thai food? It might be thanks to a two-decade long policy on the part of the government of Thailand to promote its food culture abroad, with the ...

AI in the food chain

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How is artificial intelligence reshaping the global food industry? Rumella Dasgupta explores how AI is helping chefs experiment with new recipes, redu...

The buyers

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our shops are full of products sourced from all over the world, and its someone’s job to find and secure them – at the right quality and quantity ...

May contain: The food allergy risk

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What it’s like for your child to be diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies? Ruth Alexander explores the realities of shopping, socialising a...

Let food do the talking

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does food have the power to send messages when words aren’t enough? This week Ruth Alexander finds out how food can sometimes speak much louder than...

Snackification: Our love affair with snacks

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ruth Alexander looks at the world of snacks. Have we always snacked or is it a more modern phenomenon that started with formal meal patterns? What sna...

Stress, eat, repeat?

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When you’re feeling stressed, does it affect your appetite? In this programme Ruth Alexander is joined by two experts in chronic stress to discuss w...

A fresh start

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are bakeries, cafes, bars and restaurants around the world which don’t just exist to serve up food and drink – they're on a mission to rebui...

Food cottage industries

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Cottage industries, usually referring to small scale home-based production, can be found all over the world. Often they provide a vital source of addi...

What’s the future for Indigenous food?

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Indigenous food is experiencing a revival in Canada, with growing awareness of First Nations culture, and Indigenous run community farms and restauran...

The packaging problem

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As plastic waste continues to pile up, Ruth Alexander explores how manufacturers, retailers, and designers are rethinking the way our food is packaged...

How to run a local shop

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Corner shop, mom and pop store or konbini, whatever you call them, most of us have a local business that sells convenience. Rising food costs mean ma...

The power of the review

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the purpose of restaurant reviews? The Food Chain looks at who is qualified to write a review, how helpful they are today and the impact the...

Why is saffron so expensive?

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Saffron - the world's most expensive spice - is treasured for its rich aroma, vibrant colour, and unique flavour. But why does it command such a high ...

The art of food branding

13 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do brands have such power over us? Ruth Alexander talks to the designers influencing your decisions about what and where you eat. Renowned g...

Why we love noodles

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a noodle? Is it the shape? The ingredients? In this programme Devina Gupta explores the history of noodles, tracing their origin back to T...

Bouillon: The story of stock

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

John Laurenson explores the enduring appeal of stock. A century and a half ago, a butcher at the big Parisian food market Les Halles started selling b...

Masters of the craft

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What motivates someone to dedicate years of their life to learning one skill?Ruth Alexander finds out what it takes to master a craft, the exacting st...

How to make a TV cooking show

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We find out the secret recipe that goes into some of the TV food shows watched by millions around the world. From hiring snake wranglers in South Afr...

The world's oldest restaurants

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

People have been eating out in restaurants and bars for hundreds of years, and some of those early establishments are still open today. This week Ruth...

Crunch!

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we enjoy foods that crunch? Listener Sheila Harris contacted The Food Chain with that question and asked us to find out if the food texture has...

Is anyone following dietary guidelines?

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Around 100 countries have official dietary guidelines, and more are on their way. But who is following them? Ruth Alexander asks how realistic health...

Should we eat less rice?

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rice is the main staple for over half the world’s population. The crop has problems though – it is vulnerable to climate change, whether that’...

What's the point of cookbooks?

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When there are so many recipes available for free online, why does anyone still buy cookbooks? In this programme we look into the business of selling ...

Has Christmas food gone mad?

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Prosecco flavoured crisps? Eggnog chicken? Sticky toffee pudding trifle? The innovation for novelty Christmas products seems endless, but is there th...

Stadium food

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Which food do you associate with your favourite sport? Pie and chips at an English football match, biriyanis at the cricket in Pakistan or grilling m...

Croffle, anyone?

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Crookie, anyone? Cronut, croffle? Ruth Alexander looks at the rise of the dessert café and the extraordinary creations it’s spawned. She visits o...

How did fast food become so successful?

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From America to Mongolia, you can go into a restaurant run by a global fast-food chain, and buy the same meal. So how did fast food become so successf...

We are 10!

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We are celebrating 10 years of The Food Chain with some of our favourite programme moments from the past decade. Fishing to stay alive, chopping onion...

Just vanilla

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dull? Boring? Plain? Vanilla is a byword for something which is ordinary or standard. In this programme Ruth Alexander finds the story of the popular...

How work changed lunch

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do our work habits shape what we eat? In this programme Izzy Greenfield discovers the history of the workplace lunch and the ways in which societ...

Living with water shortages

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Water scarcity is an increasing problem on every continent, according to the United Nations. Around half the world’s population experiences severe w...

Housemates

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Did you share a flat, house or kitchen as a student or professional? Is it the shared meals and conversation that stay with you, or the piles of dirty...

How much water should I drink?

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know how much you should drink? Many global guidelines recommend approximately 2 litres a day for women and 2.5 litres a day for men, including...

Can you taste a place?

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible to taste a place? A listener wonders whether the French concept of ‘terroir’ can apply to food and, if so, what the science behind ...

So you want to run a food truck?

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fancy starting a food truck? It can be a way to trial new food concepts and see if your business has potential before committing to a restaurant premi...

How ‘Bangla Town’ changed a nation's food culture

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An Indian curry house is one of the most popular places to go out for a meal in the UK, and is part of British life. But many people do not know their...

Forever foods

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ruth Alexander learns about ‘forever’ foods - stocks, soups and sourdough starters that can be replenished again and again and used for weeks, mon...

Don't call me an influencer!

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Social media is awash with videos of people trying out new recipes at home and exploring the best hidden foodie gems in cities around the world. The ...

How risky is drinking alcohol?

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a light or moderate drinker, the World Health Organization wants you to know that no level of alcohol is safe for your health. But just ho...

What does collagen do for you?

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is it worth taking collagen? With cosmetic companies and A-listers claiming it can slow the effects of ageing, the market for collagen supplements is ...

The business of food halls

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you visited a food hall recently? It’s a venue bringing together multiple independent food and drink businesses, often with communal seating. ...

First impressions of a new food culture

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Strawberries at the airport when meeting your future husband for the first time, finally tasting world famous fish and chips and wondering why on eart...

What is 'super sweet' corn?

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard of ‘super sweet’ sweetcorn? If you’ve purchased fresh, frozen or tinned sweetcorn in the last few decades there’s a good chance...

What Olympians eat

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Three million bananas; 600-800 baguettes a day; 47,000 plates...as the world’s elite sportsmen and women arrive in Paris, a huge catering operation ...

Cooking is chemistry

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we cook? To create flavour, to aid digestion and to release nutrients from our food. Every time we fry, steam, boil, or bake a series of chemi...

'Happy' cafes

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Of the tens of millions of people around the world with autism or down syndrome, only a tiny fraction is in paid employment. But cooking, making drin...

Your taste is unique

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Taste, it turns out, is not a matter of opinion. Scientists have discovered that your perception of taste is informed by your genetics. When we eat o...

How safe is the soil in our cities?

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More of us are living in cities and urban farming is on the rise. Can you be sure the city soil you’re growing in is clean enough? Industry and traf...

Food double-acts: Couples

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What’s it like spending 24 hours a day together? Ruth Alexander speaks to couples who run restaurants. She hears how they met, what they argue about...

The bakers

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a world where ingredients cost more due to war and inflation how is easy is it to make and sell our daily bread? Ruth Alexander speaks to three bak...

Taking weight-loss drugs

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ruth Alexander speaks to patients about their experiences of weight-loss drugs. The new class of drugs impact appetite, making you feel full sooner, a...

Eating in the heat

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Devina Gupta takes a food tour of her home city of Delhi to see how people are adapting to rising summer temperatures. In May this year the city saw ...

The burrito story

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ruth Alexander explores the origins and evolution of the humble grab-and-go food the burrito, which started life in northern Mexico, before crossing o...

Can beef be carbon neutral?

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cows emit greenhouse gases when they eat, which contributes to global warming. But is it possible to produce meat in a climate-friendly way? Grace L...

Eat with your hands

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why eat with your hands? Many food cultures around the world eat using hands, and most of us use our hands some of the time. Do we really need cutler...

Can I eat this flower?

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stunning cakes, colourful salads and intricate garnishes use flowers to entice customers, but there’s more to this trend than just beautiful social ...

To salt or not to salt?

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know how much salt you should be eating? And if I tell you it’s less than 5 grams a day, do you know how much that is? Ruth Alexander explor...

Hungry at sea

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over two million people work in the international shipping trade, and they are often at sea for months at a time. That’s a lot of meals being made ...

Food double-acts: TV chefs

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the secret behind the on-screen chemistry shared by some TV chef duos? The recent death of Dave Myers, one half of ‘The Hairy Bikers’ wit...

How to run a restaurant

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

These are tough times for restaurants. If the pandemic's rolling lockdowns were not bad enough, independent eateries now find themselves caught on a c...