The Food Programme

The restaurant trade is fickle and can be a "here today, gone tomorrow" business. But a very small number of restaurants seem to have been with us for ever. Dan Saladino explores the secrets of the world's oldest restaurants.

Andy Swinscoe, owner of the Courtyard Dairy, brings a delightful mix of history and modern cheesemaking. He and Sheila Dillon explore a Tudor 'pamphlet of cheese' that reveals cheese as a nutrient-rich health food. They discuss how our perceptions of cheese have evolved, highlighting its terroir similar to wine. Swinscoe shares the challenges of today’s cheesemaking landscape and the exciting research linking cheese to heart health and gut microbiomes. With a nod to the past, they uncover hopes for the future of British cheese.

Dan Saladino finds out how a family farm in west Cork became one of the world's most influential cookery schools. Featuring Darina and Rachel Allen, Rory O'Connell and JR Ryall. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

Trine Krebs, a passionate organic farmer and Green Chef, joins forces with Trine Hahnemann, a celebrated chef and author, alongside Professor Ole Mouritsen, a researcher in gastrophysics. They dive into Denmark's impressive organic food landscape, where organic purchases hit nearly 12%. The guests discuss the importance of taste in promoting plant-based diets, the cultural evolution of Danish cuisine, and the unique challenges facing organic farmers. They also shed light on Denmark's public meal initiatives, aiming for healthier, accessible food options for children.

Restaurant critic and lifelong Charlton Athletic fan Jimi Famurewa finds out how football clubs are upping their game when it comes to serving food for their fans. He’ll taste the world at AFC Wimbledon’s Food Village, hear how Forest Green Rovers went vegan and discover the secret liquor behind Leyton Orient’s pie and mash. Food writers Jack Peat and Daniel Gray pitch in with their thoughts on a world that has moved far beyond Bovril and burnt burgers.Presented by Jimi Famurewa Produced in Bristol for BBC Audio by Robin MarkwellThe Bovril Song was composed by Roger Jackson and Phil Nicholl and performed by Sing! Cambridge in 2013 Football commentary courtesy of BBC Radio London and BBC Radio Nottingham

Five years on from the first Covid lockdown Dan Saladino asks if our food supply can withstand more shock to the system? Is there resilience to face another pandemic or even war?Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

Bradford is this year’s UK City of Culture - but what does food have to do with it? Sheila Dillon visits the city to meet market traders, chefs and restaurateurs to find out how its industrial past has influenced the thriving food culture of today. She visits Bradford’s St James wholesale market to discover how the Asian restaurant trade has been integral to the market’s survival, before eating breakfast at The Sweet Centre, which serves the same Kashmiri breakfast speciality as it did for millworkers in the 60s. Two food projects are harnessing the vibrant multicultural nature of Bradford as part of its City of Culture celebrations. The Bradford Selection, orchestrated by artists Sonia Sandhu and Harry Jelley, tells the stories of Bradford communities through a series of biscuits. Meet My Mothers is a recipe book project representing the diverse food cultures in Bradford, as participant coordinator Aamta Waheed tells Sheila at the Women Zone community centre. Renowned Yorkshire food historian Peter Brears meets Sheila for a tea and some traditional pork ‘savoury duck’ to talk about pre-industrial food of the Bradford district. Meanwhile, on BBC One, Harry Virdee is the eponymous detective star of thriller series Virdee, written by Bradford native A.A.Dhand. Sheila speaks to the bestselling author to find out how he wrote specific south Asian food and drink traditions into the series and his own childhood food memories of growing up in the city. How important is the city’s food history, economics and culture to its hopes for regeneration? Shanaz Gulzar, creative director of Bradford 2025, summarises the city’s belief in food as social cohesion and the confidence that the city feels after winning the title. Presenter: Sheila Dillon Producer: Nina Pullman

Professor Bryce Evans, a Modern World History expert at Liverpool Hope University, dives into the significance of communal dining in addressing today's social issues. He discusses how World War II British Restaurants provided accessible meals, suggesting their revival might combat the current cost-of-living crisis. The conversation also explores vibrant communal dining scenes in Manchester and Copenhagen, where shared meals strengthen community ties and tackle food insecurity and loneliness, highlighting the warmth and connection that such gatherings can create.

Two of the country's largest wholesale markets are on the brink of closure. The City of London Corporation has decided to shut the historic meat market at Smithfield and the fish market at Billingsgate, bringing to an end centuries of food history. Sheila Dillon is given a tour of Smithfield market by the historian Matthew Green who describes how Smithfield features in the work of Charles Dickens and was once described as the "kitchen of the universe" by the writer Ned Ward in 1702.The programme hears from the Smithfield traders who work through the night butchering and selling meat to restaurants and shops across London, the South East of England and beyond. There has been considerable opposition to the closure of the markets. More than 37,000 people have signed a petition asking the City of London Corporation to keep the markets where they are including Alicia Weston who we meet at Ridley Road street market in East London. Here fishmongers are concerned about where they will source their supplies if Billingsgate closes. The City of London Corporation chairman Chris Hayward responds.Finally, the author of Hungry City Carolyn Steel and Professor Tim Lang from City University reflect on the importance of wholesale markets in strengthening food supply chains as well as their contribution to the social and cultural fabric of a place.Presented by Sheila Dillon Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Robin Markwell

In this discussion, agricultural expert Robert Rodell, a pioneer in organic farming, joins Alex Cherry, the Director of Groundswell, to unravel the concept of regenerative agriculture. They delve into the transition from conventional to regenerative practices, emphasizing soil health and ecosystem vitality. Innovative techniques like mob grazing and cover crops are highlighted, showcasing how these methods enhance biodiversity. They also address the complexities of defining regenerative practices and the role of major food companies in promoting sustainable agriculture.