Best Manx Culture Podcasts (2025)

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Follow the Food: The Rise of Food Tourism 42:46

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8m ago42:46

42:46

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 samo…

1
Manx Made 43:07

25m ago43:07

43:07

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 sh…

1
Cooking From Landscape: Rethinking Scottish Food 41:33

9d ago41:33

41:33

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 ta…

1
Butter Is Back 41:51

13d ago41:51

41:51

Butter superfan Felicity Cloake asks whether the movement against ultra-processed foods is linked to a recent rise in popularity of her favourite kitchen staple. Her investigations take her to the rich grasslands of the West Country as she visits Wyke Farms, Quicke's and Ivy House Farm Dairy. She looks at how flavoured butter is taking off and find…

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The Crayfish Question 41:42

20d ago41:42

41:42

It’s been nearly 50 years since invasive American Signal Crayfish were introduced to the UK, and we still haven’t figured out how to get rid of them. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall joins Sheila Dillon to meet a man who believes the way to control their spread is to get more people eating them — but not everyone’s convinced. These crustaceans are so in…

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Polski Sklep: A Recent History of the Polish Shop 41:50

27d ago41:50

41:50

Since the early 2000s, one type of shop has quietly become a regular feature on British high streets: the Polski sklep – or Polish shop. Known for their smoked sausages, sour pickles, and wide selection of herbal teas, these shops offer more than just food. With Polish people now the largest non-British nationality in the UK, and Polish the next mo…

1
Food and the Elements 41:44

1M ago41:44

41:44

Dan Saladino explores stories of food and 'the elements', the theme of this year's Oxford Food Symposium. Expect surprising insights on earth, fire, air, water and much more. For more than forty years the Symposium has celebrated, explored and shared research by scholars, enthusiastic amateurs, writers, and chefs from around the world, all united i…

1
Big Food, Big Power 43:26

1M ago43:26

43:26

Sheila Dillon looks into claims that big food companies wield too much influence over government decisions and public health. The episode follows news from the youth-led campaign group BiteBack2030, which says its billboard campaign has been effectively silenced. The group recently organised a mock inquiry in Parliament, involving MPs, to share con…

1
The New Good Life 41:57

2M ago41:57

41:57

The adventures of Barbara and Tom Good in Surbiton brought self-sufficiency to the small screens of the nation. Fifty years on from the airing of that first episode of The Good Life, Leyla Kazim is about to embark on her own sustainable living dream as she seeks to live off the land when she moves from London to Portugal. So what lessons can she le…

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The Periodic Table of Food 41:53

2M ago41:53

41:53

Dan Saladino explores new science that's revealing the complexity hidden within our food. In New York City he meets the team mapping previously unknown edible compounds in fruits and vegetables, many of which are thought to have health benefits. Will delving deeper into the 'dark matter' of food make it possible to produce food that's better for bo…

1
Potatoes with Poppy O'Toole 42:17

2M ago42:17

42:17

In this episode, social media chef and queen of potatoes, Poppy O'Toole, explores the world of her favourite ingredient, the Potato. Last year, Poppy appeared on Mastermind, choosing the history of the potato as her specialist subject. Let’s just say… it didn’t quite go to plan. So now, she’s joining the team at The Food Programme to fill in the ga…

1
English Olive Oil 42:05

2M ago42:05

42:05

With the price of olive oil soaring in the shops after drought disrupted production in Spain, Leyla Kazim looks into the English farms planting olive groves in the hope of bottling their own oil. She meets a farmer in Essex who explains that English growing conditions are more suitable than you might think and discovers a producer in Cornwall who h…

1
JIM FITZPATRICK in conversation with Stiofán Part 1 26:36

2M ago26:36

26:36

Send us a text World renowned Celtic Artist Jim Fitzpatrick joins Stiofán on the phone for an almighty conversation on Celtic Art, Art, History, Politics, Che Guevara and his image, Sinéad O'Connor, Thin Lizzy and other interesting topics. This is part 1 of a two hour long conversation. Support the show We hope that you find this episode interestin…

1
A Food Revolution in Eight (More) Ideas 41:22

3M ago41:22

41:22

Dan Saladino meets pioneering thinkers to hear about future food ideas ranging from edible protein sourced from chicken feathers to crops inoculated with fungi capable of tolerating a hotter climate. Produced and presented by Dan SaladinoBy BBC Radio 4

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Professor Michael Crawford: A Life through Food 42:43

3M ago42:43

42:43

In this episode of 'A Life Through Food', Sheila Dillon meets one of the most provocative scientific minds of the last half-century: Professor Michael Crawford. Now in his 90s, Crawford’s pioneering research into the brain and nutrition has reshaped how we understand the essential role of food—especially Omega-3 fatty acids—in human development and…

1
The BBC Food & Farming Awards 2025 Launch 41:58

3M ago41:58

41:58

The BBC Food & Farming Awards are back for 2025! Jaega Wise visits River Cottage HQ to meet returning head judge Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. They talk about what Hugh is looking for in this year's awards, what makes the West Country a special place for food and farming and some of the history of River Cottage. She also visits previous winners West…

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Sourfaux 42:19

3M ago42:19

42:19

Campaigners are calling for the ingredients of sourdough to be laid out in law. So are there too many loaves on sale that are more sourfaux than sourdough? Leyla Kazim investigates. This programme features a visit to the Batch event at the Long Table in Stroud to meet baker and author David Wright as well as Chris Young from the Real Bread Campaign…

1
Coffee Crisis: Why are Prices Breaking Records? 41:44

4M ago41:44

41:44

Dan Saladino hears from coffee industry insiders about the current spike in global prices. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.By BBC Radio 4

1
From York to Dubai: The Rise of Chocolate 42:02

4M ago42:02

42:02

Leyla Kazim visits York, the UK's 'chocolate city', on the centenary of Joseph Rowntree’s death, to find out how the Quaker entrepreneur pioneered both social reform and iconic chocolate brands like Smarties and Kit Kat. Today, many independent chocolate makers still call York home, as do some of the word's biggest multinational confectionary maker…

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School Dinners - Past, Present and Future 42:47

4M ago42:47

42:47

Baroness Floella Benjamin once said “childhood lasts a lifetime” and our experiences of school dinners can shape how we eat for the rest of our lives. In this edition of The Food Programme Sheila Dillon investigates the importance of those early food memories with the help of Dr Heather Ellis from the School Meals Project. The Project says its aim …

1
Feeding the Nation 43:10

4M ago43:10

43:10

With the Government pledging to overhaul the way food is sourced for public institutions like hospitals, schools, prisons, and army bases, Sheila Dillon explores how these changes could be implemented and why they are deemed essential by many. Sheila visits St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey, where chef Raouf Mansour has transformed the cantee…

1
The World's Historic Restaurants 41:35

4M ago41:35

41:35

The restaurant trade is fickle and can be a "here today, gone tomorrow" business. But a very small number of restaurants seem to have been with us for ever. Dan Saladino explores the secrets of the world's oldest restaurants.By BBC Radio 4

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Is our cheese heritage ancient history? 42:35

5M ago42:35

42:35

Sheila Dillon hears the first exclusive readings from a Tudor ‘pamphlet of cheese’ that details the cheesemaking traditions of the 16th century, and reveals how cheese was seen as a nutrient-rich health food - from digestion aid to wound cleaner. Fast-forward to today, and Sheila visits Yorkshire cheesemongers Andy and Kathy Swinscoe to help recrea…

1
Darina Allen: A Life Through Food 41:30

5M ago41:30

41:30

Dan Saladino finds out how a family farm in west Cork became one of the world's most influential cookery schools. Featuring Darina and Rachel Allen, Rory O'Connell and JR Ryall. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.By BBC Radio 4

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Denmark's Food Revolution? 43:09

5M ago43:09

43:09

In this second episode from Copenhagen, Sheila Dillon explores why Denmark leads the way in organic food consumption. In 2023, nearly 12% of all food bought in Denmark was organic—one of the highest levels in the world. In the UK, that figure is just 1.5%. But how did Denmark get here? And can the organic movement keep growing as the conversation s…

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When Saturday Comes 42:18

5M ago42:18

42:18

Restaurant critic and lifelong Charlton Athletic fan Jimi Famurewa finds out how football clubs are upping their game when it comes to serving food for their fans. He’ll taste the world at AFC Wimbledon’s Food Village, hear how Forest Green Rovers went vegan and discover the secret liquor behind Leyton Orient’s pie and mash. Food writers Jack Peat …

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Are We Prepared? Could the UK Feed Itself in a Crisis? 42:13

6M ago42:13

42:13

Five years on from the first Covid lockdown Dan Saladino asks if our food supply can withstand more shock to the system? Is there resilience to face another pandemic or even war? Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.By BBC Radio 4

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THE ARCHIVE ROOM - Happy 90th birthday to No Limit - and the scary end to the serial! 27:23

6M ago27:23

27:23

As the George Formby classic film No Limit prepares to celebrate it's 90th birthday, we hear from people involved in making - and showing - it back in 1935 - and it's the final episode of our archive serial - The Little Dark Cupboard - spoiler alert - it's scary!!By Radio Manx Ltd

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Bradford: City of Food Culture 42:36

6M ago42:36

42:36

Bradford is this year’s UK City of Culture - but what does food have to do with it? Sheila Dillon visits the city to meet market traders, chefs and restaurateurs to find out how its industrial past has influenced the thriving food culture of today. She visits Bradford’s St James wholesale market to discover how the Asian restaurant trade has been i…

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THE ARCHIVE ROOM - more fascinating true stories from the last century - and our archive serial is reaching a gripping finale! 31:09

6M ago31:09

31:09

ETHEL GALE - aged 98 - is full of stories of life down North at the turn of the last century and LAURENCE KERMODE - breaking records by being the oldest person ever to win a class in The Guild when he was aged 100, talks about his early years and his start in the entertainment world. Plus the penultimate episode of our archive serial - The Little D…

1
Communal Dining 43:50

6M ago43:50

43:50

Sheila Dillon joins diners eating together in Manchester and Copenhagen, and hears why some think we should be making more time in the UK for eating communally. During World War II, British Restaurants provided nutritious, affordable meals across the UK. Endorsed by Winston Churchill, they ensured good food was accessible to all. Now, some believe …

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THE ARCHIVE ROOM - Great stories from Stanley Karran and David & Terry go to the pictures! 27:02

6M ago27:02

27:02

Stanley Karran, born in 1910, lived his whole life in Cregneash - so his fascinating stories are packed with gems of knowledge about the area - and David Callister and Terry Cringle go to the pictures, and chat with some of the cinema managers from the heyday of tourismBy Radio Manx Ltd

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THE ARCHIVE ROOM - Manx Radio in 1971, 4,000 Irish Sea crossings, and our serial takes a dark turn! 27:42

7M ago27:42

27:42

David Callister talks with Cecil Mitchell, who was given an award after crossing the Irish Sea over 4,000 times on Steam Packet vessels, and Charles Kelly recalls the joys of the Douglas Picture Houses in the early 1900's - plus Episode 5 of 'The Little Dark Cupboard' and a chance to hear the sound of Manx Radio in 1971…

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Closing London's 'Kitchen of the Universe' 42:57

6M ago42:57

42:57

Two of the country's largest wholesale markets are on the brink of closure. The City of London Corporation has decided to shut the historic meat market at Smithfield and the fish market at Billingsgate, bringing to an end centuries of food history. Sheila Dillon is given a tour of Smithfield market by the historian Matthew Green who describes how S…

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THE ARCHIVE ROOM - with an auction, a ghost, a shop - and another episode of our archive serial! 29:01

7M ago29:01

29:01

In THE ARCHIVE ROOM this week we visit an auction - all the worldly goods of Dr Alexander Cannon, and a haunted church - St Barnabas in Douglas, then go shopping in 1970's Ramsey - and we finish with another episode in our archive serial - The Little Dark Cupboard, first broadcast on Manx Radio exactly 50 years ago.…

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Regenerative farming and food. What does it mean? 42:20

6M ago42:20

42:20

It's a term used by the smallest farmers and the world's biggest food businesses. But what does 'regenerative agriculture' mean? Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.By BBC Radio 4

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THE ARCHIVE ROOM - Dr Alexander Cannon - showman, or healer? And a new character emerges in Episode 3 of The Little Dark Cupboard 28:07

7M ago28:07

28:07

Dr Alexander Cannon was a Doctor who also longed to be a magician. What happened in his private clinic and in his theatre is told by people who were there. Howard Simcocks talks about overcoming total blindness in the 1940's and there's Episode 3 of The Little Dark CupboardBy Radio Manx Ltd

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THE ARCHIVE ROOM - where we meet Bill Dennard building an airport and Joan Speedie nursing before the NHS 34:35

7M ago34:35

34:35

Bill Dennard was a young surveyor who came to the Island at the end of the 2nd World War, to start building the 4 runways for Ronaldsway Airport, and Joan Speedie remembers her life as a nurse at Nobles before the arrival of the NHS. Plus there's Episode 2 of The Archive Room serial - The Little Dark Cupboard…

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Second to Nan 41:21

7M ago41:21

41:21

Sheila Dillon revisits the idea of our grannies’ cooking and how it shapes us, hearing from listeners who sent in their own stories. Why does learning to cook from your granny seem to be such a powerful experience? What about those grannies who leapt at the chance technology offered to escape the endless cycle of cooking from scratch? And – for tho…

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THE ARCHIVE ROOM - 3 formidable former MHK's - and the first episode of our new serial! 29:13

8M ago29:13

29:13

90-year-old Kathleen Green remembers being footloose and fancy free in Dalby; Miss Jean Thornton-Duesbury reflects on life in Bishopscourt; Mrs Elspeth Quayle (MHK for Castletown from 1971 to 1981) and Miss Katherine Cowin (MHK for Douglas East from 1971 to 1976) reflect on their time in Government, and we've the first part of our new serial from t…

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Broken Policies 42:38

7M ago42:38

42:38

It's 2025, and the same old questions are still being asked about food and health—how do we get people eating better, reduce obesity, improve health, and ease pressure on the NHS? Despite decades of policies and campaigns, the challenge remains. In this episode, Sheila Dillon is joined in the studio by three people whose work is dedicated to findin…

1
Low and No 41:39

8M ago41:39

41:39

What's behind the rise and rise of low alcohol and alcohol free drinks? The sector grew by a quarter last year alone, fuelled by our changing relationship with alcohol. More than fifteen million people are thought to have considered taking part in Dry January this year and younger drinkers in particular are turning away from alcohol and embracing a…

1
Food and Exercise: A Puzzle 41:44

8M ago41:44

41:44

Want to lose weight? How much can you achieve through exercise? Dan Saladino investigates with the help of Mike Keen, a chef and Arctic explorer. Mike has had numerous adventures in Greenland, including kayaking thousands of miles, and sometimes doing nothing at all. What happened to his weight on this trips has left him puzzled. They enlist the he…

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What's this emulsifier doing in my food? 42:48

8M ago42:48

42:48

Emulsifiers are among the most common food additives found in ultra-processed foods (UPFs), a much-discussed category of foods commonly defined as those made using manufactured ingredients. They are often packaged and have a long shelf life. Research examining the impact of diets high in UPFs suggests higher rates of obesity and diseases such as ty…

1
Food and AI 41:48

8M ago41:48

41:48

How will Artificial Intelligence (AI) transform the food industry? Experts say it's already having an effect - whether through self-service checkouts or the algorithms that determine which recipes you see online or the way supermarkets are using it to predict the next big food trend. Jaega Wise heads to the Waitrose Headquarters in Berkshire to fin…

1
Food Bank Nation 41:45

8M ago41:45

41:45

In the year 2000 there were barely any food banks in the UK but today there are nearly three thousand. So what's behind the sharp rise and how did it get to a point where the government says we have "a mass dependence" on food banks? In this episode Jaega Wise tells the story of the food bank. She hears from those using the Bristol North West food …

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The Dickens Effect: How the Writer Influenced Food at Christmas. 41:44

9M ago41:44

41:44

Dan Saladino explores the impact a Christmas Carol and other Charles Dickens novels have had on festive eating, with food historian Ivan Day and food writer Penelope Vogler. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.By BBC Radio 4

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THE BEST OF THE ARCHIVE ROOM - SO FAR! An end-of-year collection of funny and fascinating stories told by the people who were there! 53:19

9M ago53:19

53:19

We're ending a year in The Archive Room with another chance to hear a great collection of funny and fascinating stories of Island life in years gone by - told by the people who were there. Ellen (Cissy) O’Brien and Inkerman Faragher remember life in the Douglas Children's Home, Laura Briggs recalls a frightening incident during World War II, Charli…

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Christmas: The Gift of Food 42:50

9M ago42:50

42:50

Christmas is a time for giving, and for many charities, that often means food. Jaega Wise explores the tradition and looks into the planning that goes into festive food donations. Food historian Carwyn Graves explains how the custom of giving food at Christmas has evolved over the centuries, and why the season inspires so many to give back to their…

1
Restaurants: A Survival Guide 41:41

9M ago41:41

41:41

Restaurant businesses say it's getting tougher to survive? So what does it take to thrive? Dan Saladino speaks to leading chefs, some successful, others less so. Featuring Mark Hix, Cyrus Todiwala, Imogen and Kieron Waite, Julian Dunkerton, Simon Rogan and Hugh Corcoran. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.…