Wales's Secret Ingredient: Lessons from Cymru on the Future of Food
Sheila Dillon is joined by four guests who each have a deep connection with Welsh food and farming for a panel discussion recorded at the 2025 Abergavenny Food Festival. Beca Lyne-Pirkis is a food writer and broadcaster; Patrick Holden is an organic farmer and founder of the Sustainable Food Trust; Carwyn Graves is a Welsh food historian and author; and Sue Pritchard leads the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. Together, they explore what is currently making Wales’s approach to food distinctive — and what lessons it might offer for the future of food across the UK.Presented by Sheila Dillon
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan
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The Rise of Matcha
As sales of matcha continue to boom, Leyla Kazim traces the story of the powdered green tea from centuries-old Japanese tradition to global health trend phenomenon. We look behind the social media videos and headlines to find out more about the reported matcha shortage, how the matcha supply chain is reacting, and ask what might happen next. Also in the programme Leyla learns about some of the misconceptions we have about matcha, including the issues around the term 'ceremonial grade'; we have a report from Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms in Japan about how tea farmers are coping with the sudden boom; and Leyla digs into the health claims about matcha with dietician and scientist at King's College London, Dr Emily Leeming.Presented by Leyla Kazim and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol.
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Follow the Food: The Rise of Food Tourism
Sheila Dillon investigates the growing number of food tours and trails in the UK as consumers show more and more interest in the provenance of what is on their plate. She heads to Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire – a town that boasts the title of Rural Capital Of Food - and joins a walking tour that spans pork pie producers, stilton sellers, a samosa wallah and a prizewinning brewery. Produced by Robin Markwell for BBC Audio in Bristol
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Manx Made
Jaega Wise heads to the Isle of Man to find out what’s driving a growing movement to produce more of the island’s own food, and why its approach might matter beyond its shores. She hears about the challenges facing producers, how the fishing industry is adapting, and what it means to work within a UNESCO biosphere. Just 6% of food bought in Manx shops is locally produced — a figure the Manx NFU is campaigning to change. Meanwhile, the Government has announced reforms to primary school meals after discovering half of the food served was ultra-processed, and very little was locally sourced. Contributors:
Chris Waller, NOA Bakehouse
Sue King, author of "Ham & Eggs and Turtle Soup: A Slice of Manx Culinary History"
Jack Emmerson – Sea Fisheries Policy Manager, Isle of Man Government (DEFA)
Dr David Beard – Chief Executive, Manx Fish Producers Organisation
Elizabeth Townsend and Nick Scarffe, Kerroo Brewing Co
Helen Crosbie, Isle of Man Sea Salt
Jenny Shepherd and Rawdon Hayne – Isle of Man Charcuterie
Sarah Comish, Manx National Farmers’ Union (NFU)
Shirley Callow, Isle of Man Creamery
Daphne Caine, Minister for Education, Sport and Culture, Isle of Man Government
Pippa Lovell, Chef, The Laxey Glen. Presented by Jaega Wise
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan
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Cooking From Landscape: Rethinking Scottish Food
Historian Polly Russell and chef Pam Brunton explore Scotland's landscapes to answer the question, 'what is modern Scottish food?'.
On a road trip through landscapes, old and new, they encounter deer stalkers, robot milking machines and a bean to bar chocolate maker. Why is it we end up with a fixed view of what a nation's food culture looks and tastes like and how easy is it to create a change? Produced by Dan Saladino.
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