The Food Chain

Michael Kaloki, a food culture reporter from Nairobi, Kenya, discusses the tradition of eating with hands, focusing on the staple dish ugali. The podcast explores the cultural significance of hand-eating versus utensils, highlighting the sensory experience and identity associated with it. Guests share tips for authentic hand-eating and delve into the influence of texture and touch on taste perception, emphasizing the comfort and connection to family that eating with hands can bring.

Stunning cakes, colourful salads and intricate garnishes use flowers to entice customers, but there’s more to this trend than just beautiful social media pictures. Many cultures around the world have eaten flowers for centuries, and some of them pack a serious punch. Devina Gupta explores the history of edible flowers and visits a site in the UK where they’re grown all year round. She gets quite a shock when trying one particular variety. We find out why flowers are used on food nowadays, and how generations of knowledge about their use and properties were lost when they were brought to Western countries. If you would like to get in touch with the programme, email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk. Presented by Devina Gupta Produced by Julia Paul and Beatrice Pickup (Image: A nasturtium flower growing. Credit: BBC)

Professor Paul Breslin, an expert in the science of salt, discusses the magical chemical reactions on our tongues when we eat salt. The podcast explores the impact of high salt consumption on health, the delicate balance of salt in cooking, and personal stories of cutting out salt in countries with high consumption rates.

Over two million people work in the international shipping trade, and they are often at sea for months at a time. That’s a lot of meals being made by the cook on board, and their work is crucial for keeping the crew happy. Ruth Alexander hears from seafarers about why that makes “cookie” the most important person on board a ship and why, in some cases, crew members are going hungry. A former captain of merchant vessels tells us how food is used for so-called “facilitation payments” to corrupt officials, and why crews can sometimes be powerless to stop port officials filling up suitcases with food from the ship’s stores. We also hear about international efforts to try to tackle corruption in ports and increase welfare standards for seafarers. If you would like to share your own experience, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producers: Izzy Greenfield and Hannah Bewley (Image: A container ship at sea. Credit: Getty Images)

Celebrating successful food friendships, this podcast explores the dynamics of iconic chef duos. From The Hairy Bikers to Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, it delves into the secrets behind their on-screen chemistry. Gennaro Contaldo also shares his experiences working with Antonio Carluccio and Jamie Oliver, highlighting the importance of trust and mentorship in the culinary world.

Exploring the challenges of running a restaurant amidst lockdowns, inflation, and a changing consumer landscape. Insights from industry experts on sustainability, hospitality, kitchen efficiency, and adapting strategies like plant-based menus. How to navigate the high failure rates and keep the passion for cooking alive in the competitive restaurant business.

Step inside the chocolate factory to hear the secrets of what it’s like to invent sweet treats for a living. Find out why chocolatiers think the raw material is like a “needy child”, but can also bring great joy to people’s lives. And hear the family story of the invention of one of the best-known British chocolate bars, with a trip to an archive of hidden stories from the confectionary industry – and some well-preserved sweets. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Hannah Bewley (Image: Chocolate bars on a colourful background. Credit: Getty)

Fasting has been a religious and cultural practice for thousands of years, why do people do it? What happens to your body when you fast? The Food Chain speaks to a British family breaking their fast during Ramadan, a woman in India completing a day long fast for Mahashivratri and explores why the practices around Lent have changed over the years. An expert on intermittent fasting talks us through what is happening to our bodies, and why it might have hidden benefits. In this programme, Rumella Dasgupta explores the tradition of religious fasting with what to eat and what not to eat in three major faiths. If you would like to get in touch with the programme, email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk. Presented by Rumella Dasgupta. (Image: a family in Manchester breaks their fast together with dishes spread out on a cloth on the floor. Credit: BBC)

Dumplings feature prominently in cuisines around the world. Some, like the Ghanaian kenkey, or the Irish dumpling, are balls of dough. But in many countries they’re filled with other ingredients. From the Russian pelmeni, to the Japanese gyoza, for centuries we’ve been putting meat, vegetables or cheese in small pouches of pastry, and making delicious snacks. So where did this idea originate? And are all these differently named dumplings connected?Ruth Alexander explores the history of this humble comfort food and hears how different dumplings are made. If you would like to get in touch with the programme, email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk. Presenter: Ruth Alexander. Producers: Julia Paul and Rumella Dasgupta (Image: Dumplings and bowls of dipping sauce. Credit: BBC)

Discover the savory fifth taste, Umami, and its origins in Japanese cuisine. Learn about the controversial history of monosodium glutamate and its modern renaissance in culinary creations. From miso soup to desserts, chefs are embracing the flavor-enhancing power of MSG.