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Artwork for The Food Chain

The Food Chain

BBC World Service
Nutrition
Culinary Arts
Food Industry
Food
Health Benefits
Food Security
Healthy Eating
Consumer Behavior
Food Waste
Cooking
Taste
Ultra-Processed Food
Hospitality Industry
Dietary Guidelines
Crunch
Food Delivery
Coffee
Olympic Athletes
Climate Change
Restaurant Industry

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes551Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
FoodSociety & CultureArts

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Artwork for The Food Chain

Latest Episodes

Listener Melanie wrote into The Food Chain to ask us to make a programme about the rising numbers of people who eat alone. She told us she often dines solo and sometimes finds the experience daunting. So today Ruth Alexander hears from Melanie and fr... more

Elite footballers are among the world's most finely tuned athletes. Every meal is carefully planned to fuel training, maximise recovery and prepare for the next match. But it wasn't always this way.

In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander ... more

YouTube

With dining out becoming an increasingly expensive luxury, we find out how to order the perfect restaurant meal with top tips from a panel of seasoned pros.

The Irish Times food critic, Corinna Hardgrave, veteran server and podcast host Brittany Fe... more

Many of us have our own theories about sleep. Perhaps it's avoiding coffee after lunch, drinking chamomile tea before bed, or having a warm glass of milk. But what does the science actually say?

In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander expl... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Dr. Allie Hare
Consultant in Sleep and Respiratory Medicine, President of the British Sleep Society
British Sleep Society
Episode: What to eat for a better night's sleep
Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge
Professor of Nutrition Medicine, Columbia University
Columbia University
Episode: What to eat for a better night's sleep
Heather Smyth
Flavor scientist and sensory specialist
University of Queensland
Episode: Why do we love smoky flavours so much?
Ken Albala
Professor of History at the University of the Pacific
University of the Pacific
Episode: Why do we love smoky flavours so much?
Michael Price
Owner of Port of Lancaster Smokehouse
Port of Lancaster Smokehouse
Episode: Why do we love smoky flavours so much?
Ophelia Deroy
Neuroscientist and philosopher
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Episode: Can music change the way food tastes?
David Hopkins
Restaurant turnaround expert, President of the Fifteen Group (Canada)
The Fifteen Group
Episode: Can I save the family restaurant?
Bhav Mand
Sibling involved in revitalizing a family restaurant in Sydney
Mand family restaurant (Sydney)
Episode: Can I save the family restaurant?
Baljinder Mand
Father running a family restaurant in Sydney
Mand family restaurant (Sydney)
Episode: Can I save the family restaurant?

Host

Ruth Alexander
Host of The Food Chain

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Sandwiches

    Since when has Manchester been using dollars and not pounds?

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    hannakuso
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Love this show!

    Another great episode! Yumm!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ghb59
    United States6 months ago
  • Perfect

    Talks about all modern issues such as influencers conning people to eat certain foods and get rid of some

    May be a kid but it’s so informative

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    marshmallow2016 march
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Excellent guests who provide a very insightful look into the world of restaurant service. Listening teaches one what they ought to expect from their servers and how they should comport themselves when eating out.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    ithabise
    8 months ago
  • Crisps

    Why did we have to listen to someone pretending to make a crisp sandwich and then pretending to eat it? Ludicrous!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    hannakuso
    United Kingdom10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Episodes are valued for being informative and accessible, with practical takeaways.
Listeners praise the host's calm delivery and well-curated topics.
Guests are described as credible and varied across food, science, and culture.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#47
United States/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#12
United Kingdom/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#13
Canada/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#97
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#103
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#9
Australia/Arts/Food

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to order a restaurant meal like a pro
Q: What should you consider when ordering for a group or family?
Start with a few starters to share, assess how hungry everyone is, and then decide whether to add more plates or shift towards mains, ensuring the table isn't overwhelmed and there's room for desserts.
How to order a restaurant meal like a pro
Q: Are there any real no-nos when it comes to ordering?
Yes. Avoid rude behavior and avoid treating servers as servants; also keep your phone down and don't shout into it at the table, as these habits disrupt the dining experience for everyone.
Why do we love smoky flavours so much?
Q: Why do people have such a strong affinity for smoky flavors across cultures?
Smoke engages multiple senses and activates emotional memories, while its chemical complexity and familiar, comforting associations drive broad appeal.
The business of food tours
Q: How did Gourmet on Tour start, and what did it teach you about the industry?
Gourmet on Tour began 25 years ago as one of the first agencies specializing in culinary holidays, teaching that authentic culinary travel requires deep local connections and careful curation rather than generic sightseeing.
The business of food tours
Q: What makes a tour guide credible and safe for travelers?
A credible tour guide is professional, licensed where possible, knowledgeable about local heritage, and emphasizes safety and hygiene while delivering authentic, story-rich experiences.

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 The Food Chain

What is The Food Chain about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful exploration of food's business, science, and cultural impact, with a strong emphasis on practical cooking, nutrition, and industry dynamics. Episodes often blend expert insights from chefs, nutritionists, researchers, and food journalists with real-world stories about meal prep, kitchen culture, and consumer trends. Noteworthy is the show's ability to connect rigorous science and policy discussions to accessible, everyday eating, while featuring high-profile athletes, restaurateurs, and authors to illustrate broader food conversations.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Food Chain?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Food Chain. 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 The Food Chain and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Food Chain get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Food Chain, 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 The Food Chain?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Food Chain, 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 The Food Chain have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Food Chain 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 The Food Chain?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Food Chain:

1. The Food Programme
2. Good Food
3. Health Check
4. Sliced Bread
5. CrowdScience

How many episodes of The Food Chain are there?

The Food Chain launched 12 years ago and published 551 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 The Food Chain?

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 The Food Chain?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Food Chain 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 The Food Chain?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Food Chain. 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 The Food Chain?

Recent guests on The Food Chain include:

1. Dr. Allie Hare
2. Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge
3. Heather Smyth
4. Ken Albala
5. Michael Price
6. Ophelia Deroy
7. David Hopkins
8. Bhav Mand

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.

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