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Artwork for The Food Programme

The Food Programme

BBC Radio 4
Nutrition
Climate Change
Obesity
Food Waste
Cooking
Social Media
Food Culture
Food Safety
Public Health
Coffee
Food
Ultra-Processed Foods
United Kingdom
Food Security
Bradford
Biodiversity
Mental Health
Japan
Rum
Christmas

Investigating every aspect of the food we eat

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes838Founded17 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
FoodArts

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Artwork for The Food Programme

Latest Episodes

Dan Saladino meets this year's collection of musicians from around the world who are cooking as they perform at the WOMAD festival.

What do their dishes reveal about global food history?

Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.

There are many ways to age a cheese so how best to refine its flavours over time? Welcome to the art of affinage - a French term that translates as "refining" a cheese - and a practice that is starting to take off in the UK. Sheila Dillon attends a c... more

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, Jaeg... more

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 Cy... 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

Dr. Bryce Stewart
Senior Research Fellow at UK Marine Biological Association
UK Marine Biological Association
Episode: Eating Octopus
Pantelis Panteli
Halloumi/Hellim producer in Cyprus
Cyprus Halloumi producer
Episode: What Happened Next?
David Hoyles
English olive grower, running English Olive Company
English Olive Company
Episode: What Happened Next?
Peter Wood
Owner, UK Glass Eels
UK Glass Eels
Episode: What Happened Next?
Sarit Packer
Chef, Honey & Co
Honey & Co
Episode: How Pistachios Took Over
Timur Ekingen
Turkish journalist and baker
Green Lanes traders association and Turkish community
Episode: How Pistachios Took Over
Rob Tao
Secretary of the Green Lanes Traders Association
Green Lanes Traders Association
Episode: How Pistachios Took Over
Anna Ansari
Iranian-American food writer
Silk Roads, A Flavor Odyssey
Episode: How Pistachios Took Over
Charlie Tebbutt
Founder of Food and Forest
Food & Forest
Episode: How Pistachios Took Over

Host

Jaega Wise
Host of The Food Programme

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1.6k ratings
  • Wonderful

    I love the food programme. The subjects are so varied and there is something for everyone, whether you are interested in the characters in the food world, the politics of it or how it all works.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    fussy frederika
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Periodic Table of Food

    One of the most interesting and important podcast I’ve heard in a long while

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Arthur Shufflehouse
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Wow!

    Michael Crawford, just listened, fascinating!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ALittleChaotic
    United Statesa year ago
  • Bad Case of Pseudo-Science

    The Brain Gut Connection episode was a classic example of Myth-Making Journalism masquerading as science. I’m sure many listeners would be misled, as intended, by the jump from saying “there’s a link” between gut biodiversity and mental health to the assumption that it’s a causal link, and hence that increasing gut biodiversity will improve mental health. Classic journalistic misrepresentation in a desperate search for a story…

    Then we cut to the researcher who carried out a study to explore thi... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    ArgyEll
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • These so-called MPs provided nothing that is new, and give little hope for the future health of the nation! Nice try, but...

    Podcast Addict
    1
    mobfizz
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests and experts are usually top-notch and the reporting feels credible and nuanced.
Listeners value the breadth of topics and the accessible, well-researched storytelling.
The show is informative and consistently engages with current food system issues.
Audience appreciates practical, policy-relevant discussions that connect theory to real-world impact.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#61
United States/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#6
United Kingdom/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#15
Canada/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#25
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#110
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#6
Australia/Arts/Food

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Is Food Processing the ‘Missing Middle’?
Q: Should we maintain localised facilities and UK capacity for processing?
Yes, to strengthen resilience and national security of the food chain, ensuring that if imports falter, there is sufficient domestic capacity to meet demand.
Is Food Processing the ‘Missing Middle’?
Q: So what can the UK do in terms of bean processing?
Experts suggest supporting a mix of on-farm, mid-scale, and larger processing facilities to provide resilience and keep farms economically viable, while also building demand for UK-grown pulses to justify local processing.
Chefs, Creativity and the Cost of Living Crisis
Q: What specific skills have been useful for chefs in navigating this cost crisis?
Chefs need to be adaptable, having more than just culinary skills but also an understanding of finance and the economics behind food costs.
A Wild Mushroom Chase
Q: What is the general perspective on wild mushrooms in the UK compared to Sweden?
In the UK, people are generally mycophobic and less knowledgeable about mushrooms, unlike consumers in Sweden who understand and encourage wild mushroom foraging.
A Wild Mushroom Chase
Q: What checks are in place in Sweden to make sure the mushrooms are what you say they are?
There are systems in place where mushrooms are checked both upon receiving them from pickers and again before packing for customers.

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 Programme

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

A thoughtfully curated program exploring food systems from multiple angles—policy, culture, farming, and culinary innovation. Episodes frequently center on supply chains, nutrition, sustainability, and the social impact of food, often pairing expert analysis with on-the-ground reporting and chef-led demonstrations. Unique strengths include a policy-forward lens on national standards, hands-on culinary storytelling, and robust coverage of regional food movements and industry dynamics, making it useful for professionals researching food policy, sustainability, and CPG trends. The show tends to attract listeners who enjoy deeply reported context, discussions with researchers and practitioners, and stories at the intersection of culture and nou... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Food Programme?

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How many listeners does The Food Programme get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Food Programme have?

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

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Food Programme:

1. The Food Chain
2. Good Food
3. Inside Health
4. Sliced Bread
5. Gardeners' Question Time

How many episodes of The Food Programme are there?

The Food Programme launched 17 years ago and published 838 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 Programme?

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 Programme?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Food Programme from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Food Programme?

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

Recent guests on The Food Programme include:

1. Dr. Bryce Stewart
2. Pantelis Panteli
3. David Hoyles
4. Peter Wood
5. Sarit Packer
6. Timur Ekingen
7. Rob Tao
8. Anna Ansari

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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