Rephonic
Artwork for Lunchbox Envy

Lunchbox Envy

Lunchbox Envy
Cheese
Onions
Chocolate
Potatoes
Aphrodisiacs
Fast Food
Tomatoes
Ice Cream
Eggs
Pizza
Bacon
Beef
Chicken
Salt
NASA
Pasta
Black Pepper
Sandwich
Mcdonald's
Garlic

From the makers of QI and No Such Thing As A Fish: Gastronomically-minded QI researchers Jack Chambers and Manu Henriot join chef and food writer Rosie MacKean to unpack the world of food and drink, one lunchbox at a time. Can you unboil an egg? Why would you milk a spider? How much Dairy Milk would it take to kill you? Dig in now to get answers to the questions you never knew you had.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes81Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
FoodArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Lunchbox Envy

Latest Episodes

What is every chef's secret weapon? How did a moustache start a waiters' strike? Would you like to have dinner 150 feet up in the air?

YouTube

Where can you ride a train powered by noodle broth? Who uses noodles as currency? When should you replace your pasta with noodles?

YouTube

How did the Romans build their greenhouses out of stone? When is pickle juice mouthwash a good idea? Is cucumber juice actually any good for you?

YouTube

Which animal pees popcorn flavour? When is someone else's saliva in your drink a delicacy? Why is Tom Cruise so good at eating corn on the cob?

YouTube

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Helen Graham
Chef and food writer based in London
Chef and food writer, author of Centipiece
Episode: 73: 🌊 The Chef Who Caused A Tahini-nami
Ed Smith
Chef and food writer
Author of Peckish
Episode: 66: 🐔 Why Chickens Need Spectacles
Tim Hayward
Author, food journalist, broadcaster
Tim Hayward Ltd
Episode: 62: 🍴 Buckingham Palace's Upside-Down Forks
Vicky Clarus
Food scientist and former manager of food systems at NASA for the Space Shuttle Program and International Space Station
NASA
Episode: 50: 🚀 Where To Get A Good Drink In Space
Ken Albala
Food historian, author, and broadcaster
University of the Pacific
Episode: 49: 🫀 The Scottish Delicacy Banned In America
Jodie Nixon
Recipe developer and food stylist
Episode: 42: 🎓 Jamie Oliver Is Screaming At Our Home-Twizzled Turkeys
Gazina Bullock Prado
Chef, baker, and cookbook author
Food Network
Episode: 41: 🦃 CALL NOW: The Emergency Turkey Hotline
Edd Kimber
Baker, cookbook writer, and winner of the first ever series of The Great British Bake Off
Episode: 23: 🥐 The Secret Curvy Croissant Code
Rosie MacKean
Food writer and chef
Not mentioned
Episode: 16: 🍷 Does More Expensive Wine Actually Taste Better?

Hosts

Alex Bell
QI Elf and host/producer with continued involvement in Lunchbox Envy-related projects; frequent contributor to discussions.
Jack Chambers
Co-host with broad involvement in food, science, and media discussions; seen as the anchor for humor and banter.
Rosie Mackean
Chef and food writer; key host with culinary expertise and storytelling presence.
Manu Henriot
Co-host; QI Elf and culinary researcher with a hands-on cooking and science background.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 556 ratings
  • Scrumptious!

    I love this pod, quickly becoming one of my favourites. I much prefer it when it’s Alex, Manu, and Jack as Alex is very witty and the three of them have better chemistry, but it’s always an enjoyable listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JeffreyDobe
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Simply Delicious

    Facts, humour, personality and chemistry, all the ingredients for a scrumptious food podcast. A simply delightful recipe. If you love No Such Thing As A Fish, you will simply adore their younger sibling.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    thoobill
    Australia2 months ago
  • The best

    Love it! My comfort podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Miancateifel
    South Africa3 months ago
  • Lost me at girl boy dinner

    Good pod I love it but lost me at girl boy dinner

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    R1ta_Hof
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Not bad but…

    This is a gentle and mildly amusing podcast with some fun facts.

    Sadly there tends to be a point in each episode where Manu (who is otherwise very lovely) starts making little “uhuh” type agreeing noises every two seconds. It drives me bonkers! Please could these wee verbal ticks be thinned out in the edit 🙏

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Tookie7
    United Kingdom4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A few comments suggest guests or topics could spice up occasional episodes, but the core trio remains the draw.
Production quality and research are frequently mentioned as standout strengths, keeping episodes informative and engaging.
Listeners praise chemistry and humor between hosts, with chemistry often cited as a strength.
Many listeners enjoy the accessible deep-dives into specific foods and eras, making it easy to learn and share.
Some reviewers note swearing and irreverence, which could be off-putting to more conservative listeners.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#72
United States/Arts/Food
Spotify
#32
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#8
United Kingdom/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#31
Canada/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#67
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#10
Australia/Arts/Food

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

66: 🐔 Why Chickens Need Spectacles
Q: What have you brought to Lunchbox this week, Ed?
Ed brings chicken livers, highlighting their accessibility, nutritional value, and versatility, including a mapo-style preparation with tofu.
49: 🫀 The Scottish Delicacy Banned In America
Q: What have you brought for us today?
I brought some haggis, which I made last night, which turned out really nice.
49: 🫀 The Scottish Delicacy Banned In America
Q: Can you tell us a bit about what you do?
I'm a food historian in Stockton, California, at the University of the Pacific. And that often involves cooking historic dishes to see what they taste like.
30: ♨️ The Insane Truth Behind Microwave Clocks
Q: So should we talk about how the microwave works?
Yes, the bit that's creating the electromagnetic waves is called a cavity magnetron.
30: ♨️ The Insane Truth Behind Microwave Clocks
Q: Rosie, as a professional chef, are you a massive microwave snob?
Quite the contrary, I think microwaves are brilliant.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Lunchbox Envy

What is Lunchbox Envy about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A lively, curiosity-driven food show that blends science, history, and kitchen tricks with playful banter among three core hosts and a rotating roster of guest chefs. Episodes survey ingredients, cooking techniques, and culinary cultures through a Research-then-Revelry lens, delivering bite-sized facts, practical tips, and entertaining anecdotes. The chemistry among the regular trio and their approachable curiosity make it accessible for food nerds and casual listeners alike, while the broad range of topics—from cucumbers and sesame to cutlery and doner kebabs—keeps the format fresh and broadly sponsor-friendly. A standout trait is the show's dual focus on rigorous, digestible food lore and humorous, often cheeky conversation that invites b... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Lunchbox Envy?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Lunchbox Envy. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Lunchbox Envy and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Lunchbox Envy get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Lunchbox Envy, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Lunchbox Envy?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Lunchbox Envy, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Lunchbox Envy have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Lunchbox Envy has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Lunchbox Envy?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Lunchbox Envy:

1. No Such Thing As A Fish
2. Answer Me This!
3. Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster
4. You're Dead to Me
5. Evil Genius with Russell Kane

How many episodes of Lunchbox Envy are there?

Lunchbox Envy launched a year ago and published 81 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Lunchbox Envy?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Lunchbox Envy?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Lunchbox Envy from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Lunchbox Envy?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Lunchbox Envy. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Lunchbox Envy?

Recent guests on Lunchbox Envy include:

1. Helen Graham
2. Ed Smith
3. Tim Hayward
4. Vicky Clarus
5. Ken Albala
6. Jodie Nixon
7. Gazina Bullock Prado
8. Edd Kimber

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days