The Food Chain

Why do we cook? To create flavour, to aid digestion and to release nutrients from our food. Every time we fry, steam, boil, or bake a series of chemical reactions take place that are key to a dish’s success. In this programme Ruth Alexander puts questions from the BBC World Service audience to Dr Stuart Farrimond in the UK, author of ‘The Science of Cooking’. Susannah and Aaron Rickard in Australia tell Ruth about the chemical reactions they discovered when researching their cookbook ‘Cooking with Alcohol’. And Krish Ashok in India, author of ‘Masala Lab: The Science of Indian Cooking’, explains the science behind the culinary wisdom of your parents and grandparents. If you’d like to contact the programme email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Presented by Ruth Alexander. Produced by Beatrice Pickup. (Image: two young girls wearing goggles and aprons conducting a science experiment. Credit: Getty Images/ BBC)

Of the tens of millions of people around the world with autism or down syndrome, only a tiny fraction is in paid employment. But cooking, making drinks and waiting tables is work where people with learning disabilities can shine. John Laurenson takes us to a Café Joyeux (Happy Café) in Paris, one of a fast-growing chain of cafe-restaurants where most of the staff have autism or down syndrome and where the croque monsieur comes with a smile. We also hear from a cafe in Mumbai launched by the mother whose daughter has autism and, in Turkey, the KFCs with a difference. Find out how café work can transform the lives of employees and owners. Presenter/Producer: John Laurenson(Image: Louis, Laura, Anne-France and Arnaud. Credit: BBC)

Discover how your genetics influence your taste preferences, challenging traditional views on food and wine expertise. Learn about the science behind individual taste perceptions and explore the importance of catering to diverse tastes in the wine industry. Dive into the complexities of wine judging and uncover the uniqueness of taste preferences across different generations.

The podcast explores the safety of urban soil for growing produce, discussing testing processes for toxins and featuring an urban farm project in Oldham. It highlights the challenges of revitalizing industrial land with urban farming, addressing soil contamination and remediation techniques. The dangers of farming on polluted land are examined, with a focus on metal concentrations in city soils and recommendations for safer consumption.

What’s it like spending 24 hours a day together? Ruth Alexander speaks to couples who run restaurants. She hears how they met, what they argue about and why being a couple might be good for business. Ruth visits Andrea Follador and Jazz Navin at ‘The Perfect Match’ restaurant in Sale, in the North West of England. Jazz is the chef and Andrea is the sommelier, the two met working at Gordan Ramsay’s ‘The Savoy Grill’ in London. Ruth speaks to Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero, chefs who have lived and worked together in their native Chile, China, and now Singapore where they run fine dining ‘Araya’ restaurant. Rita Sodi and wife Jody Williams ran a restaurant each, and then decided to open one together, 'Via Carota' in New York, United States. Today they run five bars and restaurants together in the city. If you would like to get in touch with the show please email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk. Presented by Ruth Alexander. Produced by Beatrice Pickup. (Image: Andrea Follador and Jazz Navin who run ‘The Perfect Match’ restaurant together in North West England. Credit: BBC)

Three bakers from Nigeria, Canada, and Lebanon discuss the challenges of the bakery industry amidst economic fluctuations. They share their passion for breadmaking, the importance of quality ingredients, and the resilience needed to thrive in the business. The podcast explores the emotional connection to baking, the joy of working with dough, and the impact of inflation on small businesses.

Ruth Alexander speaks to patients about their experiences of weight-loss drugs. The new class of drugs impact appetite, making you feel full sooner, and slowing the rate at which your stomach empties. Known as GLP-1 medications, studies suggest that patients can lose 10% or even up to 25% of their body weight depending on which drug they use. For many who have struggled with obesity and obesity related disease the drugs have the potential to transform their health. However some patients have struggled with the side effects of the drugs and the manufacturers’ own studies indicate that if people stopping taking them, much of the weight lost is regained, making them drugs for life for some. Ruth Alexander speaks to Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine, Naveed Sattar, at Glasgow University who is Chair of the UK government’s obesity mission. He explains how these drugs work and the potentials costs and savings for the National Health Service, or NHS. Adrienne Bitar, historian at Cornell University in New York, is the author of ‘Diet and the Disease of Civilization’, a study of diet books of the 20th century. She explains the ideas diet culture is built on. And Ruth asks Gary Foster, Chief Scientific Officer at WeightWatchers, what these weight-loss drugs will mean for the multi-billion-dollar diet industry. Presented by Ruth Alexander. Produced by Beatrice Pickup. Image: Michelle Herum in Denmark who currently uses a weight loss drug. Credit: Hanne Juul/BBC)

Devina Gupta takes a food tour of her home city of Delhi to see how people are adapting to rising summer temperatures. In May this year the city saw a record temperature of almost 50C, and knowing what to eat in such heat can be a challenge. The changing climate is sparking innovative recipes in restaurant kitchens and bringing traditional practices back to people’s kitchens. Devina tries old favourites at street markets, a modern twist on a classic drink at a high end restaurant and is (almost) convinced that a vegetable she has hated since childhood might work wonders in the heat. She hears from public health expert Dr Samar Husayn about why the cold, sweet treats you might reach for on a hot day aren’t always the best. And she sees the difference between how those who have air-conditioned homes and those who don’t are coping. Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Hannah Bewley (Image: A bowl of gourd dip with restaurant workers in the heat in the background. Credit: BBC)

Food historian Ruth Alexander delves into the origins and global rise of the burrito, exploring its contested Mexican roots and its evolution into a beloved international comfort food. They discuss the cultural significance of burritos in both El Paso and Juarez, the impact of American influence on Mexican cuisine, and how burritos have paved the way for broader appreciation of traditional Mexican dishes like tacos and tinga.

Cows emit greenhouse gases when they eat, which contributes to global warming. But is it possible to produce meat in a climate-friendly way? Grace Livingstone visits a carbon neutral certified ranch in Uruguay, where farm manager Sebastian Olaso shows her around. She also meets Javier Secadas, a small farmer who raises cattle on natural grasslands, and agronomist Ignacio Paparamborda, from the University of the Republic in Montevideo.Grace hears from Pete Smith, Professor of Soils and Global Change at the University of Aberdeen, and Dominik Wisser, Livestock Policy Officer, from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation. She tries to find out if it is possible to produce meat in a way that is both good for nature and the climate. Or whether we need to stop eating meat to cut emissions.Presenter/Producer: Grace Livingstone (Image: Cows grazing in Uruguay. Credit: Getty Images)