The Food Chain

The cost of 'getting ripped'

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The man with carefully sculpted six-pack is everywhere: in Hollywood action films, on magazine front covers, in your social media feed, on dating apps...

How to date a carnivore

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Can the love of eating meat ever get in the way of a relationship? You may have heard the phrase ‘the way to someone’s heart is through their stom...

Tasting climate change

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Wine producers say a warming planet can be detected in the glass. The owners of long-established vineyards are having to adapt their methods to preser...

Food poverty in a rich country

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As food prices are rising around the world, along with the cost of energy, even people living in some of the world’s wealthiest countries are strugg...

Food in the metaverse

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine a world where going out for dinner virtually - from the comfort of your own sofa - becomes the norm. Whether it sounds appealing or dystopian ...

A Ukrainian kitchen in London

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chef Olia Hercules invites us into her London home to reflect on her country’s rich culinary heritage and the power of food in even the darkest of t...

An invisible crime

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Slipping drugs or extra alcohol into someone’s drink is a crime, but one that is under-reported and little understood. It’s often thought to take ...

The recipe collectors

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What is a recipe? A simple question... with many answers. It could be a set of instructions on how to make a dish – but also so much more. Recipes ...

The online food fighters

17 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Social media is full of fake news about food. Fad diets, cure-all superfoods, demonised ingredients, made-up health scares – you’re never more tha...

The constipation taboo

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s estimated that as many as 1 in 7 adults are suffering from constipation at any one time. And yet, talking about the problem is taboo. Ruth Alex...

The sisters who can 'taste' words

03 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine being able to ‘taste’ every word that comes out of your mouth. Everything you or someone else says provoking something in your brain to ki...

Cancer, food and me

27 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Can you imagine suddenly finding that it hurts to eat? Or that when you take a bite of your favourite meal you feel nothing? In this episode, we’re ...

How not to feed a dog

20 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you feed a dog? The answer may be more fraught than you had imagined. Should you give them ‘dog food’? Is it a step too far to feed them at...

Sleep, eat, repeat?

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A lack of sleep might leave us tired, but it can also have a major impact on what we eat, and our health. Ruth Alexander explores the surprising relat...

So, you think you can quit caffeine?

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Caffeine is a key ingredient in some of our favourite foods and drinks, but it’s also a mind-altering drug that can be very tricky to quit. Tamasin...

The Food Chain unwrapped

30 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this final episode of 2021, we're revisiting some of the most powerful food stories from the pandemic. Following widespread restaurant closures an...

Why I chose to live on rations

23 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

World War Two rationing imposed severe restrictions on food, so why would anyone voluntarily go back to it? Ruth Alexander meets three women who chose...

An alternative Christmas

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What dish says Christmas to you - roast turkey, goat? Carp perhaps? What about fried chicken? In Japan nothing says ‘festive family food’ more th...

(Film) Set menu

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Catering on film and TV sets is notorious for being one of the toughest jobs in the hospitality industry. Imagine feeding hundreds of people in a diff...

How rationing changed me

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rationing looms large in the memories of a generation who lived through World War Two. Basic groceries were limited and getting enough food on the tab...

Gabriella D'Cruz: Global Youth Champion

25 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Gabriella D’Cruz, from Goa, wants to improve diets, transform livelihoods, and protect the planet using an often-overlooked marine vegetable - seawe...

How a new cuisine is born

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How is a new cuisine created? Ruth Alexander explores two unique cuisines in South Africa and the USA: ‘Cape-Malay’- a 300-year old tradition born...

How to cope with cooking burnout

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic some people discovered a solace and comfort in cooking, but for many others the opposite was true - the joy they h...

One small change

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The pressure to tackle climate change by altering what we eat is huge, and it can be a daunting prospect. But you don’t have to go vegan, shop 100 p...

A farmer's nightmare

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The UK food industry relies on foreign workers, but what happens when they stop coming? A combination of COVID-19 and Brexit has led to fewer workers...

Last orders: Why I quit hospitality

13 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The hospitality industry is facing a staffing crisis, but why have thousands of chefs and waiters quit, and why now?Tamasin Ford speaks to three forme...

The drinking experiment

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Alcohol is part of the fabric of life in many cultures. It’s associated with socialising, dating, networking, even commiserating . But what happens...

The bug business

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Insects are cheap, packed full of nutrients, and farming them for food could help save the planet. Convincing more people to eat them, though, remains...

Cooking by computer

22 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From bread making to Thai cuisine, cookery classes have become a popular way for people to learn new culinary skills and meet people. But coronavirus...

OCD, the kitchen, and me

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hot stoves, perishable food, and potentially dirty surfaces can make the kitchen a difficult place for someone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.Peop...

The power of a photograph

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Food photography is about much more than beautifully presented dishes in cookbooks - it’s also being used to change the way we think about what we e...

The unstoppable rise of starch

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Starches are among the most important and versatile additives in processed food, but most of us know little about them and there are some we should be...

Is there a ‘chefsplainer’ in your kitchen?

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is there someone in your life who needs to have total control in the kitchen? Someone who breathes down your neck, micromanages your every move and ca...

Is it time to kill the calorie?

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Calories are ubiquitous across most of the world and have been used to help people manage their weight for more than a century. But have we been count...

Should 'junk food' sponsor sport?

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sugary drink and fast food sponsors have become almost inseparable from sporting superstars and major events like the Olympics. But why are these epit...

Life lessons from the honey bee

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to food, we have a lot more than honey to thank bees for - more than three quarters of the world’s food crops depend, at least in part...

The endurance diet

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you’re competing in a round-the-world race and you have to take all your food with you, what do you bring and how do you cook it?If you’re sc...

The lure of on-demand groceries

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you need a lemon right now but don’t want to leave the house? Just download an app and you’ll have it in 13 minutes. That’s the kind of servi...

The school that food built

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When chef Jamie Oliver launched a campaign to improve British school meals, it inspired one headteacher to take things much further.Charlton Manor Pri...

Raymond Blanc: My life in five dishes

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The celebrated French chef Raymond Blanc tells Emily Thomas about his life through five dishes.From a childhood roaming magical forests in Eastern Fra...

Inside the mind of a kitchen gadget

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the unsung heroes of your kitchen drawers.When you hold a vegetable peeler or potato masher, do you ever think about the person behind it? We cel...

Do we need to talk about ‘ultra-processed food’?

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Food Chain delves into the world of ‘Ultra-Processed Food’ - a term coined in Brazil that has been provoking debate around the world.Ultra Pro...

What's the appetite for gene edited food?

19 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Gene editing could revolutionise agriculture, with some scientists promising healthier and more productive crops and animals, but will consumers want ...

Dan Barber: My life in five dishes

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In an illustrious career spanning three decades, there’s little that booking-writing, seed-breading, ‘philosopher chef’ Dan Barber has not put ...

The blind cooks

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Three people who lost their vision as adults tell Emily Thomas how they learnt to cook again, becoming so accomplished in the kitchen that they becam...

America's 'food apartheid'

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of Americans live in so-called ‘food deserts’ - areas where it’s hard to access fresh affordable food. For people who aren’t able to ...

The man taking on fast food

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Carlo Petrini is leading a food revolution - one that fights to protect local, traditional ingredients and farming methods in the face of a standardis...

How to love chillies

14 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Chillies can be hard to love at first, but they are integral to the cuisines of many countries. So what do you do if hot peppers are at the heart of y...

Portion distortion

07 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Serving sizes have increased dramatically in recent decades. It’s happened so subtly that many of us simply don't realise, but it’s having a serio...

A year in the life of a Chinese restaurant

31 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anti-Asian hate has surged since the coronavirus outbreak, and some of the most common targets have been Chinese food businesses.Tamasin Ford speaks t...

Should the US abandon tipping?

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden has pledged to scrap the 'tipped wage' in the US - a salary system where diners effectively subsidise waiters' wages.It's a move that'...

The food that broke through lockdown

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On the streets of Bucharest a woman unwraps a package of Chinese pepper ... and falls in love. In Portland Oregon, a family finds a new home - in a fa...

Is it time to add vitamin D to food?

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Vitamin D keeps our bones and muscles strong, and now there's some evidence it could help protect us from Covid-19. With many of us deficient in the '...

How to feed a footballer

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When a footballer is around, does food simply become fuel? Emily Thomas is joined by the wives of two former professional footballers and the ex-capta...

Alice Waters: My life in five dishes

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Alice Waters is one of America’s most influential chefs and food writers. In the 1970s she led a food revolution that sparked a movement towards loc...

Sourdough love stories

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A spongy collection of flour, water, wild yeasts and bacteria may seem an unlikely object of affection, but some sourdough starters are truly cherishe...

Has coronavirus changed school meals for ever?

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In March 2020, as countries struggled to contain the coronavirus pandemic, 90% of the world’s school children were sent home. With all eyes - and he...

Nigella Lawson: My life in five dishes

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The internationally-acclaimed food writer and TV cook Nigella Lawson, tells her life story through five memorable dishes. Often filmed devouring food ...

Divided by drink: A tale from dry America

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Trump vs Biden isn’t the only issue that's been dividing communities in the USA in recent months - some have also been arguing over alcohol. Alongsi...

The power of food emojis

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you give food emojis much thought? If not, perhaps you should. Emily Thomas hears how these tiny digital images can have a big social and economic ...

The arctic eating adventure

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When the only road into her town was blocked by a landslide, documentary filmmaker Suzanne Crocker was shocked by how quickly supermarket shelves went...

Yotam Ottolenghi: My life in five dishes

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The influential Israeli-born, UK-based chef tells his life story through some of his most memorable dishes. Often credited with bringing Middle Easter...

Too many cookbooks?

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us love cookbooks. For some, they are a useful tool, and for others a source of inspiration. But then there are those for whom they are a whol...

What's food got to do with destiny?

24 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is it about garlic that wards off the evil eye? Why is rice sometimes thrown over the happy couple at a wedding?The way we grow, eat and use cert...

Lockdown food fails

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Coronavirus shutdowns have seen many more people step into the kitchen to cook for themselves this year. Whilst some have boasted about the joy, com...

The chef who took on hospital food

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Almost ten years ago, chef Joshna Maharaj walked into a hospital kitchen and was horrified by what she saw. Since then she’s been leading a movement...

Why the whale hunt continues

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Only three countries still hunt whales commercially. They do it despite little demand for whale meat and sometimes fierce international condemnation. ...

Selassie Atadika: My life in five dishes

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Selassie Atadika spent a decade working for the UN in some of the world’s most volatile regions, and it led to a realisation - that food has an esse...

Opening a restaurant in a pandemic

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is there ever a good time to open a restaurant? Surely, during a global pandemic isn’t one of them? As coronavirus rips through communities around t...

How to enjoy eating with your own children

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Mealtimes with small children, whether they are your own or someone else's, can be a far from relaxing experience. Dinner with a toddler can be a wild...

One election, two farmers

21 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Four years ago some of the biggest electoral shifts in the US were seen in the north-central state of Wisconsin. It was one of the swing states that d...

How does food make a president?

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Presidential campaigns are all about connecting with voters, and Donald Trump and Joe Biden have both been using food to do it. Emily Thomas hears how...

Facing fat hatred

07 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Does it feel uncomfortable calling someone fat because we think there is something bad about fatness? And if so - does that come from a concern about ...

Plundering the planet under cover of coronavirus

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Some thought Covid-19 would give our planet a breather while many of our movements and industries were restricted, but there are worrying signs that i...

Coronavirus: Obesity's defining moment?

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Emily Thomas asks whether the coronavirus pandemic will turn out to be the defining moment in the fight against obesity. Will we see governments take ...

The preppers and the pandemic

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Preppers have been preparing for a global emergency like coronavirus for years, stocking up supplies just in case society was ever brought to a stands...

The fertiliser that blew up Beirut

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Following the Beirut explosion, we’re exploring the chemical that caused the blast - ammonium nitrate. It’s something many of us will have come ac...

Margarita Forés: My life in five dishes

03 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

She was born into one of the most prominent and wealthy families in the Philippines, but life has not been easy for Margarita Forés. She was forced t...

Sean Sherman: My life in five dishes

26 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After decades of racism, persecution and forced assimilation, Native Americans had lost many of their traditional foods and recipes. Award-winning che...

Food media's moment of reckoning?

19 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When a misguided halloween costume resurfaced on social media in June - no one could have predicted the events that ensued. It ignited a twitter storm...

Meatpacking's coronavirus problem

12 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Meatpacking plants around the world are quickly becoming hotspots for Coronavirus outbreaks. In many rural parts of the United States, meat processing...

Single parents: Cooking solo

06 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Money, time, and healthy choices can make mealtimes a challenge for many parents, but how do things change when sole responsibility falls on one adult...

Dominique Crenn: My life in five dishes

30 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abandoned by her biological mother at six months old, a victim of sexual harassment and discrimination in the kitchen, and a recent breast cancer surv...

Does comfort food really comfort us?

23 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s something many of us intuitively believe - certain foods have the power to make us feel better. But what’s the science behind this, why do we...

Asma Khan: My life in five dishes

16 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When Asma Khan was born it was said her mother cried, but not tears of joy. As a second daughter born in 1960s India, Asma felt she was a disappointme...

Jacques Pépin: My life in five dishes

09 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jacques Pépin is a household name across much of the US. He shot to fame starring alongside Julia Child on TV cookery shows in the 1990s, has written...

Losing your taste to coronavirus

02 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Taste and smell loss are thought to be two of the most common symptoms of coronavirus, but some of the least understood, persisting long after the vir...

Is lockdown good news for fish?

24 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The fishing industry has been brought to its knees in some countries, with Covid-19 forcing fishing to stop. Graihagh Jackson asks if the global slowd...

Antonio Carluccio: My life in five dishes

18 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Antonio Carluccio describes his most memorable dishes in his last ever interview. The cook, restaurateur and writer, known as the 'Godfather of Italia...

Coronavirus: The survival business

11 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Food businesses have been some of the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Worldwide lockdowns have forced thousands of restaurants, bars and cafe...

Has the crisis made us more generous?

03 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you noticed how there have been so many acts of kindness during the pandemic, especially when it comes to food? Graihagh Jackson hears how millio...

Is our food creating pandemics?

27 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists are still trying to uncover exactly how COVID-19 emerged, although some evidence suggests the disease may have originated in bats and infec...

Should China ban 'wet' markets?

14 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

China’s so-called ‘wet’ markets have been under intense scrutiny ever since the first coronavirus cases were linked to one in Wuhan six months a...

What next for restaurants?

06 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lockdowns around the world have seen many restaurants close overnight, but how many will be able to re-open once restrictions are lifted? And if so, w...

Coronavirus: Chefs fight back

30 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Coronavirus has crippled the restaurant industry, leaving thousands of chefs fighting to save their businesses, but some have been using the crisis, a...

Death by coronavirus or hunger?

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As coronavirus continues to spread and lockdowns leave swathes of people unemployed, a new problem is emerging: hunger. It is being witnessed in commu...

My quarantine kitchen

16 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As the spread of Covid-19 confines millions of us to our homes, we go behind closed doors to hear how people all over the world are using food and coo...

Coronavirus: Food’s frontline heroes

08 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we pay homage to the workers making sure we stay fed in times of lockdown. As farmers around the world struggle to find enough people to p...

Coronavirus: Where did all the food go?

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As coronavirus tightens its grip on the world, many of us are facing life in lockdown and are worried about food. Graihagh Jackson takes a journey al...

How not to run a brewery

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you are a beer lover, the idea of running your own brewery might sound like the stuff of dreams. And it might seem like the perfect time to do it ...