Food Rebels

Food Rebels
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  • FOOD
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hosted by AJ Sharp, Food Rebels is a captivating food and drink show. Focusing on the dynamic world of food founders, challenger brands and new products. We meet the most exciting people in the food industry today and taste the newest products. Each 30min show offers a peek behind the curtain, on-air tastings, and food and drink-based entertainment for our listeners around the UK and further afield.

  1. 3D AGO

    Why Most Restaurant Food Isn’t Real

    What really happens behind the scenes in Britain’s restaurant chains?   In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Andrew Macleod, founder of Emilia’s Crafted Pasta, to explore why so much casual dining restaurant food is far more processed than customers realise and why he chose to build his business completely differently.   After turning down a high-paying career on Wall Street, Andrew travelled across Italy couch surfing, learning regional pasta traditions from chefs, students and home cooks before opening his first restaurant at just 24 years old. Nearly a decade later, Emilia’s has grown into one of London’s most respected independent pasta brands, built around fresh pasta made from scratch every single day with no central kitchens, preservatives or shortcuts.   AJ and Andrew discuss the hidden rise of ultra-processed food in hospitality, why many restaurant chains rely on reheated sauces and additives, and how authenticity has become one of the most valuable things in modern dining. They also dive into the pressures facing small hospitality businesses, the reality of scaling without compromising quality, and why more consumers are beginning to question what’s really in restaurant food.   From slow-dried pasta and Italian food culture to government policy, entrepreneurship and the future of eating out, this is a fascinating conversation about what happens when a founder refuses to follow the standard restaurant playbook.

    40 min

  2. APR 29

    The Jolly Hog on Building Better Sausages

    What happens when three brothers ditch the safe path to chase a sausage dream? In this episode, AJ Sharp sits down with Olly and Max Kohn, two of the three brothers behind The Jolly Hog, the British meat brand that’s gone from a Kenwood sausage machine in a one-bed flat to shelves in every major UK supermarket. They share the real story behind the growth, from unpaid early days and street food graft to cracking retail, building a brand without investment, and partnering with the likes of Marmite and Colman’s. It’s a conversation about flavour, farming and the future of meat, digging into welfare standards, B Corp, and the pressure on brands to clean up ingredients in the age of ultra-processed food. Honest, funny and full of insight, this is about doing meat properly, and proving you don’t have to cut corners to scale.

    36 min

  3. APR 15

    Metabolism, Mindset and Modern Eating

    What’s really driving the way we eat and why does it feel so hard to get it right? In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with nutritional therapist Nicola Moore to unpack metabolism, mindset and modern eating. From ultra-processed foods and gut health to cravings, cortisol and GLP-1s, this is a straight-talking look at what’s actually going on inside our bodies. They explore why we’re constantly hungry but undernourished, how our brains and gut are shaping our food choices, and why willpower has very little to do with it. Plus, a grounded take on weight loss drugs and what they can and can’t fix. If you’ve ever felt stuck in a cycle with food, this one will change how you see it.

    55 min

  4. APR 8

    Fighting the Food System and Running for Change

    What happens when food justice stops being a conversation and becomes a political mission? In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Sarah Bentley, founder of Made in Hackney, to go way beyond the usual chat on ultra-processed food and “better choices”.  Sarah announces on the show that she is now standing as a Green Party candidate, taking everything she’s learned from the front line of food justice into politics, because if the system is broken, someone has to change it. From food swamps and broken food culture to the reality of feeding communities on the ground, Sarah connects the dots between what’s on our plates and the structures shaping our lives. And then she does something most people don’t. She steps in. This is about power, inequality and why the system is stacked against real food and community.

    39 min

  5. APR 1

    Denmark’s Food Revolution: Plant-Rich Thinking and the magic of Green Umami

    Why does Denmark seem so far ahead when it comes to cutting ultra-processed food, serving better plant-rich meals and making sustainable food choices feel normal rather than niche? In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Anders Nicolajsen from the Danish Agriculture & Food Council to dig into how Denmark has built a food system where organic, seasonal and plant-rich food is not just an aspiration, but something that actually works in public kitchens, restaurants and canteens. They get into the long-term policy thinking that helped make change stick, why chef autonomy matters, how Denmark’s tiered organic certification system works, and why consumers are far more likely to choose greener dishes when they are led by taste, pleasure and great storytelling rather than guilt. Anders also shares insights from Danish consumer research, explains why the term plant-rich lands better than plant-based, and explores the role of chefs, waiters and menu language in helping diners make different choices. The conversation also looks at green umami, upcycling, food waste, the future impact of GLP-1 drugs on restaurant culture, and why the next stage of change depends on better communication and more fruit and veg being grown closer to home. It is a fascinating look at what happens when a country stops just talking about food system change and starts building it.

    37 min

  6. MAR 25

    IWD E4: Ayesha Kalaji on Flavour, Fire and Fearlessness

    In this final Women Changing the World episode, AJ Sharp sits down with chef and restaurateur Ayesha Kalaji to talk about building a career on her own terms, from studying Middle Eastern politics to earning four consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands at Queen of Cups in Glastonbury. They get into the realities of being a woman in professional kitchens, the outdated stereotypes that still linger, and why real change in hospitality has to come from within. Ayesha also shares how she went from working in other people’s kitchens to opening her own restaurant, staying fiercely true to herself, and turning joy, warmth and bold flavour into her signature style. It’s a brilliant conversation about resilience, identity, leadership and what happens when you stop trying to fit the mould and build your own table instead. This series is sponsored by Fox and Bloom, a female-founded, women-led UK skincare brand creating 100% natural, waterless and plastic-free products designed to support healthy skin and the planet. Listeners can also enjoy 15% off Fox and Bloom skincare throughout March using the code REBELS15.

    41 min

  7. MAR 18

    IWD E3: Donna Edwards on Natural Skincare and Radical Simplicity

    In this special International Women’s Day series episode of Food Rebels, Women Changing the World, AJ Sharp sits down with Donna Edwards, founder of Kent-based skincare brand Fox and Bloom. Donna shares the story behind her journey from part-time teacher to natural skincare entrepreneur, sparked by a life-changing mindfulness course that helped her rethink how she wanted to live and work.    Drawing on her upbringing in a farming family and a background in applied biology, Donna created a range of 100% natural, waterless skincare products designed to support the skin’s natural barrier rather than overwhelm it with unnecessary ingredients. Her philosophy is rooted in simplicity: fewer ingredients, less waste, and a return to natural foundations.    In the conversation, AJ and Donna explore surprising parallels between food and skincare, from the dangers of ultra-processed ingredients to the growing consumer shift toward transparency and healthier choices in everything we consume or apply to our bodies.   They also discuss the realities of building a business later in life, challenging the myth that entrepreneurship is only for the young. Donna explains why starting a business in your 40s can bring clarity, experience and confidence, and shares practical advice for anyone considering taking the leap.   From mindfulness and lifestyle businesses to integrity in product creation, this episode is a thoughtful conversation about slowing down, trusting your instincts and building something meaningful on your own terms.   Listeners can also enjoy 15% off Fox and Bloom skincare throughout March using the code REBELS15.

    32 min

  8. MAR 11

    IWD E2: Emma Loder-Symonds on Rewriting the Rules of British Farming

    In this episode of our Women Changing the World series, AJ Sharp is joined by Emma Loder-Symonds of Nonington Farms in Kent, a regenerative arable farm proving that producing food and restoring nature can go hand in hand. Emma and her husband James are challenging conventional, high-input agriculture by putting nature back at the centre of every farming decision. It’s about community, collaboration and why more women are helping lead change in farming. Emma and AJ discuss soil biology, skylarks at dawn, blending wheat varieties, and the quiet revolution happening beneath our feet.  If you care about ultra-processed food, food security, climate impact or simply better bread, this episode will make you feel hopeful about the future of British farming. This series is sponsored by Fox and Bloom, a female-founded, women-led UK skincare brand creating 100% natural, waterless and plastic-free products designed to support healthy skin and the planet. Subscribe to Food Rebels so you don’t miss the rest of our Women Changing the World series.

    51 min
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About

Hosted by AJ Sharp, Food Rebels is a captivating food and drink show. Focusing on the dynamic world of food founders, challenger brands and new products. We meet the most exciting people in the food industry today and taste the newest products. Each 30min show offers a peek behind the curtain, on-air tastings, and food and drink-based entertainment for our listeners around the UK and further afield.

Information

  • Creator
    Food Rebels
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    131
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Food Rebels

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