The Food Programme

Since January 2025, thousands of tonnes of common octopus, usually found in the Mediterranean, have been landed by fisherman off the south coast of England. But it’s still not a regular feature on UK menus. In this episode of the Food Programme, Jaega Wise heads to Brixham fish market to find out more about what’s happening, and visits seafood restaurants taking alternative approaches to the challenge. Rockfish owner and chef Mitch Tonks talks her through the difficulties of cooking octopus, and marine ecologist Bryce Stewart at Plymouth University explains why the creature could be here to stay. Jaega also explores what puts people off eating octopus - from tentacles to extreme intelligence. And we head to Guernsey to meet a fisherman whose business has been severely impacted, and try some “Octodog”. Produced by Tory Pope.

Leyla Kazim revisits some of The Food Programme's most memorable stories to ask: what happened next? From 500kg of eels stranded in a holding tank in Gloucestershire and English olive oil being pressed in Lincolnshire, to the future of halloumi in Cyprus following an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease, and the impact of global politics on vegetables grown in Africa for UK consumers. Leyla returns to the people behind these stories to hear what happened after the programmes were broadcast. Listen to the original programmes: English Olive Oil https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002f00z Why Is Africa Feeding Us? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002m1mz Halloumi and hellim: The story of an island and its cheese https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jsc7 Eels and Elvers https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002lfhd Consider the Eel: Part 2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002t2kh Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan

Cacao prices broke all records and then crashed, Dan Saladino explores the fallout for farmers and the chocolate industry with Jack Thompson reporting from the Ivory Coast. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino

They’re in your chocolate, your gelato, even your coffee - pistachios seem to be everywhere at the moment - bolstered by the craze for Dubai Chocolate. In this episode Leyla Kazim asks what happens when the world seems to fall in love with one ingredient. She explores how the United States came to overtake traditional producers in the Middle East to become the world's largest pistachio grower, and hears about the nut's long history in countries such as Iran from Iranian-American food writer Anna Ansari. Meanwhile, Honey & Co.'s Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich demonstrate how versatile pistachios can be, creating both sweet and savoury dishes. Nick Moss, nuts market reporter at Expana, explains what's happening to pistachio prices and why forecasts for this year's harvest are lower than usual. Leyla also visits Green Lanes in Haringey, home to many Turkish and Middle Eastern businesses, to discover how pistachios have long been central to traditional desserts - and hears how rising prices are changing that. Finally, she meets Charlie Tebbutt, whose south London company Food & Forest imports nuts, including pistachios, from farms that are either avoiding irrigation or using agroforestry methods, as an alternative to the vast monocrops that supply most of the world's pistachios. Produced by Natalie Donovan for BBC Audio in Bristol

Chef and broadcaster Romy Gill heads to the pavilion to explore cricket's relationship with food. She discovers that the supposedly British institution of the cricket tea was in fact a tradition imported from Australia in the 1880s. She visits Lord's - the Home of Cricket - and is given access to the kitchens to watch tea being prepared as well as receiving a tour of the Lord's museum to look through their culinary archives. She's made to feel welcome by the BBC Test Match Special team and reminisces over her own childhood cricket teas growing up in West Bengal in India. Romy explores the health of the cricket tea at a club level and heads to Stainland Cricket Club near Halifax in West Yorkshire to meet the inspirational Trish Wood who has helped bring cricket teas back to her club and John Fuller of Cricket Yorkshire who devised a competition to find the best cricket tea in the county. Robin Markwell reports from Stoke Gifford in South Gloucestershire on a decision by cricket clubs around Bristol who voted to no longer make cricket teas compulsory in their league after the pandemic. Presented by Romy Gill and produced by Robin Markwell for BBC Audio in Bristol with thanks to the BBC Test Match Special team.

Why did obesity become a global problem? Professor of Diet and Population Health Susan Jebb explores a heavy history, our changing relationship with food and reasons for optimism. She believes we live in an 'ultra-processed food system' which drives more of the world's population towards health harming diets and a lifetime of being overweight or obese. But she also believes change is possible, and the conditions are right for a food systems change. Also featuring Hannah Ritchie of Our World in Data, Henry Dimbleby, author of the 2020 National Food Strategy, and Alicia Weston of Bags of Taste, a programme of change for people with few cooking skills on low incomes. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

Fifteen years after her cancer diagnosis, Sheila Dillon asks what role food could play in cancer treatment, prevention and recovery - and why it is still so often overlooked. Earlier this year, the Government published a new 10-year National Cancer Plan for England, aiming to save 320,000 lives and ensure three in four people survive at least five years after diagnosis by 2035. It’s been welcomed as an ambitious strategy, yet some say it has little to say about diet. References to food focus largely on reducing obesity - by making supermarkets to monitor and report on sales of healthy and unhealthy foods, and expanding access to weight-loss drugs. It also includes commitments to improving hospital food for children with cancer, and introducing prehabilitation programmes via the NHS App by 2028. So where does that leave food itself - in treatment, in recovery, and in the risk of relapse? Featuring interviews with: Clare Doney, the clinical lead for personalised care for the Northern Cancer Alliance covering the North East and North Cumbria. Dr Giota Mitrou, Executive Director of Research and Policy at World Cancer Research Fund International Prof. Robert Thomas, head of oncology at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, part of University College Hospital and consultant oncologist at Addenbrooks hospital in Cambridge. Produced by Natalie Donovan for BBC Audio in Bristol Resources: https://mywellbeingspacenca.nhs.uk/ https://www.wcrf.org/living-well/living-with-cancer/cancer-and-nutrition-helpline/ These links will take you to an external website. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Sheila Dillon heads out on the highway to investigate the world of food at motorway service stations. Historically they have been a place viewed as a functional stop-off for a "tea and a pee" and often maligned for the quality of their food. Motorway services enthusiast Dr David Lawrence from Kingston University talks through a short history of the Great British service station from Watford Gap and Newport Pagnell in 1959 through to present day. AA President Edmund King briefs Sheila on how his membership views motorway service food and Robin Markwell reports on the opinions of lorry drivers from Chippenham Pit Stop on the M4 in Wiltshire where more healthy eating options are now appearing on the menu. Dan Sutton from Roadchef - one of the largest motorway service operators - also gives his thoughts on what the British motorist is looking for when wanting to be fed on the motorway and argues that familiarity of brands is key. Sheila takes a trip to Tebay Services on the M6 in Cumbria to understand a different way of providing motorway service food. She meets the Dunnings family who have since opened services at Gloucester, Cairns Lodge in Lanarkshire and will soon open another at Tatton in Cheshire. Their ethos includes an emphasis on locally sourced, homecooked food. Sheila meets with their coffee and bread suppliers as well as touring their farm to understand how service areas might also be an engine for the local economy. Produced by Robin Markwell in Bristol for BBC Audio.

Sheila Dillon looks at the plans to overhaul England’s school food standards, from cutting back on fried food, puddings and processed meat to serving more fruit and veg. She hears from pupils, caterers and campaigners who all want better school meals, but don’t always agree on how to get there. With concerns about cost and practicality, she asks what these changes might really mean for schools trying to make them work, and what the School Food System in Japan might tell us about the nations health. Featuring interviews recorded at Penwortham Girls' High School in Preston; Anna Taylor from The Food Foundation; Writer Heather Parry; Luke Consiglio from caterers The Pantry; Belfast Paediatrican Dr Jonathan Henderson, chef and food writer Suzie Lee; Naomi Duncan from Chefs in Schools; and Colette Fox from ProVeg International. The consultation period for the new School Food Standards for England closes on June 12th 2026. Produced by Natalie Donovan for BBC Audio in Bristol

The food industry is predicting double digit inflation and are calling on the Government to act. Dan Saladino asks what lies behind the gloomy forecast, who will be most affected by price increases and if anything can be done to avoid the worst case scenario? Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

The BBC Food & Farming Awards come from Belfast this year. Jaega Wise heads to the Balmoral Show, the largest agri-food show in Northern Ireland, to find out what makes this such an amazing place for food and farming. Jaega will be meeting head judge Paula McIntyre to talk about why Northern Ireland is home to some of the UK's most exciting food and drink businesses. She also meets Eve Blair, presenter of Your Place and Mine on BBC Radio Ulster and the judge of this year's Northern Ireland award, to talk about why the Balmoral Show is so important to her. To nominate for this year's awards go to bbc.co.uk/foodawards where you can find the terms and privacy notice. Nominations are open from 6am 22 May 2026 to 12pm 15 June 2026. Producer: Sam Grist

Sheila Dillon visits fruit and veg growers across the country to ask what should the government put in its landmark plan to grow more in the UK. With war in the Middle East driving up fertiliser and energy prices and a growing health crisis at home, more homegrown fruit and veg could hold the answers to many of our problems. But those on the ground tell a different story, as businesses prepare to invest more in farms overseas, increase imports or face an ongoing struggle to cover rising costs and competition. Sheila meets a berry grower in Kent, and a tomato producer in Lancashire, who show her the realities of their farms today, and she hears from experts across the sector with their ideas for what could, and should, go into the government’s Horticulture Growth Plan. Produced by Nina Pullman for BBC Audio in Bristol.

Hallyu - the Korean Wave - is taking over. With dramas and films like Squid Game and K-Pop Demon Hunters topping the Netflix charts, K-beauty products filling TikTok feeds and chemist shop shelves, and the global tour of the biggest K-Pop band in the world, BTS, about to begin, there’s no getting away from it’s impact. In this programme Jaega Wise explores how this fascination with Korean culture is driving the popularity of Korean food across the UK. She chats with celebrity chef and author, Judy Joo and meets the restaurant owner catering for some of the most well-known K-Pop bands in the world. Jaega also takes a look at the products hitting our supermarket shelves, and finds out why the sharing concept is central to the ethos of Korean food. Presented by Jaega Wise and produced by Tory Pope for BBC Audio in Bristol

Dan Saladino reports from Parabere Forum, a gathering of food storytellers, featuring Olia Hercules on the Ukrainian cooks who inspired her, indigenous Australian chef Mindy Woods on saving First Nations' cuisine and Palestinian writer Fidaa Abuhamdiya with a powerful story of olive trees and oil from the West Bank. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

Jaega Wise meets chef and broadcaster Matt Tebbutt at home in South Wales, to discuss his "Life Through Food". Matt has been presenting Saturday Kitchen Life on BBC One for almost a decade, but before he was a TV Presenter he worked as a chef - first in professional kitchens in London (he was in fact sacked by Marco Pierre White) and later ran his own gastropub in south Wales. It was his cooking there at The Foxhunter - which he ran with his wife Lisa - that first got him noticed by the media, and an appearance on the second ever series of the Great British Menu. To discover what life is like on set for Matt, Jaega also pays a visit to the studios of Saturday Kitchen Live as they are rehearsing, to see how the live cooking show is put together week after week. She meets the team in the backstage "engine room" - the test kitchen - and discovers what they mean when they talk about "heroes", and finds out what happens at 11.30am after the cameras get turned off. Plus she chats to wine expert Olly Smith about Matt's career and the friendship they've developed while working in food tv. Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan

Francesco Fiore is a chef and Catering Manager at Milton Keynes University Hospital, and over the last few years has made some remarkable changes to the food experience for patients and staff. Awarded the title of “Caterer of the Year” in 2025 by the Hospital Caterers Association, Frank as he's affectionately known by his team, has transformed the quality and variety of the food, reducing waste and inspired colleagues around the hospital to collaborate and come up with new ideas. Sheila Dillon follows Frank for a day as he goes about his job as catering manager to see the changes in action, and find out more about his passion for food. Produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol.

Sheila Dillon discusses the rise of eating disorders among young women as part of Radio 4’s “About the Girls” series, which is hearing from teens across the UK about life in 2026. As the number of young girls suffering from eating disorders increases in the UK, Sheila Dillon hosts a discussion about what's causing the rise, and what can be done to improve treatment outcomes. Details of help and support with eating disorders are available at BBC Action Line Produced by Natalie Donovan for BBC Audio in Bristol

Generation Z, young adults aged roughly 18 to 30, are coming of age in a world defined by uncertainty. With difficult job and housing markets many are experiencing prolonged adolescence, often living with parents far longer than previous generations. At the same time, they are the first true digital natives: a generation growing up with the internet as a central part of their lives. In this programme, Jaega Wise explores how these seismic social and economic shifts are reshaping the way young people eat and think about food. She speaks with author Chloe Combi about the cultural forces that are driving Gen Z’s evolving food identities. She also meets Sumayah Kazi, the youngest-ever Bake Off contestant, to talk about how social media is effecting how young people cook and eat. BBC reporter Emse Winterbotham lives at in her family home in London. She finds out more about the practicalities of living and eating with your mum and dad when you are an adult. Jaega also travels to Stourbridge to meet Will Griffin and his dad steve to talk more about how the generations are sharing the kitchen. Presenter: Jaega Wise Producer: Sam Grist

Dan Saladino follows up the debate on if the eel should be off the menu. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

Much focus goes on food growing and selling, but is the missing link in increasing the UK's food self sufficiency actually food processing? It might be all about Ultra Processed Foods in the news, but there is another, much older, side to food processing that plays an integral role in getting food from fields to our plates. Beans, peas, oats, veg and barley can all be produced in the UK in abundance, but producers often have to transport their crops for miles to reach basic processing facilities like cleaning, sorting, de-hulling or grading. The UK’s processing factories are part of a globalised food supply chain, importing vast volumes of grains and pulses from overseas as ingredients in our food. But it wasn’t always the case, as we hear from a Sheffield historian who has uncovered the city’s link with pea canning and the female pea pioneer who transformed the processing industry. From the farmer making oat milk in his own barn, to the UK’s last remaining processing facility for peas and beans, Sheila Dillon lifts the lid on this hidden part of the supply chain, and finds an industry at a crossroads. Produced by Nina Pullman.

Should we be taking water more seriously? The emergence of the water sommelier would suggest so. Jaega Wise visits a Cheshire restaurant that now offers its own water menu as well as a Peak District pub with a water bar and a borehole to draw its own spring water. She talks to the co-founder of the Fine Waters Academy Michael Mascha who believes that water should be appreciated as a product with its own terroir and hears from Dr Natalie Lamb, a water industry expert who has been trained to appreciate the virtues of tap water. Whether hard or soft, still or sparkling - the Food Programme takes a closer look at the liquid we all too often take for granted. Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Robin Markwell Programme contains a clip of the Only Fools And Horses Episode "Mother Nature's Son", written by John Sullivan, first broadcast on BBC TV on 25th December, 1992

Leyla Kazim reports from cork country in Portugal - where up to 10,000 of hectares of cork oak trees are being lost every year, despite laws protecting them from being cut down. Climate change is putting new stresses on the ancient forests, and as the cork industry worries that falling wine consumption could shrink global demand, Leyla asks why Portugal became the world’s biggest producer of cork in the first place, and what it will take to keep them thriving. She meets farmers using regenerative methods of working the land to protect the montado, and plantations where thousands of new trees are being planted. Presented by Leyla Kazim Produced in Bristol for BBC Audio by Natalie Donovan

Shaped by centuries of colonialism and challenged by a changing climate, what is the future of food for the Philippines? Recent typhoons and floods were the worst seen in decades and there has been huge biodiversity loss. In the last century 93 per cent of forest cover has been lost. The archipelago's food system also carried the influence of Spanish and American control. However, a new generation is attempting to forge a Filipino food identity connected with a deeper history and farmers are looking to lost crops for climate adaptation. Dan Saladino and journalist Dany Mitzman report from Slow Food's Terra Madre Asia and Pacific held on Negros Island in centre of the Philippines, where they meet young farmers, producers, chefs and campaigners all attempting to create a sustainable, delicious and indigenous food future. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

In this edition Sheila Dillon explores the creativity of chefs, and asks how it’s being affected by the ongoing cost of living crisis. For Sheila, creativity in cooking is one of the pleasures we often take for granted when we go out to eat, and marvels at the alchemy chefs work with raw ingredients. But the hospitality industry is grappling with very difficult economic conditions - increased national insurance, business rates, energy bills, rent, cost of ingredients coupled with fewer customers with less money to spend, all mean that many restaurants are struggling to survive. According to the latest data from the Hospitality Market Monitor by NIQ, restaurant closures accelerated in the last three months of 2025 to nearly 19 businesses a week. What happens to that creativity when the industry is under so much pressure? In the programme chefs talk to Sheila about what creativity looks like in their kitchens at the moment, as the cost crisis leads to more restrictions on how and what they cook. We also hear how chefs of the future are being trained to work creatively in this tough environment. We hear from: Sam Lomas, Head Chef at Briar in Somerset; Owen Morgan, co-founder and owner of Forty-Four group; Charlie Buchanan-Smith, co-founder of The Free Company near Edinburgh; Niall McKenna, owner of James St and Waterman House in Belfast; Frank Fiore, Catering Manager at Milton Keynes University Hospital; Chantal Symons, Lead Development Chef at LEON Restaurants; and chef-lecturers Steve Oram and Ian Sutton and students at Capital City College at Westminster. Presented by Sheila Dillon and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol.

A year after sharing a £10 supper with 200 strangers in Copenhagen’s Absalon - an old church turned community hub - Sheila asks whether that experience could be recreated in the UK. After all, communal meals here are often one-offs, sometimes pricey, or feel like generous soup kitchens. In this edition, Sheila meets people determined to change that; Ingrid Wakeling and Phil Holtam from Sussex Surplus are running trial communal dining events in Brighton, using surplus food to bring strangers together. Anna Chworow from Nourish Scotland is helping shape two pilot public diners - subsidised, everyday restaurants designed for everyone, while Jon Harper from Future Foundations explains how CanTeam is turning school canteens into community dining rooms. Sheila also visits The Long Table in Stroud - a pay-what-you-can community restaurant - to meet co-founder Tom Herbert, and is joined there by zero‑waste chef Max La Manna and Carly Trisk‑Grove from The Public Plate, who want every community to have their own low‑cost restaurant. Together, they discuss what it would take to make their dreams reality - and why they believe it matters. Presented by Sheila Dillon Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan. More info: Communal Dining -Part 1: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028l2c The Long Table: https://thelongtableonline.com/ The Public Plate (Carly Trisk-Grove's project): https://www.thepublicplate.com/about Nourish Scotland project: https://www.nourishscotland.org/projects/public-diners/ Right to Food Commission (Ian Byrne MP's project): https://www.ianbyrne.org/rtfcommission Sussex Surplus (Brighton): https://www.sussexsurplus.org/ CanTeam: http://www.canteam.org/ NB: Be aware these links take you to external non-BBC websites.