The Food Programme
Episodes
2012's Best "Big Food Ideas"
25 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon meets finalists in the BBC Food & Farming Awards offering ideas for our food future, from making more local food available online to...
Street food heroes
13 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
From Moroccan food to traditional British puddings. Valentine Warner and Charles Campion taste their way through the BBC Food & Farming Awards "Be...
Lard
05 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Loving lard - Tim Hayward delves into the guilty pleasure of eating animal fat. Lard is so unfashionable that the word is used as an insult. But Tim g...
Football and Food
29 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
John Inverdale looks at innovations in the food offerings at football grounds that aim to give fans and players alike a better eating experience than ...
The Future of the Oven
22 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Hayward glimpses the future of the domestic oven. After decades of remaining relatively unchanged, ovens will soon be intelligent , with probes, s...
How to waste less food
15 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Tristram Stuart reports on the latest ideas to tackle our growing mountains of food waste by thinking creatively and producing good food from surplus ...
British Blue Cheese
09 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
British blue cheese is aspiring to move from niche to mass market. Blue cheese has been made on the continent since Roman times. But in the UK, blue i...
Food and Farming Awards: The Finalists
01 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Cook and food writer Valentine Warner reveals this year's line up of finalists in the BBC Food & Farming Awards. For the past four months the team...
Food and the Cinema
23 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Parker Bowles looks at the cinema eating experience: from popcorn and nachos to three course meals, there's now every kind of food available to ni...
Sourdough
16 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon finds out why sourdough bread is undergoing a major revival. It is the world's oldest leaven bread dating back to Ancient Egypt and it i...
Australia's Food Revolution
10 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon finds out how Australia, a nation founded on the bulk export of cheese and meat, became one of the world's most exciting gastronomic des...
A Guide to Spice, Part 3: Mustard
07 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon explores a food story of decline and revival, British mustard.
A Guide to Spice, part 2: Vanilla
29 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Do you know how vanilla beans are hand pollinated? Do you know why harvested vanilla pods are wrapped in hot blankets? Sheila Dillon reveals all as sh...
A Guide to Spice, part 1: Cloves
20 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon embarks on a journey through the world of spice, starting with the clove. She follows the story of the clove from a harvest in Africa to...
The Science of Taste
13 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Can changing our dining utensils change the flavour of food? Simon Parkes investigates.
Camping Food
06 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
For most people, the idea of camping food is not an appetising one. You'll not find food-loving Tim Hayward under canvas unless it's in the big tent o...
Favourite Foods
30 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Parkes hears from some of the listeners who've sent in their nominations for this year's Food and Farming Awards.Their stories cover a variety o...
Can Andrew Lansley change your diet?
23 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Can Health Secretary Andrew Lansley change Britain's bad eating habits? Sheila Dillon hears how the debate is shaping up on the "responsibility deals"...
The Extraordinary Food Story of Martha Payne
16 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What began as a writing project for school has, in two short months, become an internet phenomenon that is changing the way people are looking at the ...
Can Food Save the High Street?
09 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon asks if food is the key to reviving the Britain' declining high streets. Food expert, Henrietta Green visits Croydon town centre which h...
The Future of the Cookbook
02 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
With digital publishing evolving at a blistering pace, Sheila Dillon investigates the future of the printed cookery book.Andrew Webb is a food journal...
The Olympic Menu
25 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon meets Jan Matthews head of the UK's biggest catering job, organising food for the Olympics, London 2012 to ask how successful she's been...
The Best in Food and Farming
18 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In this special programme Sheila Dillon launches the search for this year's winners of the BBC Food & Farming Awards.Sheila is joined by Michelin-...
Tasting tomatoes
11 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon explores the world of the modern British tomato. Great improvements have been made in variety, flavour and quality over the last decade ...
Wine Trends
04 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Parkes reports from the London International Wine fair to discover the latest trends in the wine industry.Simon meets wine producers from emergi...
Breakfast
27 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Hayward offers his reflections on the past, present and future of the British breakfast. Has the first meal of the day become a problem to solve r...
The Life of Pie
21 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
For many years the symbol of stodgy service station fare, the humble pie is enjoying a renaissance as chefs and public alike discover the joys of a lo...
A Soya Bean Future?
14 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What's the future for one of the world's most successful and controversial crops, soya? It has become one of the main ingredients in feed for livestoc...
Seaweed, a Forgotten Food?
08 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Despite a long history of use in coastal areas of the British Isles, and with a well-established role in folklore and traditional medicine - seaweed i...
A Scramble for Eggs?
30 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon looks at changes to the UK's egg supply following the EU's ban on battery cages and how the food industry is dealing with shortages and ...
The New Beer Frontier
23 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
From barrel ageing beer to sourcing intensely bitter hops, Dan Saladino reports on the latest trends in American brewing that are starting to influenc...
The Fermentation Revival
16 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Since ancient times humans have harnessed the power of microbes to preserve food and enhance its flavours. Rich and complex food cultures have develop...
The Therapy of Food
09 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon looks at the spiritual and therapeutic value many place on breadmaking. She meets a group of refugees who've experienced torture, all us...
Biscuits: A Serious Business
02 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Parkes takes a look behind the scenes of Britain's favourite snack, the biscuit and as he discovers major change is underway to some of our most...
In Praise of Stock
26 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Hayward is not alone in his passion for stock, but there must be few culinary adventurers who take things to the level of his highly developed hom...
Free From Foods
19 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
There's been a huge growth in the range of 'free from' foods over the last decade. Sheila Dillon asks whether this is due to more people being diagnos...
Japan, Fukushima and food
12 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Johnson reports from Japan on the impact of the Fukushima disaster on food. How has the threat of contamination changed attitudes to the natio...
The Food We Eat
05 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We are going through an unprecedented change in how we eat. Developing countries are moving away from traditional diets, and all over the world new ty...
Britain's Food Safety Net
27 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Who makes sure our food is safe and how? A report on Britain's food safety net. The Food Standards Agency is reviewing who makes sure our food is safe...
Food Clubs
20 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon looks at how people are clubbing together to buy budget and luxury food.Producer: Maggie Ayre.
Comfort Food
13 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In these uncomfortable times, Sheila Dillon asks what role does food play in giving comfort? Producer: Sara Parker.
Adventures in Vegetarian Cuisine
06 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Meat-free cooking is in the spotlight. High-profile food writers are devoting books to delicious meatless food, and there are established restaurants,...
The Trouble with Chocolate
30 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The trouble with chocolate. Sheila Dillon explains why supplies of cocoa around the world are facing a challenging future. Producer: Maggie Ayre.
Generation Food
23 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Generation Food. The Food Programme hears from the people coming up with new ideas and fresh thinking about how and where we produce food for the UK's...
London 2012, Coke and McDonalds
16 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Food and the Olympics. Guest presenter John Inverdale looks ahead to London 2012 and explores the history of food and athletics from the first London ...
Food Stories: What Happened Next?
09 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon reports on the major developments in the big food stories of 2011.Producer: Rich Ward.
New Year's Food Quiz
01 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Hayward and The Food Quiz team juggle more food history, trivia and recipe knowledge in pursuit of fun and gastronomic curiosity.Recorded in front...
The Food Quiz
25 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Nowhere else will you find a programme that juggles Elvis Presley's culinary history, questions over the origins of a 1970's crisp brand, references t...
Gin and Botanicals
19 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Dan Saladino explores the past, present and future of the most British of drinks, gin. And hears how a new generation of distillers is testing the bou...
The Price of Food
12 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Dan Saladino exlores how higher food prices are changing what we buy and how we eat. From increases in food related crime to shortages of ingredients,...
Britain's best food markets
05 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon talks to Food Award judges Jeremy Lee and Kath Dalmeny about some of the exciting grassroots developments in local markets around the co...
Britain's best food producers
28 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon reports on the winners and finalists of The BBC Food & Farming Awards 2011.
A Special (Food) Relationship
21 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Bittman is a high-profile figure in the United States. He's the chief food writer for the New York Times, a broadcaster, and a bestselling author...
Future Food
14 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Parkes meets the people trying to come up with food ideas for the future. Will techniques used by experimental chefs become mainstream in the 21...
Into the Wild
07 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon looks at the world of the commercial forager. As chefs become increasingly interested in sourcing wild ingredients, who are the people t...
Palm Oil
31 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Used increasingly by the food industry in a wide array of products from chocolate, crisps, ready meals to sweets, palm oil is both a controversial ing...
The Calorie
24 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon asks if the calorie is an outdated way of controlling diet and reducing obesity.
Pickling and Preserving
17 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon looks at some of the ingenious ways we have developed of preserving food through the ages, and enjoys some autumn foraging for fruits an...
Los Angeles Street Food
10 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Johnson travels to Los Angeles, a city where many of the world's food trends begin. With the US economy in crisis LA's "food truck" scene is g...
Beer - Trouble Brewing?
03 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Britain is a brewing nation, with a long tradition of creating incredible beers to be enjoyed in any number of taverns, inns and pubs.Pete Brown - bee...
Food ads and children
26 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon explores the issue of advertising junk food to children, and how companies have changed their marketing since the banning of the showing...
The Honey Business
19 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Honey, prized since ancient times, is today shipped all over the planet. It is used as a pure foodstuff, a sweetening agent, in food manufacturing as ...
Food Poverty
12 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Across the UK, people are going hungry and not getting enough of the foods that they need. Every week, new food banks - where food is given out for fr...
Food Icons: George Perry-Smith
05 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Parkes tells the story and legacy of the legendary and maverick chef George Perry-Smith. In 1952 he opened The Hole in the Wall restaurant in Ba...
Kitchen Designers
29 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
A special edition with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen looking at the history of kitchen designs and the designers who have influenced the most important spac...
Food Icons: Major Patrick Rance
22 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In a series looking at the people who've changed the way we eat, The Food Programme profiles the campaigner and cheese expert Major Patrick Rance.In t...
Scotland's Food Policy
15 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The Food Programme looks at Scotland's first ever national food policy, introduced by the SNP, to try and join up every aspect of food production and ...
Mario Cassandro
08 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon looks back at the life of Mario Cassandro - the man who helped re-invent the restaurant in Britain.Together with his business partner, F...
Yeast
01 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Yeasts, mysterious members of the fungi kingdom, are an essential part of our food production. They play a critical role in baking, brewing, wine-maki...
School Food
25 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon follows two schools as they attempt to transform the way their pupils eat.
Emergency Food
18 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon investigates how emergency foods are made for disasters, droughts and wars. Companies developing meals for the crisis in the Horn of Afr...
Trans-fats
11 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon investigates the issue of trans-fats in our food, and asks whether a voluntary agreement by the food industry to eliminate them by the e...
Food in the Scottish Borders
04 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Weatherall farms rare Blackface sheep and Galloway cattle on his remote hill farm near Dumfries, and aims to rear his animals with as little input...
New Foodies
27 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Food writer Tim Hayward investigates a new wave of food entrepreneurship started by professionals seeking a second career or life change, often due to...
Sanjay and the Sardine
20 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Cornish based chef Sanjay Kumar goes on a cooking mission to Italy to save the Cornish sardine. The pilchard and its young offspring the sardine used ...
National Trust
12 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Since the National Trust began its campaign put food towards the top of its agenda, how far have its efforts to change the way we think about food pro...
Burgers and meat
06 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The burger is one of the world's most popular foods and it made meat eating affordable for millions, but it also became the food that symbolised many ...
The Real Food Debate
30 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The Food Programme investigates whether the Great British food renaissance is over. With food prices rising and consumer confidence falling, has the U...
Vinegar
23 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon reveals the secrets behind some of the world's great vinegars.Traditionally, the home of balsamic vinegar is Modena in Italy. But now th...
The Coffee Business
23 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
With coffee prices at a 30 year high Sheila Dillon traces the money we pay for a cup along the supply chain and also hears how it raises big questions...
Climate Change Farm
09 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Investigating every aspect of the food we eat. Presented by Sheila Dillon. Produced by Rebecca Moore.
Royal Food
02 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Parkes explores the connection between Royal wedding banquets and British food. From historic feasts with hundreds of lavish dishes, to present ...
Margate's Food Stories - Pie Days and Holidays
25 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Margate's Food Stories - Pie Days and Holidays.The Food Programme follows Sophie Herxheimer an artist who collects and draws food stories. For four mo...
Borough Market
18 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Borough Market, in south east London has been, and is, a food phenomenon. It took off in the 1990s, riding in the wake of the BSE outbreak that had le...
Food and the Sicilian mafia
12 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon looks at the role of food producers and farmers in combating the Sicilian mafia.The Sicilian "Cosa Nostra" emerged around the citrus gro...
Food and the Unification of Italy
05 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon explores a food story behind the 150th anniversary of Italian unification. In 1861 Italians came together as one nation, but does food r...
Natural Wine
28 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Natural Wine is the latest buzz in the wine world but what is it? Sheila Dillon discusses and samples this chemical and additive-free "new" wine that ...
Frozen Food
21 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In France there is no shame in shopping in Picard. The specialist frozen food chain commands 18% of the french frozen market by selling quality frozen...
British Charcuterie
14 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Food writer Tim Hayward goes in search of British charcuterie - the preserved meat that we tend to think of as Contintental. He finds that making it i...
Japan's Food Dilemma
07 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Parkes reports from Japan on new ideas being developed for the future of the nation's food supplies. Producer: Dan Saladino.
Malt
28 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon investigates the role malt plays in our drinks and diet. Malt has been around for millennia and is a natural ingredient in many but many...
Andrew Lansley on Food and Obesity
23 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Food and the coalition. How does the government intend to change the way Britain eats? Sheila Dillon interviews Health Secretary Andrew Lansley. Prod...
What is milk?
14 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Filtered, homogenised, standardised, raw, full fat, low fat - what is milk? Sheila Dillon teases out this seemingly simple question with Professor Pet...
Cooking in Schools
07 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon explores the past present and future of cooking and food preparation in the school curriculum. She learns how it was introduced in the 1...
Food in Ireland After the Crisis
31 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon investigates some of the food stories behind Ireland's economic collapse and asks what role food will play in deciding the Republic's fu...
Lyme Bay and Shellfish
24 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon investigates the appeal of shellfish - bivalves and molluscs - from the point of view of taste and sustainability and asks why we don't ...
Angela Hartnett's Best Producer Meal
17 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett prepares a hearty winter's meal for Sheila Dillon using ingredients from the Best Producer category of the 2010 ...
Gadgets
10 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon, with the help of some famous food lovers (including Giorgio Locatelli, Cyrus Todiwala, Fuchsia Dunlop and Bee Wilson) hears about their...
Food Writing 2010
03 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Dillon traces the legacy of Elizabeth David's more scholarly work and reviews food writing in 2010 with blogger and critic Tim Hayward, photogr...
Alternative Christmas Cakes
20 Dec 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Panettone and chocolate logs - Sheila Dillon embraces two of the cakes replacing our "traditional" Christmas cakes on our Christmas tables, and ponder...