Introduction

The internationally acclaimed poet and playwright Lemn Sissay OBE shares the story of his life by recalling five memorable dishes.

His is an extraordinary story of family, and identity, lost and found.

Born to an Ethiopian mother in the north of England and quickly placed into long-term foster care, Lemn was, for years, deprived of any knowledge of his heritage. His traumatic upbringing and subsequent search for his family and identity have informed much of his award-winning writing.

In this programme, he tells Ruth Alexander about five memorable dishes that act as “positioning points” in his life to date.

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Lemn Sissay holding a cup of coffee. Credit: BBC)

Producer: Elisabeth Mahy

Researcher: Siobhan O’Connell