The Food Chain

Dementia is a syndrome associated with a decline of brain function that can affect memory, thought processes and behaviour. In some cases this can impact people’s ability to shop, cook and eat a meal. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease.

In this programme Ruth Alexander meets people living with dementia and their families, to hear about the ways in which a diagnosis can impact mealtimes.

Ruth meets Alan and Amy...

Something as simple as sharing a meal or utensils can carry social stigma for the millions born into the bottom of India’s caste system, a social structure that divides people into different groups.

In this programme Devina Gupta explores the foods of the Dalit community, historically considered at the very bottom of the caste system. She hears how many dishes evolved from necessity, due to low incomes and lack of available food ...

What’s at stake when a child has their first meal in a new home?

For children entering care, especially those who have faced food insecurity, that first plate of food can be a big moment.

In this programme, Ruth Alexander explores how food and mealtimes can help children feel safe and give them a sense of belonging.

She meets Jessica-Rae Williamson, a 21 year old care leaver from Manchester, England, who still remembers the first m...

Protein is a health and fitness buzzword – plastered on packaging, prioritised in diets and praised by fitness influencers. But is our preoccupation with protein overshadowing another nutritional essential – fibre? Ruth Alexander explores the science, and marketing, behind protein’s popularity with expert guests Dr Emma Beckett, a food and nutrition scientist and communicator in Australia, and author of You Are More Than What You E...

It can be the difference between life and death for your character, signal you’re on a hostile planet or in a sumptuous world, or can even give you the whole basis for a game.

In this week’s Food Chain we hear where the ideas for some of the most disgusting and delicious foods in games come from, and how to recreate them in real life.

Video game creator Tim Cain tells us why food was such an important tool in his games Fallout ...

What can we tell about a society from the plates, bowls and cups it uses?

In this programme Ruth Alexander learns about the history of pottery, from early earthenware to the porcelain discovered by ancient China, known as ‘white gold’.

Professor of archaeology, Joanita Vroom from Leiden University in the Netherlands explains why every pot has a story to tell.

Historian Professor Suzanne Marchand from Louisiana State University in ...

Love Thai food? It might be thanks to a two-decade long policy on the part of the government of Thailand to promote its food culture abroad, with the express aim of increasing trade and tourism.

Ruth Alexander explores how food can be used as a foreign policy tool, influencing not just world leaders but seeking to win the hearts and minds of the public.

Academic Sam Chapple-Sokol at George Washington University in the US explains...

How is artificial intelligence reshaping the global food industry? Rumella Dasgupta explores how AI is helping chefs experiment with new recipes, reducing food waste in factories and streamlining supply chains.

She speaks to Tamsin Deasey Weinsten, a though leader on the AI industry, to discover the parts of the food supply chain that AI is affecting the most.

In the kitchen, chef Matan Zakan tells us how he uses AI chatbots to assis...

Our shops are full of products sourced from all over the world, and its someone’s job to find and secure them – at the right quality and quantity for the best price possible. In this programme Ruth Alexander speaks to three food buyers on three different continents. She is joined by Beatrice Muraguri, a Tea Buyer and exporter based in Mombasa, Kenya; Chloe Doutre-Roussel, who travels the world sourcing cacao beans for speciality ch...

What it’s like for your child to be diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies? Ruth Alexander explores the realities of shopping, socialising and eating out with a food allergy, and discusses what needs to change to make food safer for everyone.

Amanda Bee and her daughter Vivian, 13, tell us how they navigate her allergies to milk, beef and dragonfruit.

We hear from Dr Alexandra Santos, a professor of paediatric allergy at Kin...

Does food have the power to send messages when words aren’t enough? This week Ruth Alexander finds out how food can sometimes speak much louder than words.

Lecturer in Chinese Cultural Studies Dr Zhaokun Xi explains why gifting a pear in China can quietly suggest separation — and how it still carries weight today. Chef Beejhy Barhany reflects on the role of Ethiopian food in expressing care and welcome through gursha, the act of fe...

Ruth Alexander looks at the world of snacks. Have we always snacked or is it a more modern phenomenon that started with formal meal patterns? What snacks have been popular through the ages, what’s the industry doing now and what could we be eating in the future?

We talk to food historians Dr Annie Gray and Professor Janis Thiessen, the former CEO of Unilever Paul Polman - who remembers the rise of some of the biggest brands - and...

When you’re feeling stressed, does it affect your appetite?

In this programme Ruth Alexander is joined by two experts in chronic stress to discuss why it can cause us to crave certain foods, the impact on our bodies and whether there’s anything we can do to prepare for periods of stress in our lives.

Ruth is joined by Professor Rajita Sinha, clinical psychologist and founding director of the Yale University Interdisciplinary Stres...

There are bakeries, cafes, bars and restaurants around the world which don’t just exist to serve up food and drink – they're on a mission to rebuild lives.

Ruth Alexander hears the stories of risk, reward and redemption from three businesses on three different continents:

At The Dusty Knuckle bakery in London, the trainee programme manager Charlie Atkinson explains why she thinks a cafe and bakery is the perfect place to foster tea...

Cottage industries, usually referring to small scale home-based production, can be found all over the world. Often they provide a vital source of additional income for women, particularly in low income and rural areas.

In this programme Devina Gupta speaks to women who are working in food cottage industries in India, Eswatini in Southern Africa, and Ecuador, to hear about the work and the difference it makes to their finances.

De...

Indigenous food is experiencing a revival in Canada, with growing awareness of First Nations culture, and Indigenous run community farms and restaurants opening.

While many are hopeful, there remains challenges to food security, including the realities of living in remote areas, the legacy of historic government schemes and climate change.

Megan Lawton speaks to First Nation farmers, restauranteurs and chefs.

Presented by Megan La...

As plastic waste continues to pile up, Ruth Alexander explores how manufacturers, retailers, and designers are rethinking the way our food is packaged.

We hear how shoppers are responding to eco-conscious packaging in Finland, from supermarket manager Markku Hautala. And is plastic really the enemy? Paul Jenkins, founder of a leading packaging consultancy, shares the latest innovations in sustainable design, and why some materials a...

Corner shop, mom and pop store or konbini, whatever you call them, most of us have a local business that sells convenience.

Rising food costs mean many are struggling to make a profit, one solution is to improve the fresh food and beverage offering which can have better margins.

Ruth Alexander visits a convenience store in Morley in West Yorkshire in the UK, where owner Ajay Singh has introduced cocktails and street food alongsid...

What’s the purpose of restaurant reviews?

The Food Chain looks at who is qualified to write a review, how helpful they are today and the impact they can have on a business.

In this programme Ruth Alexander speaks to Giles Coren, restaurant critic for The Times newspaper in the UK, Opeyemi Famakin, online reviewer and influencer in Nigeria, and Ana Roš, chef and owner of the Hiša Franko restaurant in Slovenia which holds three Mic...