Table Talk

Throughout history, the link between social class and food has been undeniable. But is it still there today? So many of the things we do signify social status; how we speak, our hobbies, the things we buy. But how does food fit into all that?     We may no longer live in a country where the upper classes are feasting on peacock, whilst the lower classes make do with gruel, but that doesn’t mean social class and food are not linked.    Avocados have almost been weaponised in recent years in Britain, often used by those apparently keen on a class war. How have avocados ended up being used in that way? And are there other examples of certain foods becoming powerful symbols in quite the same way? The language of food can be important too in this context. Just think about the different ways people refer to their dinner, supper, or tea. In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast we look to the history for clues about how much class still influences food in the modern world. Are there certain foods in t

"Your first job is not necessarily what you're going to do for the rest of your life. Just think about what you would enjoy, rather than stressing that you've committed to a career for 50 years." Ella Jones is Junior Brand Manager at Mondelez International, the multinational company which boasts the likes of Cadbury, Oreo, Ritz, and Green and Black's in its portfolio. She's only been in the role a few years, but her story could prove inspirational for anyone receiving exam results this summer, and starting to consider where their career might be heading. Ella studied English Literature at the University of Exeter and wasn't entirely sure what she would do after. In this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series, she reveals the unconventional approach she took to hunting for a job and ended up at Mondelez. She says she looked at the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers list and thumbed through, highlighting companies that she though looked interesting. When she came across Mondelez, she says she th

Should we all be considering switching to a diet made up of seasonal food?  It's a big question, and the impact could be huge too. How would it affect the food system? What difference would it make to the planet? In theory, only eating foods that are produced in your region at certain times of the year should mean fewer carbon emissions and less waste. But how big an impact would it really have? How likely is it that such a big change can be affected? And would it really benefit all of us? Our guest in this episode of the podcast is the food entrepreneur, Emilie Vanpoperinghe. Emilie is co-founder of Oddbox, a company that delivers thousands of boxes of in-season fruit and vegetables every week as part of its fight to make the world more sustainable.       Oddbox has one of the clearest tag-lines around: Wonky Fruit & Veg | Deliciously Odd & Delivered to Your Door. Listen to the full episode to find out more about Emilie and Oddbox, why she believes switching to a seasonal diet could have a dra

Is there a link between nutrition and the health changes associated with the menopause? It’s an area that traditionally has not received as much attention as one might hope, but things are perhaps changing. There has been a lot of recent media interest in the menopause, notably Davina McCall’s TV programmes, Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s interviews, and other celebrity interventions getting lots of coverage.     But while this public discussion is a welcome change, it has also helped highlight that far-from-enough is known about the health issues associated with the menopause. And the question of menopause and nutrition is an area unfortunately still swamped in myth and pseudoscience. That is where our guest, Dr Sarah Berry comes in. She is Reader in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King's College London and is Chief Scientist at the health science company ZOE. ZOE has been studying the effect of the menopause on body composition, sleep, heart disease risk, gut microbiome compositi

"Don't be shy. Don't be ashamed. Apply for the jobs and schemes you would love to do." So says Taïeb Mestiri, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Manager at the Coca-Cola Company, in this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series with Elisa Roche. As millions of students prepare to receive exam results this summer, many will be thinking about their next steps, and Taïeb's story is one which should provide some inspiration. Less than four years ago he applied for an internship at Coca-Cola in Paris and it has been the start of a great partnership. He says that when he first applied, he didn't think he stood much of a chance of being taken on. But he was proved wrong and now his advice to others is to put yourself forward, even if you have some self-doubt. Find out more about the up-coming Food Matters Live careers event series Initially Taïeb studied for a degree in engineering, but his love of food forced him to change course, eventually studying Food Science and Nutrition at Sorbonne University.

There is no doubt that the UK is a nation of curry lovers, curry addicts even, with many of our best, and biggest nights out happening in Indian restaurants.   They are a huge player in the UK food industry. Estimates vary, but one trade group suggests curry houses employ 100,000 people and have annual sales of £4.2 billion.  And that’s not even counting supermarket sales, recipe book sales, and so on.    The impact on our food culture is immense. And the UK is not alone. In so many parts of the world, there’s a big curry culture. Whether you’re sitting under palm trees in Durban, or on a night out in Glasgow, you’re part of a global curry scene. And with this global spread comes a fascinating history, bringing together centuries of trade, immigration, colonisation and culinary innovation. But how do you define a curry? Why has this amalgamation of cuisines become so popular? And what does the future hold? Listen to the full episode to find out why the British in particular have fallen in love with curr

For decades, there has been a fiery debate around Genetic Modification.   It’s seen by many as a solution to some of the world’s biggest food problems, but by others as a reckless scientific gamble, endangering human health and the environment.   Those of us with memories of the 1990s and 2000s will remember GM trial crops in East Anglia being trashed by protesters, with farmers defending them using tractors as battering rams. Genetically modified crops are effectively banned across Europe and the same applies to gene edited crops. And it’s gene editing we’re interested in because the UK Government is trying to pass a new law which could lead to these crops being grown commercially in England. Researchers hope gene editing might help solve global food and health problems, and be more palatable to the public than GM. So, will it be a game changer? To discuss its potential, we are joined by Professor Cathie Martin from the John Innes Centre, where she is leading a research project creating tomatoes which

"I literally have the best job in the world," says Hari Ghotra, Global Food and Beverage Manager at Virgin Atlantic. "I get to travel a lot, meet some amazing chefs, and eat some incredible food." It's hard to argue with that assessment. If you love food and love travel, this is up there as one of the dream jobs. Added to that, Hari is also a hugely successful cook, author and entrepreneur, founding the biggest Indian food digital platform in the UK harighotra.co.uk Her book "Indian for Everyone: 100 Easy, Healthy Dishes the Whole Family Will Love" is proving extremely popular too. Hari's job at Virgin Atlantic sees her travelling all around the world, working with caterers, and trying to find the best food to serve in the air. She manages the menus on all inbound flights to the UK and goes to painstaking lengths to make sure that what is served meets the needs of the passengers and crew. There are certain challenges to serving 300 meals at 35,000-feet, not least the way our taste pallets change at alti

Personalised nutrition has been making headlines for some time, but how much impact do different types of interventions have, and which work best? Science has now advanced to a point where it can look deep inside us as individuals and calculate individual nutrition and health needs.   As a result, the personalised nutrition sector is rapidly expanding. But among the hundreds of apps and advisors out there, reliable research about the effectiveness of these tools isn’t easy to find.    The health advice may be personal, the question is: Will it work?  And will any lifestyle changes stick around long-term? This where the Preventomics Programme comes in. It has been gathering evidence on the effectiveness of different approaches to personalised nutrition, and analysing their worth. It is a huge bit of research, looking at the potential of omics sciences, especially metabolomics, and changes in habits as drivers of development. Participants were given personalised plans for nutrition and lifesty

Spain is a food superpower; the fourth largest agri-food player in Europe and the tenth biggest in the world. It is perhaps less well-known as an obvious choice for agritech and innovation. But that feeling is misplaced, and it is changing, as Spain grows as a leading light in this area. In this episode of the Food Matters Live Podcast, we meet one of the organisations fuelling that growth, Eatable Adventures. Eatable Adventures discovers and supports innovative foodtech start-ups. Spain has always been famous for its fishing, aquaculture, vegetables, and much more. Eatable Adventures is helping to raise the country’s profile in areas such as alternative proteins, biotech, AI, and innovative, climate-friendly solutions. It supports start-ups, helping them grow from good ideas, to real-world solutions to the global food system’s biggest challenges. Eatable Solutions’ main focus is on start-ups that supply industry, rather than being consumer-facing. That’s partly down to funding opportunit

"There's no industry like the food industry," says Dai Llewellyn. "No other industry encapsulates all of your senses in the same way." Dai is Head Chef of Product Development at Co-Op UK, but it didn't always looks like he would have a successful food career. In fact, he started out studying a business degree: "I fell into a world of business by sort of doing what I thought I was meant to do, or what my parents expected me to do." Everything changed for him when he got his first job in a restaurant. He says he was instantly hooked after experiencing the comradery and fun: "There was just an amazing buzz around the place." Before taking on his role at Co-Op, Dai worked in a number of high-end restaurants, and he used to work in sandwich development at Greencore. He even won some awards, including one for, what he calls "just a chicken sandwich". We think he's being modest. Listen to full episode to find out why he finds the food industry so exciting, why he believes experience is not the be-a

In the last few years there’s been a growing interest in food and drink products that claim to improve gut health. Research has been booming and, on the Food Matters Live Podcast, we have spoken to some of the world’s leading experts, exploring connections between our gut, what we eat, and our physical and mental health.    In this episode we explore the many different ways the food and nutrition industry is tapping into this market.  It is already a large territory to navigate, around every corner there’s a new probiotic. So which avenues are most beneficial for our individual health, and for developing a business? We take a look at some of the latest trends; fermentation, grain-based foods, and yoghurts spring to mind. But what else is out there? Which parts of the world are most interested in products that claim to promote gut health? Which demographics are fuelling the rapid rise? And how can consumers protect themselves from potentially dubious claims? Listen to the full episode for som

Imagine it’s the year 2032. The summer Olympics are just kicking off in Brisbane, the Perseverance rover has arrived back on Earth carrying Martian rocks, we’ve just finished recording the 2,000th episode of this podcast, and the UK has just become the fattest nation in Europe. OK snap back to the present and there is still something we can do about that last one. A report by the World Health Organization warns that obesity has already reached “epidemic proportions” in Europe, causing 200,000 cancer cases and 1.2 million deaths a year. The UK is currently 4th in its European rankings and in ten years is predicted to top the charts. The question is: How is this possible in a country where the Government has an obesity strategy, and where at least a dozen policies or white papers have been announced on the topic since 1997? In this episode of the Food Matters Live Podcast, we are going to look at the possible solutions and ask what the food industry can do, to help solve the crisis. We will a

"When I go into a supermarket, I look at the ingredients of a product and I can tell exactly what something is going to taste like," says Angela Trofymova. "It's boring shopping with me." Angela has one of those jobs that sounds too good to be true. She is Group Testing Manager for the Good Housekeeping Institute. That means she is in charge of the institute's world-famous taste tests, which are so renowned they have a huge impact on sales and trends. In this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series, we find out exactly what's involved in running taste testing sessions, and what a typical day looks like for someone in a role like Angela's. Her route to the job has not been simple. She's held many roles within the food industry, and outside of it. At one point she worked for a company where things really didn't click. "That completely depleted my energy," she says. "It made me feel inadequate and I felt like I didn't know what I was doing." But the truth is, things just hadn't wo

The World Health Orgnization's European Regional Obesity Report makes grim reading. It says nearly two-thirds of European adults are obese, a third of children are overweight or obese, and crucially, the numbers are rising. The WHO says no European country is on track to stop obesity rising by 2025. For UK readers, the standout headline is that Britain is on course to have the worst obesity rate in Europe by 2033. But there is one line within the report that offers a glimpse of hope. It says: "Europe can reverse its obesity epidemic." In this episode of the Food Matters Live Podcast, we interview one of the authors of the report, Kremlin Wickramasinghe, Acting Head of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable diseases. For decades obesity has been a major global health issue and as time has ticked on, despite research, government health legislation, campaigns, changes within the food industry, things continue to get worse. It’s a topic we’ve covered before

Technion, Israel’s Institute of Technology is the oldest university in the country and one of the leading universities in the world.   Its Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering is a unique department where expertise from many disciplines comes together. Israel is a global centre of food and agri-tech, producing remarkable innovations, and attracting astonishing levels of investment. But, like anywhere else in the world, there are problems; food waste, overfishing, unsustainable practices, feeding a growing population. Israel is facing all of the above and the issues are taxing its brightest minds. The Food Matters Live Podcast has looked at innovation in Israel before, but in this episode we are going to get a unique insight into one of the world’s leading research centres. The Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering is led by Professor Marcelle Machluf, a remarkable woman who was named Lady Globe Magazine’s ‘Woman of the Year’ in 2018. Her work has been included in the Israel

"It came as it of a surprise," says Jessica Pinnick about landing her job as Brand Manager for the soft drinks company, Belvoir Farm. "As the best thing often do" Jessica has been in the role for around a year and describes her job as being about telling the story of the brand. Belvoir Farm has been around for more than 40 years and is perhaps best-known for its elderflower cordial. So how did Jessica end up in this fantastic marketing role? Her career began at Boots, where she joined as an apprentice and went on a development programme. She says that really helped her decide which direction to take her career in: "I was able to try lots of things until I worked out what I really wanted to do." Jessica stayed at Boots for nearly ten years, before making the move to Belvoir and says it was the level of creativity required in the role, that really attracted her. "It's about getting to understand what consumers want and what they're looking for," she tells Elisa Roche in this episode of the

What will be the impact of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU on food standards in the UK? When the Brexit referendum was held, trade was trumpeted as a great benefit. No longer would the UK be constrained by EU deals; the country could sign trade agreements with whomever it wanted.     Almost immediately, concerns were raised about the effect on food standards, food quality and animal welfare. Consumers and farmers would suffer, it was said. Well, several years on, those trade deals are slowly emerging, and the warnings have returned.      A recent focus has been the big trade deal signed with Australia, which eliminates tariffs on a vast range of products, including lamb, beef, sugar, and dairy.      The Australia deal was the first to be built from scratch, most others have rolled over from what the UK had when it was in the EU, or in some cases deals have been slightly extended. The brand-newness of the Australia deal makes it significant. But how big a deal is it and how significant is th

The Mediterranean diet is the cornerstone of cultures considered to be the healthiest in the world, but do you know exactly what defines it? In many previous editions of the Food Matters Live podcast, it’s kept cropping up… When we talked about Covid and nutrition, there it was.  When we talked about the gut microbiome, there it was.  And when we talked about nutrition and age, you guessed it, there it was again. It’s hugely influential, but our guest in this episode, says many people are confused about what a Mediterranean diet actually is. That confusion means many people are failing to get the benefits of the diet. So if people are confused, how can they be sure that they are eating the right foods? Apparently, it's all in the colour and the taste of what we consume. And what are the benefits? Why is the Mediterranean diet so good for us? What chemistry is happening inside our bodies when we eat certain foods? Critics of adopting the diet away from the Mediterranean think it's difficut

"Rice for breakfast is absolutely standard," says James Forsyth, Performance Chef for elite cycling team the INEOS Grenadiers. That's just one of the many, slightly odd, things he has to think about as part of his role. His job is to prepare meals for all members of the cycling team, as they compete at major events such as the Tour de France. So much thought goes into what the athletes eat and it varies depending on what role the individual cyclist has within the team. One thing is for certain, a lot of food needs to be consumed to make sure the riders are fit and ready to compete at the very top level. "It's about the volume of what they eat at each mealtime," James tells Elisa Roche in this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series. "Each meal would probably equate to around six or seven meals." The INEOS Grenadiers, formerly known as Team Sky, are one of the most successful cycling teams of recent years. Geraint Thomas, who won the Tour de France in 2018, currently rides for t