The FoodTalk Show – Details, episodes & analysis

Over the last ten years, Chef Paul Ainsworth has build a very special business in Cornwall that has expanded far beyond his eponymous Michelin stared restaurant in Padstow. Initially he took over a local restaurant that had been through many incarnations, creating an family Italian called Caffe Rojano. He went on take over a much loved local pub, The Mariners across the other side of the Camel Estuary, that is now regarded as the 3rd best gastro pub in the UK according to Estrella's list. On top of this there is a coctail bar, boutique hotel with 6 rooms and an academy that speaks volumes of his commitment to the local area and nuturing local talent. 

He has now released a cookbook, called For the Love of Food that is firmly rooted in his Michelin starred restaurant without being too fancy or complex. It is all sharing plates and clever takes on dishes that the family will love. His food is deeply rooted in his training with some of the best chefs in the UK but leans towards a relaxed and fun approach to food that he is known for.

Joining Ollie, who he knew back in the day when Great British Chefs was in its infancy, they talk about the changes in the food scene and the importance of backing small food and drink businesses. Both of them believe passionately in getting kids into food early and trade tales of culinary adventures of their kids. 

Edited by Stella Gent

Ollie Lloyd talks to Eoin Keenan, founder of Goodrays, one of the UK's first CBD brands offering drinks. Eoin shares his journey of discovering CBD in university whilst dealing with anxiety and sleep issues. After working on CBD farms in the US and Canada, Eoin returned to the UK to advocate for CBD legalisation. 

He founded Goodrays because he believed there was an opportunity to offer high-quality, accessible CBD products, focusing on beverages as the most mainstream and effective format. He believes passionately about the need to educate both consumers and regulators on the potential benefits of CBD. 

The brand which is positioned around the idea of offering a "deep breath for your brain," takes a very natural approach to the category rather than being explicitly counter-cultural. They offer a very strategic set of products designed to meet the key consumer needs of the day: oils (morning and evening), drinks (throughout the day), and gummies (on the go). They are the only CBD drink in Tesco and are expanding into Europe, working very closely with their retail partners to establish these emerging product forms.

As one of the most talked about ingredients of recent years, Eoin has a unique perspective on the CBD journey of the last 10 years.

Robert Thompson MBE is one of the youngest chefs in the UK to receive a Michelin star and has helped put the Isle of Wight on the culinary map.

At ten, he became interested in food, designing his own restaurant/club as part of a school project. He has worked at several top rated restaurants, from Winteringham Fields to Cliveden, before establishing Thompson's on the Isle of Wight. He was one of the first chefs to work with us at Great British Chefs and cooked a memorable lamb carpaccio at our press launch event and a smoked eel puff in Old Street (London) the day we launched the website. During lockdown, he re-invented his business with a chef-designed food box called You Be Chef, which he continues to run. 

In his chat with Ollie Lloyd, he discusses the changing nature of food on the Isle and how people's expectations have changed due to various factors, such as Instagram, home cooking trends, supermarkets expanding ranges, and the cost of living crisis. Making things work in the hospitality sector is not easy, but Robert is committed to making it work. He is incentivising his team so that they are part owners of the business, is about to launch two new restaurants and remains dedicated to working with a growing list of local suppliers. 

Edited by Jasper Schofield

Jane is in her element this week, talking about the topic closest to her heart . . . beer. She gives Sue a lesson in hops, brewing and tasting along with the experts from Cellar Head and Gadd’s. Want to know the difference between IPA, pale ale, lager and stout? What food pairings work well with beer and the difference between Kentish hops and the American kind? Listen in.

Sue admits that she just adores pigs but has to balance that with her love of charcuterie. Luckily, we have Chloe Wilcock of Oink and Udder who explains how she raises happy pigs in a stress-free environment, to ensure they make the best dried meats, bacon and sausages. Needless to say, after that Jane and Sue go on a marathon charcuterie tasting session.

Vegan chocolate? Is it a thing? It certainly is. Sue and Jane are bowled over by two producers who’ve been making vegan products for decades, well before ‘plant-based’ went mainstream. Apparently, milk chocolate (and some dark chocolate) contains milk powder which means they’re unsuitable for vegans. Not these delicious bites though.

The studio smells wonderful today – the lovely aroma of freshly ground and brewed coffee being prepared by two experts wafting around the microphones. We are joined by the founders of Garage Coffee and Cold Blow Coffee who share their knowledge and expertise on the subject.

A packed studio today with 3 guests from Kent vineyards. It’s an all female line-up from Terlingham Vineyard, Gusbourne and Wayfarer Wines. Jane explains how you should open a bottle of fizz and what glass you should use for serving – flutes are out apparently. Meanwhile Sue is very unkind about French champagne.

Sue and Jane rediscover the joys of milk. Proper milk that's been pasteurised and not homogenised like the supermarket stuff. It’s a revelation taking them both back to their childhood when doorstep deliveries in glass bottles was the norm and you got to drink a small bottle of free milk a day at school.

Talking cider with Julian Barnes and Jane Peyton. We’re back and we’re feeling good! The first all new FoodTalk Show kicks off with Sue Nelson as usual and her co-presenter Jane Peyton, one of the UK’s leading experts on beer and cider.