The Food Programme

BBC

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FOOD
UPDATED WEEKLY

Investigating every aspect of the food we eat

8 MAY • SUBSCRIBER EARLY ACCESS

Food Stories of Roots and Roads

Dan Saladino reports from Parabere Forum, a gathering of food storytellers, featuring Olia Hercules on the Ukrainian cooks who inspired her, indigenous Australian chef Mindy Woods on saving First Nations' cuisine and Palestinian writer Fidaa Abuhamdiya with a powerful story of olive trees and oil from the West Bank. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

41 min
5 DAYS AGO

A Life Through Food: Matt Tebbutt

Jaega Wise meets chef and broadcaster Matt Tebbutt at home in South Wales, to discuss his "Life Through Food". Matt has been presenting Saturday Kitchen Life on BBC One for almost a decade, but before he was a TV Presenter he worked as a chef - first in professional kitchens in London (he was in fact sacked by Marco Pierre White) and later ran his own gastropub in south Wales. It was his cooking there at The Foxhunter - which he ran with his wife Lisa - that first got him noticed by the media, and an appearance on the second ever series of the Great British Menu. To discover what life is like on set for Matt, Jaega also pays a visit to the studios of Saturday Kitchen Live as they are rehearsing, to see how the live cooking show is put together week after week. She meets the team in the backstage "engine room" - the test kitchen - and discovers what they mean when they talk about "heroes", and finds out what happens at 11.30am after the cameras get turned off. Plus she chats to wine expert Olly Smith about Matt's career and the friendship they've developed while working in food tv. Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan

42 min
24 APR

A Day in the Life of a Hospital Chef

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 follows Frank for a day as he goes about his job as catering manager to see the changes in action, and find out more about his passion for food. Produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol.

42 min
17 APR

About the Girls

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 Line Produced by Natalie Donovan for BBC Audio in Bristol

42 min
10 APR

Generation Z

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 eat and think about food. She speaks with author Chloe Combi about the cultural forces that are driving Gen Z’s evolving food identities. She also meets Sumayah Kazi, the youngest-ever Bake Off contestant, to talk about how social media is effecting how young people cook and eat. BBC reporter Emse Winterbotham lives at in her family home in London. She finds out more about the practicalities of living and eating with your mum and dad when you are an adult. Jaega also travels to Stourbridge to meet Will Griffin and his dad steve to talk more about how the generations are sharing the kitchen. Presenter: Jaega Wise Producer: Sam Grist

43 min
3 APR

Consider the Eel: Part 2

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

41 min
27 MAR

Is Food Processing the ‘Missing Middle’?

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 cleaning, sorting, de-hulling or grading. The UK’s processing factories are part of a globalised food supply chain, importing vast volumes of grains and pulses from overseas as ingredients in our food. But it wasn’t always the case, as we hear from a Sheffield historian who has uncovered the city’s link with pea canning and the female pea pioneer who transformed the processing industry. From the farmer making oat milk in his own barn, to the UK’s last remaining processing facility for peas and beans, Sheila Dillon lifts the lid on this hidden part of the supply chain, and finds an industry at a crossroads. Produced by Nina Pullman.

42 min
20 MAR

Posh Water

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 appreciate the virtues of tap water. Whether hard or soft, still or sparkling - the Food Programme takes a closer look at the liquid we all too often take for granted. Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Robin Markwell Programme contains a clip of the Only Fools And Horses Episode "Mother Nature's Son", written by John Sullivan, first broadcast on BBC TV on 25th December, 1992

42 min

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Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world. History fans can learn about pivotal wars and societal upheavals, such as the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Sack of Rome in 1527, and the political intrigue of the Russian Revolution. Those fascinated by the lives of kings and queens can journey to Versailles to meet Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV the Sun King, or to Ancient Egypt to meet Cleopatra and Nefertiti. Or perhaps you're looking to explore the history of religion, from Buddhism's early teachings to the Protestant Reformation. If you're interested in the stories behind iconic works of art, music and literature, dive in to discussions on the artistic genius of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers. From Gothic architecture to the works of Shakespeare, each episode of In Our Time offers new insight into humanity's cultural achievements. Those looking to enrich their scientific knowledge can hear episodes on black holes, the Periodic Table, and classical theories of gravity, motion, evolution and relativity. Learn how the discovery of penicillin revolutionised medicine, and how the death of stars can lead to the formation of new planets. Lovers of philosophy will find episodes on the big issues that define existence, from free will and ethics, to liberty and justice. In what ways did celebrated philosophers such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Karl Marx push forward radical new ideas? How has the concept of karma evolved from the ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism to today? What was Plato's concept of an ideal republic, and how did he explore this through the legend of the lost city of Atlantis? In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.

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HISTORY
The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

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DAILY NEWS
Global investigations from the BBC. Gripping stories from around the world – delve into a World of Secrets. Latest season: DNA detectives track down the British soldiers who fathered children in Kenya then disappeared. The mothers and children were left without support. We join the quest for justice. Also, previously on World of Secrets: The Darkest Web: Two US special agents infiltrate the dark web to rescue children. With access to the elite global team who hunt down people creating and trading in child sexual abuse materials. Death in Dubai: A woman falls from a tower block and her name starts trending. But behind the online rumours lies an even darker reality. And The Abercrombie Guys: Investigating sexual exploitation claims against the former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch.

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DOCUMENTARY
They steal billions: Cyber Hack investigates the alleged cyber gangs and the heists and hacks they’re accused of carrying out. No one is said to be safe. From Hollywood studios, to international banks, from crypto exchanges to small businesses and health care companies, law enforcement agencies say they cause chaos around the globe. Who will be next? And where is the money going? Latest season: Evil Corp. The Russian Evil Corp is accused of being a family crime gang, responsible for stealing hundreds of millions of dollars. Law enforcement agencies say they are “the most pervasive cybercrime group to ever have operated”. No one is off limits – not even a group of nuns in Chicago. Previously on Cyber Hack: The Lazarus Heist. This hacking group is said to be behind the biggest crypto heist in history, stealing billions of dollars in the process. Investigators blame North Korea’s state-backed hackers The Lazarus Group, and say the stolen money is being used to finance its nuclear weapons and missile development programs. Pyongyang denies involvement. Among the Lazarus Group’s many targets are Hollywood’s Sony Entertainment and the Bank of Bangladesh. ATMs are cleaned out of money, while its operatives live double lives in a hacker hotel. But where does the money trail lead?

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TRUE CRIME
A weekly programme that illuminates the mysteries and challenges the controversies behind the science that's changing our world.

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SCIENCE
Conversations with people shaping our world, from all around the globe. Listen to The Interview for the best conversations from the BBC, the world's most trusted international news provider. We hear from titans of business, politics, finance, sport and culture. Global leaders, decision-makers and cultural icons. Politicians, activists and CEOs. Each interview is around 20-minutes, packed full of insight and analysis, covering some of the biggest issues of our time. How does it work? Well, at the BBC, our journalists interview amazing people every single day. And on The Interview, we bring them to you. It’s your one-stop-shop to the best conversations coming out of the BBC, with the people shaping our world, from all over the world. Get in touch with us on emailTheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

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GOVERNMENT