Fortnum's Hungry Minds

Join us for part two of our fascinating conversation with the eternally wonderful Stephen Fry.Hear his recipe of choice for the ultimate eggs (move over, Chef Ramsey), and the best answer we’ve ever had to our regular question: what’s your most joyful memory when it comes to a meal?And if you didn’t catch the first half of Stephen’s chat with our host Felicity Blunt, we wholeheartedly recommend giving it a listen after this episode has finished. It’s not one to be missed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Fortnum's Hungry Minds, we have a very special guest joining us. He’s a writer, an actor, comedian, director, quiz show host, activist – we could go on. And on.In short, he’s a living icon. We’re thrilled to have him on – it’s the one and only, Stephen Fry.In this first of our two-part episode, Stephen and host Felicity Blunt discuss a predictably wide range of topics – from Zeus’ little known sister, and Stephen’s love of cooking, to a brief history of tomatoes, and the souls of animals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest this episode is Julius Roberts – a first generation farmer who swapped the rat race for an idyllic life of pigs, goats and chickens instead.Having previously worked at the acclaimed Noble Rot in London, Julius left the city to start a farm in Suffolk. On his journey towards self-sufficiency, he’s amassed over 90,000 followers on Instagram and was named by The Times as “one of the best farmer foodies to follow”. Julius joins Felicity to discuss his journey from studying sculpture in Brighton to accidentally buying 17 goats, what a typical day on the farm looks like and whether he misses anything about life in the city. Be warned, this episode may tempt you to quit your job and become a farmer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fanny Cradock was the inspiration for many new chefs across Britain in her day. But it was a competition to find a modern-day equivalent that saw our latest guest rise to prominence when she won that very title on Gordon Ramsey’s F Word in 2007.Today, Ravinder Bhogal is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, TV presenter and writer; beloved for her inventive mixed-heritage cooking that celebrates the beautiful similarities and intricate differences between cultures.With our host Felicity Blunt, she shares her experience of arriving in the UK from Kenya as a seven-year-old, her desire to nurture and nourish people with her food, and discusses the inspiration for her bananas-sounding banana ketchup which we thoroughly recommend you try for yourself asap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chef, writer and bestselling author, Anna Jones, is the voice of modern vegetarian cooking. Her latest cookbook One: Pan, Pot, Planet is a celebration of food, cooking and togetherness; full of creative – and of course, delicious – ways to create wonderful meals from the most commonly wasted household foods. Anna joins our host Felicity Blunt to discuss her time as a Fifteen apprentice at Jamie Oliver’s flagship restaurant, what it means to be a vegetarian today and what it takes to make a standout cookbook. So, don’t waste a moment (or a carrot), join us for another fascinating episode of Fortnum’s Hungry Minds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season Two of our Hungry Minds podcast kicks off with a festive cracker. And with a new season comes a new host – literary agent, foodie and all-round lover of good stories, Felicity Blunt. Joining Felicity for her first episode is the supremely talented Sir Matthew Bourne OBE. For over 30 years now, Sir Matthew has created and directed some of the most iconic musical, theatre and film productions of our generation, including Swan Lake, Mary Poppins and the Christmas classic, Nutcracker! In this, our last episode of 2020, we discuss festive Fortnum’s memories, finding inspiration during lockdown, and the power of art to change our lives. With a new year just around the corner, we hope it’s not long before we’re all able to enjoy his wonderful productions once again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chefs do not come much more influential than culinary legend, Thomas Keller. For over 25 years, Chef Keller’s kitchens have been training grounds for many of the world’s top chefs, including Achatz, Jonathan Benno and René Redzepi. As quoted in the Michelin Guide: ‘Working at The French Laundry is to the future success of aspiring chefs what Harvard Law School is to up-and-coming lawyer’s.Here, Tom and Thomas discuss the importance of practice and persistence for young chefs, Keller’s much anticipated new cookbook The French Laundry, Per Se, and who the creators of his favourite shortbread are. Spoiler alert: it’s Fortnum's. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Tom Parker Bowles on this episode of Fortnum’s Hungry Minds is award-winning chef, restaurateur and philanthropist – Asma Khan.As she takes us through her inspiring journey from Calcutta to Cambridge, supper clubs to Soho, Tom and Asma discuss why she believes restaurants should be ranked on how they treat people, her work setting up employment for traumatised Yazidi women, and her belief that “you do good and everything else works”.Anyone fortunate enough to have visited Darjeeling Express will know she’s certainly living proof of that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain’s kitchen cupboards looked very different before this episode’s guest rose to global prominence. Credited with fueling the surge in popularity of ingredients like za’atar, tahini and preserved lemons, Yotam Ottolenghi has transformed the way we eat. With the launch of his new book, Flavour, Yotam joins Tom Parker Bowles to discuss its inspiration, reflect on his unusual journey from academic to chef and restaurateur, and share his essential accompaniment to the perfect cup of tea. So, pop your kettle on and join us for an insightful chat with one of the decade’s most influential chefs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He’s one of the world’s most respected fish chefs; co-owns the revered Sydney restaurant Saint Peter and Australia’s first sustainable fishmonger The Fish Butchery; and recently published his revolutionary debut title The Whole Fish Cookbook to global acclaim – celebrated with a weeklong series of events here at Fortnum & Mason, including an exclusive Chef Masterclass. So where did it all go right for Josh Niland?In this episode, food critic and host Tom Parker Bowles, delves into Josh’s passion for ‘nose-to-tail’ style preparation (and a penchant for ‘poor man’s lobster’), and learns how the chef’s childhood battle with cancer served to shape his journey to becoming the pioneer of contemporary, ethical seafood. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michelin-star chef, restaurateur and long-standing friend of Fortnum & Mason, Angela Hartnett has always had a flair for bringing people together through food, most recently fuelling frontline NHS workers through the lockdown of a global pandemic.Here, she chats to host Tom Parker-Bowles about her involvement in the not-for-profit COVID venture, Cook-19, reveals what working with Gordon Ramsay was really like, and shares how a childhood immersed in authentic Italian cooking inspired her to kickstart her own business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The power of food, and the intensely personal relationship we have with it, has come to define more than just our waistlines. Today, it is an extension of our identities; a sense-fuelled tool we can utilise to nourish and nurture, empower and please. Joining Tom Parker Bowles for this deep dive into the psychology of food is award-winning journalist, author and historian Bee Wilson, who, having written four critically acclaimed books – including Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat (Fortnum & Mason’s Food Book of the Year, 2016) and First Bite: The Way We Eat Now – offers fascinating insight into the culture of consumption.Here, they debate how to positively tackle the modern obesity crisis; reflect on the transformative, joyful nature of cooking; and discuss how the post-lockdown landscape is shaping a positive future for British produce. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Tom Parker Bowles is this year’s Fortnum & Mason’s Personality of the Year award-winning chef and much-loved face of Saturday Kitchen, Matt Tebbutt – who recalls how mistaking mentor Marco Pierre White for a waiter led to his first big break in the industry.Now a positive player in our weekend watching, Matt reveals the thrills and spills of filming live during lockdown, provides the inside track on up-and-coming talent, and reflects on the childhood holidays in Europe that convinced him to trade a career in the RAF for the kitchen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supporting sustainable food systems that nourish people and the planet is crucial for driving positive change, so who better to kick off our Hungry Minds podcast than self-professed ‘back-to-the-lander’, Sustainable Food Trust founder, and Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Award winner Patrick Holden?Having led the charge for adopting a more holistic approach to food production since starting a community farm in Wales during the 70s, Patrick is now a highly regarded international activist championing carbon-negative farming practices and organic, artisan food movements.Here, in an inspiring chat with our series host, Tom Parker Bowles, Patrick celebrates the collective power of conscious consumerism, and reveals why farming in harmony with nature is key to tackling climate crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nothing brings people together like the power of food...Through these extraordinary times, the world is redefining its relationship with and value of food, placing importance on integrity and better understanding quality. In this new series, hosted by food writer and critic, Tom Parker Bowles, we talk to chefs, farmers and campaigners alike, to explore, challenge and celebrate our shared love of all things food. We debate food trends, new ideas, knowledge and the joy of real eating.Join us as we chat to old friends and new.The ideas and views represented in this podcast are not endorsements or views of Fortnum & Mason. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.