The Food Chain

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

They discuss the difficulties of being away from loved ones and the solace home cooking can provide.

Ruth speaks to Natalia Lomonosova, who'd had to flee her home in Kyiv with her teenage daughter and has set up a new life in Berlin, Germany; and she visits Mariya Dmytrenko and her family, who are living with their hosts Brian and Julie Lamb, in Blackburn, England.

If you'd like to contact the programme, please email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.

Producer: Beatrice Pickup

(Image: Mariya Dmytrenko and family with their hosts Brian and Julie Lamb. Credit: BBC)

Two families displaced by the war in Ukraine reflect on their second year away from home

Ruth Alexander meets Bonnie in her London home, to talk about the food influences in her debut novel about a female chemist turned TV cookery show host in the 1950s and 60s.

She'll hear about Bonnie's childhood growing up in California, her own personal experiences of sexism in the workplace, the adoption of her Chinese daughters and her relationship with her husband David.

Bonnie will bake a dish that features in her novel, ‘desperation brownies'.

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: Bonnie Garmus in her London home with a brownie that she has baked. Credit: BBC)

The author of Lessons in Chemistry on what inspired the food in her novel

In this programme, we meet the people cooking at the extremes.

We hear about the chefs serving up three-course meals on Africa's highest peak; the elaborate puddings created on stormy seas with a cruise ship pastry chef; the art of cramming enough food to feed 100 hungry sailors on board a nuclear submarine with a US Navy submarine culinary specialist, and tapas nights in the Antarctic with the chef at Rothera research station.

Presenter: Ruth Alexander

Producers: Rumella Dasgupta and Izzy Greenfield

(Image: Mount Lister in Antarctica, covered in snow and ice. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

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

The chefs serving meals up mountains, pizza under the sea and tapas in Antarctica

The chefs serving meals up mountains, pizza under the sea and tapas in Antarctica.

In this programme Ruth Alexander meets the people who are growing food in their neighbourhoods, creating urban farms and community gardens where houses once stood. Mark Covington is the founder of Georgia Street Community Collective, and Tyson Gersh is the co-founder of the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative.

Ruth learns why so much land stands empty from the city's official historian Jamon Jordan. Jamon explains the role of the automobile industry in bringing jobs and people to Detroit in the early 1900s, and the circumstances that led to decades of population decline, job losses and debt for the city government, culminating in bankruptcy in 2013.

Tepfirah Rushdan is the newly appointed, first Director of Urban Agriculture for the city of Detroit. She explains how she hopes to bring urban farmers and politicians together to find a way for food to be grown alongside new developments as investment returns to the city.

If you'd like to contact the programme you can email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Produced by Beatrice Pickup.

(Image: the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative a farm in downtown Detroit, surrounded by roads and buildings. Credit: Michelle and Chris Gerard/BBC)

Meet the people growing food on vacant land in this US city

Meet the people growing food on vacant land in this US city.

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

Currently there are a number of different labels and symbols used on food packaging across Europe, and there is concern that this can lead to confusion for consumers and can be open to exploitation.

Russell Padmore travels across Ireland, hearing about the pros and cons from farmers, food producers, restaurants and consumers.

If you'd like to contact the programme you can email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Produced and presented by Russell Padmore.

(Image: a woman looking at the label on a can of food, holding a shopping basket. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

The EU wants to introduce a sustainability score on packaging

The EU wants to introduce a sustainability score on packaging.

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)

Is fasting for faith good for the mind and body?

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

There are nutrients that are needed for brain health and development, yet many of us don't think about specifically eating for our brains.

In this programme Ruth Alexander learns about the relationship between our gut and our brain, and the impact food can have on your alertness, mood and memory.

And just why oily fish, and other foods containing omega 3 fatty acids are so good for your brain.

Ruth speaks to Dr Reeta Achari, a neurologist specialising in nutrition in Texas, United States and Dr Uma Naidoo a nutritional psychiatrist and author of ‘Calm Your Mind With Food', in Massachusetts, United States. They are joined by Michelle Munt in the United Kingdom, whose blog ‘Jumbled Brain' talks about recovering from a brain injury following a car accident in 2014.

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Produced by Julia Paul and Beatrice Pickup.

(Image: a selection of foods collected in the shape of a brain. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Why is it important to 'feed' your brain?

Why is it important to ‘feed' your brain?

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

A porridge which is hidden around the house to ward off spirits, sweet and delicious pilau shared with neighbours and an ornate box filled with as many as 50 types of food in Japan – we hear about what's on the menu at this time of year.

Ruth Alexander has help from her enthusiastic three-year-old son to make a traditional Christmas cake for the first time and BBC World Service business presenter Devina Gupta gets stuck washing up after a delicious Diwali feast with her family in Delhi.

Producers: Hannah Bewley, Beatrice Pickup and Rumella Dasgupta

Image: Ruth and her son making Christmas cake, Credit: BBC

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

Which celebration dish is your favourite?

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

In this episode Ruth Alexander learns about what your body needs postpartum, and hears different food traditions for that time, from around the world.

Chinese-American author Heng Ou tells us about her differing experiences after the birth of her three children, and how an auntie making dumplings non-stop helped her.

Allison Oman Lawi from the World Food Programme explains the nutritional needs for the body in the weeks after giving birth and talks about how cultural traditions often get it just right.

Mengqi Wang in China tells us about her experience in a postpartum clinic and how she managed to break the strict dietary rules a few times.

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

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Produced by Hannah Bewley and Rumella Dasgupta.

(Image: A woman holds her new baby. Credit: Getty Images)

Which foods does your body need after giving birth?

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

How can growing cities feed their populations?

In this programme Ruth Alexander finds out about the history of how cities grew to their current scale, and some potential solutions to meeting their food needs.

Carolyn Steel, architect and author of ‘Hungry City' meets Ruth in London, United Kingdom, to talk about the role of transport and markets in making London the city it is today. Ruth hears about Tokyo, Japan, a city that has spread around ancient farmland rather than build on it. She speaks to Yu Tominaga and Mayumi Kawaguchi who own Hasune farm in central Tokyo, and Professor Makoto Yokohari who studies urban farming at the University of Tokyo.

In Namibia, our reporter Frauke Jensen Röschlau reports on the role of informal food vendors on the streets of Windhoek, she interviews Professor Ndeyapo Nickanor, an expert in food security at the University of Namibia.

If you'd like to contact the programme you can email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Produced by Beatrice Pickup.

Additional reporting by Frauke Jensen Röschlau.

(Image: commuters walking on a street in Tokyo. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Fast growing cities will put increasing pressure on food security.

Apples originated in the mountains of Central Asia, and made their way along trade routes to Europe and then on to the rest of the world. They are now one of the most widely consumed fruit worldwide.

An apple seed will produce a completely different fruit to the tree it came from – so new varieties have to be bred and cultivated.

In this week's episode Ruth Alexander finds out about the science behind finding that perfect crunch, how long it takes to be able to taste an apple you've spent years planning and how to grab consumers' attention with a new breed.

Ruth also visits a wassail near Manchester in England to experience an ancient tradition involving cider, hanging toast on a tree and lots of singing to encourage a good apple harvest for the year ahead.

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

Presenter: Ruth Alexander

Producer: Hannah Bewley

(Image: A bright red apple on a green background. Credit: Getty Images)

The fascinating history and future of the apples you buy in the supermarket

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

In this episode, Ruth Alexander finds out how restaurants use language, psychology and behavioural economics to whet your appetite and increase their profits.

Linguist Dr Keri Matwick of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore explains the research that shows the longer the description of a dish, the more expensive on average it is.

Chef Caroline Martins of Sampa at Blossom Street Social Wine Bar in Manchester, England talks about the mistakes she made when she first designed her menus.

Sean Willard of Menu Engineers in California gives us an insight into the power of using a box on the menu.

And thanks to listener Simon in London who emailed thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk with the idea for the programme. Neither he nor we will look at a menu in the same way again.

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Produced by Beatrice Pickup.

(Image: a woman holding a menu in front of her face. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Restaurants use language, psychology and behavioural economics to influence your choice

Restaurants use language, psychology and behavioural economics to influence your choice.

If the stats are to be believed 60% of restaurants fail in the first year, 80% after five. And yet despite the long odds many are still seduced by TV dramas like The Bear into turning their passion for cooking into a business. We hear from some of the best in the business for a steer on how to keep this labour of love alive.

David Reid speaks to leading restaurant critic Jay Rayner, culinary specialist Ashley Godfrey, top chef Joseph Otway and restaurant operations manager, Sam Wheatley as they lift the lid on the trade secrets they have accumulated from years on the restaurant front-line. The programme also asks what a world without independent restaurants would be like and what we as strapped consumers can do to save the flagging middle of the restaurant market from going under.

Presenter/producer: David Reid

(Image: A waitress lays a table in a restaurant. Credit: Getty Images)

With restaurants up against it, what is the winning formula for running one?

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

The World Health Organisation says 3.2 million people die each year as a result of the household air pollution they cause.

Ruth Alexander finds out why this problem – which also harms the environment – is so difficult to solve.

She speaks to Dr Fatih Birol of the International Energy Agency in Paris; Sophie Odupoy from Koko Networks in Kenya; Naramath Lucas Kariongi from the Rural Communities Support Organisation in Tanzania; and Dr Mike Clifford of Nottingham University's engineering department in the UK.

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

Producers: Hannah Bewley and Rumella Dasgupta.

(Picture: a clay stove with a wood fire lit. Credit: BBC)

Millions die each year because of their stoves, so what's being done about it?

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

In some countries Chinese food has been seen as something tasty, but ultimately cheap and not very healthy, despite it being a cuisine with a focus on health, seasonality and gastronomic skill for centuries.

In this programme Ruth Alexander meets Fuchsia Dunlop, a British food writer who has spent a career studying Chinese cuisine. She argues that the food has long been undervalued in the West, and it's time for that to change.

Ruth also meets chef Andrew Wong, whose restaurant A.Wong in London holds two Michelin stars, the first Chinese restaurant outside of Asia to receive that accolade. A.Wong operates on the same site as Andrew's parents' Chinese restaurant in the 1980s and he talks about how the business, and Chinese food in the UK, has evolved.

And she hears from Rica Leon, CEO of ‘Chifa', a restaurant in LA that celebrates her family's Chinese and Peruvian heritage. Rica explains how Chinese flavours and ingredients have influenced Peruvian food.

If you'd like to contact the programme, you can email the foodchain@bbc.co.uk

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Produced by Beatrice Pickup.

(Image: A table of tofu dishes prepared by Fuchsia Dunlop, including mapo tofu, smoked tofu salad, shredded tofu leather, silken tofu with avocado, an imitation roast duck dish made from layers of tofu, and deep fried tofu served in a soup. Credit: Fuchsia Dunlop/BBC)

What centuries of Chinese cuisine can teach us today

What centuries of Chinese cuisine can teach us today.

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

In 2010 a group of Brazilian scientists said we should be focusing less on the nutritional content of food, and more on the form of processing it undergoes. They created the Nova system, a way of categorising foods based on how processed they are. It identifies ultra processed foods as generally industrially manufactured, containing ingredients such as emulsifiers, stabilisers and other additives that would not be found in an average home kitchen.

A growing body of scientific research suggests a link between this category of ultra processed foods and ill health, although there's still some uncertainty around why this could be.

In this programme we look at what ultra processed food is, how you spot it, and how practical it is to avoid it, should you wish to.

Ruth Alexander speaks to listener Jen Sherman in California who is trying to reduce the amount of ultra processed food her family eats. Ruth also hears from one of the public health scientists behind the Nova classification, Jean-Claude Moubarac at the University of Montreal in Canada, and from Pierre Slamich, co-founder of the Open Food Facts app and website, a database of foods that can help you identify products that are ultra processed. Kate Halliwell, Chief Scientific Officer at the Food and Drink Federation in the UK, which represents manufacturers, says evidence of harm from ultra processed foods is not yet strong enough.

If you'd like to contact the programme you can email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Produced by Beatrice Pickup.

Additional reporting by Jane Chambers in Chile.

What is ultra processed food, and how can you spot it?

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

Recently France and Belgium have introduced laws preventing the export of such agrochemicals if their use is banned in the European Union. The European Commission is currently considering whether to introduce similar laws.

Grace Livingstone reports from Paraguay where some small farmers living near soya plantations say heavy pesticide spraying is affecting their health and livelihoods.

We hear from the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Toxics, Marcos Orellana, who says that global pesticide regulations should be tougher.

And we speak to Emily Rees of CropLife International, which represents the agrochemical industry, who says different climates and soil conditions require different pesticides.

Produced and presented by Grace Livingstone.

(Image: a tractor spraying soybean crops. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Should the global rules governing pesticide sales be tougher?

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

In this programme Victoria Craig travels to the city of Antakya, part of Hatay Province, close to the border with Syria. It's a region long famed for its cuisine, and even has special UNESCO recognition for its gastronomy. Since the earthquake a year ago much of the local population has left the badly damaged area, and food businesses in the historic bazaar are waiting for rebuilding work to begin. Victoria hears from the people of Antakya why food is such an important part of their culture and community.

Produced and presented by Victoria Craig.

If you'd like to contact the programme, you can email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.

(Image: tray kebab from the bazaar in Antakya. Credit: Victoria Craig/BBC)

We report on the impact of the 2023 earthquakes on food businesses in Antakya, Turkey

We report on the impact of the 2023 earthquakes on food businesses in Antakya, Turkey.

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

Whether you gossip or have more philosophical debates find out how integral good communication is while we are eating, often marking the only point in the day or week when a family gathers together.

We learn why a matchmaker thinks a dinner date might not be such a good idea after all if you want the conversation to flow. And, psychotherapist Philippa Perry tells us how to keep the peace with the family over Sunday lunch.

Presenter: Ruth Alexander

Producer: Hannah Bewley and Rumella Dasgupta

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

(Image: Family and friends sit around the dinner table. Credit: BBC)

Why what you talk about over dinner matters

Why conversations over dinner matters and psychotherapist Philippa Perry tells us how to keep the peace with the family over Sunday lunch.

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

Umami, meaning ‘delicious flavour' in Japanese, was discovered by a chemist in Japan in 1908 but it took nearly 100 years for it to be recognised as a fifth distinct taste. It is described by many as a savoury or meaty taste.

In this programme Ruth Alexander learns about the chemist who first discovered umami, and the industrially produced version he created – monosodium glutamate, or MSG. It's a food additive that's been the subject of health scares, but today it's one of the most tested additives in our food and considered to be safe for consumption.

Yukari Sakamoto, trained chef and food tour leader in Tokyo explains how umami features in Japanese cuisine; she says miso soup is one of the best examples of maximum umami flavour. Professor Barry Smith, Director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses in the UK, explains the science behind umami and MSG. Calvin Eng, chef and owner of Bonnie's restaurant in Brooklyn New York, is one of a number of chefs trying to rehabilitate MSG's reputation – he uses it not just in savoury dishes, but also desserts and drinks.

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: a bowl of miso soup, containing tofu and spring onions. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

How to cook with umami and MSG

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

How to cook with umami and MSG.

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

Food historian and writer Darra Goldstein in the US explains the history of this art. Yukari Sakamoto is a trained chef and sommelier who leads food tours in Tokyo, she explains why people in Japan take the idea of a well stocked pantry seriously. And Usha Prabakaran in Chennai, India talks about her love of the Indian pickle and its role in Indian cuisine.

There are some important safety considerations if you want food to last longer, particularly if you want to store it at room temperature. There is a risk of botulism if food is not heated to the correct temperature for the correct amount of time, particularly for foods that are low in acid. Ruth hears about the laboratory testing done by Carla Schwan, Director at the National Home Food Preservation Centre based in Georgia, United States which tests recipes that can be used safely for home preserves.

Canning – storing food in glass jars and heating it – has seen a resurgence recently. Some enthusiasts refer to themselves as ‘rebel canners', which in general refers to people wanting to use recipes other than those that have been lab tested and approved. The ‘Canning Diva', Diane Devereaux a food preservation educator and blogger in the United States explains what motivates rebel canners, and the recipes she thinks are missing for consumers.

If you'd like to contact the programme, you can email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Produced by Beatrice Pickup.

(Image: a selection of foods preserved in jars of different shapes and sizes. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Meet the people preserving food to make it last longer

Meet the people preserving food to make it last longer.

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

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)

What\u2019s it really like to work in a chocolate factory?

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

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)

What\u2019s it really like to work in a chocolate factory?

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

She speaks to private chef Juliana White, also known as Plate in Progress, about what it's like to cook for the rich and famous in The Hamptons, a summer destination for affluent New York residents.

Kate Emery, founder of Amandine International Chef Placement in the south of France, tells Ruth how she handles the big personalities of chef and client, and discusses the demand for private chefs from the middle classes.

We talk to one of the newer types of customers, John Holt, about why he's happy to spend handsomely to hire a private chef for an evening, and why it isn't always a success.

Italian-born Marcello Ghiretti treats Ruth to some breakfast, and explains the issues surrounding private chefs and professional standards.

Are you always guaranteed the luxury experience you're paying for?

There's a growing market for professional home cooking, but are you always guaranteed the luxury experience you're paying for?

Find out how they manage hundreds of hungry child customers, what pro tips they have for making vegetables seem delicious, and why they all find the job so satisfying.

We hear from the USA, Liverpool in the UK and a school chef in the far north of Finland about the challenges of cooking mountains of meatballs, how to cope when the vegetable biriyani goes all over the ceiling, and why it's one of the most rewarding – but probably overlooked – professions.

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

Producers: Hannah Bewley and Rumella Dasgupta

(Image: a plastic lunch tray with meat, vegetables and gravy, fruit and a plastic cup. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Three lunch chefs take us behind the scenes of canteen culture

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

Three lunch chefs take us behind the scenes of canteen culture.

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

In this programme Ruth Alexander asks how Ghana went from being the world's fastest growing economy in 2019, to financial crisis today.

Economist John Asafu-Adjaye, at the African Center for Economic Transformation based in Ghana, explains why much of the country's food is imported.

Lydia Amenyaglo explains why historically cocoa has not been made into chocolate in Ghana, instead shipped elsewhere to be manufactured. Her family has farmed cocoa for decades, but she's struggled to start a new business creating cocoa products at home in Ghana.

Ruth hears about the impact of rising food prices on school meals in Ghana. Might Kojo Abreh, at the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration in Ghana, explains the findings from a survey of caterers, schools and students which found that some children are going hungry.

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

Presenter: Ruth Alexander

Producer: Beatrice Pickup

(Image: A woman with a child on her back purchasing food. Credit: Getty Images)

How rising prices are impacting people's lives.

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)

You say 'kenkey', I say 'dim sum'. Where did dumplings really come from?

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

You say ‘kenkey', I say ‘dim sum'. Where did dumplings really come from?

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.