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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
Cooking
Taste
Food Waste
Hospitality Industry
Ultra-Processed Food
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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes548Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsSociety & CultureFood

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Artwork for The Food Chain

Latest Episodes

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

The history of smoking foods stretches back many years, but when did what began purely for preservation become a highly sought-after flavour? In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander explores the origins of smoked foods and finds out why the... more

Music is part of the backdrop to millions of meals every day. But what if it is doing more than simply creating atmosphere?

In this episode of The Food Chain, Rumella Dasgupta explores the growing evidence that sound can shape the way we experience ... more

Running a restaurant is hard. Long hours, tight margins and constant stress. In this week's programme Rumella Dasgupta travels to Edinburgh, Scotland, to meet Lisa He and her mum Sophie. Lisa has just put her life and acting career on hold, to try an... more

Key Facts

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

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Recent Guests

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?
Carleigh Bond
Entrepreneur who closed a vegan fast food business
Independent entrepreneur
Episode: Can I save the family restaurant?
Pauline Lee
Malaysian food tour guide, founder of Simply Enak Malaysia
Simply Enak Malaysia
Episode: The business of food tours
Eric Wolf
Executive director and founder of the World Food Travel Association
World Food Travel Association
Episode: The business of food tours
Judith von Prockel
German founder of Gourmet on Tour, based in Singapore
Gourmet on Tour
Episode: The business of food tours
Lucy Long
Director of the Centre for Food and Culture
Ohio University (non-profit)
Episode: The business of food tours

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 Kingdom4 months ago
  • Love this show!

    Another great episode! Yumm!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ghb59
    United States5 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 Kingdom6 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
    7 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 Kingdom9 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
#50
United States/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#9
United Kingdom/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#16
Canada/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#51
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#121
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#9
Australia/Arts/Food

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
The business of food tours
Q: Why are food tours proving so popular around the world?
Food tours appeal because everyone eats and has strong opinions about food, and experiences at a destination are often shaped by the local culinary culture as much as by sights, making food a memorable way to understand a place.
Can I save the family restaurant?
Q: So Lisa, is this all making sense to you?
Yes, everything David has said sounds relatable and achievable if they implement a structured system for costing, inventory, and digital engagement.
Can music change the way food tastes?
Q: What makes music inspirational in a dining context?
Music shapes mood and expectations, guiding how flavors are experienced, with the brain linking certain sound features to perceptual cues that alter enjoyment and engagement.

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. Sliced Bread
4. CrowdScience
5. People Fixing the World

How many episodes of The Food Chain are there?

The Food Chain launched 12 years ago and published 548 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. Ophelia Deroy
2. David Hopkins
3. Bhav Mand
4. Baljinder Mand
5. Carleigh Bond
6. Pauline Lee
7. Eric Wolf
8. Judith von Prockel

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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