For this episode, Yasmin and Alison talk to the brilliant, funny and down-to-earth Scottish actor Ashley Jensen, known for her roles in Extras , Ugly Betty , Catastrophe – and star of the Waitrose 2021 Christmas ad! She chats about Heston’s mince pies and her taste for sprouts (with pancetta), and shares tales of growing up in Scotland in the 1970s, enjoying her grandmother’s mince and tatties and a range of classic crisps including Frazzles and Monster Munch. She describes her no-nonsense respo...
Dec 02, 2021•43 min
Actor, DJ, presenter, photographer, author, acclaimed documentary-maker and now a feature film director – there aren’t many things that Reggie Yates can’t do! In this episode, he talks to Yasmin and Alison about his career to date and how important it has been to stick to his guns when it comes to authenticity and speaking in his own voice. He reminisces about the West African food he grew up with, touches on the great plantain pronunciation debate and reveals some interesting ideas about how to...
Nov 25, 2021•43 min•Season 4Ep. 7
This week’s guest is chartered psychologist and nutritionist Kimberley Wilson. In addition to working in private practice, lecturing, podcasting and co-hosting Radio 4’s Made of Stronger Stuff with Dr Xand van Tulleken, Kimberley has also found time to write How to Build a Healthy Brain , a book that makes clear the crucial connections between what we eat and how we think, feel and remember. Kimberley speaks passionately to Yasmin and Alison about the simple dietary steps we can all take right n...
Nov 24, 2021•42 min•Season 4Ep. 5
We were thrilled to welcome the incredible Diana Henry to Life on a Plate for this episode. She is one of our most beloved food writers, delivering a steady stream of delicious recipes into homes across the land via her cookbooks (including Simple and How to Eat a Peach), Telegraph columns and daily Instagram posts. Legendarily hard-working and prolific, Diana experienced severe illness during the past two years: it slowed her down a little but has not dimmed her spirit one bit. In this conversa...
Nov 18, 2021•50 min•Season 4Ep. 6
This week, Yasmin and Alison enter the world of environmentalist and campaigner Chris Packham. With wit, warmth and enthusiasm, he describes his absolute passion for the natural world and outlines how he believes we can move towards a more sustainable future. He also talks about his work advocating for autistic people, reveals his deep appreciation of his partner Charlotte's cooking, and shares tales of his beloved poodles, Sid and Nancy, and their nightly digestive biscuit habit... Autumn Watch...
Nov 04, 2021•46 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Brilliant young food writer Ruby Tandoh is the guest for this week’s episode. Ruby grew up in Essex as part of a big family, eating simple, hearty food and poring over cookbooks in her spare time, before arriving on our TV screens in 2013 when she reached the final of The Great British Bake Off aged only 21. Since then, she has carved out a place as a unique and utterly refreshing voice in the world of food: frank and fearless, her writing punctures pretension, calls out snobbery and questions c...
Oct 27, 2021•41 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Broadcasting virtuosos Fi Glover and Jane Garvey are our guests this episode. They share with Yasmin and Alison the secrets of a good interview and describe the pride they feel at the success of their own podcast, Fortunately… with Fi and Jane. They also reminisce about the need for cheese, the joy of great gravy and the pleasures of a mini deep fat fryer… Did I Say That Out Loud? is out now and you can listen to Fortunately… with Fi and Jane wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow them b...
Oct 20, 2021•46 min•Season 4Ep. 2
In the first fabulous episode of season 4, Yotam Ottolenghi and his co-author Noor Murad chat to Yasmin and Alison about their new book, Shelf Love , which focuses on using store cupboard ingredients to create delicious everyday meals. They also talk about the diverse international influences reflected in their food, their exhaustive testing process, and the power that a good recipe has to make a real difference to someone’s day. Shelf Love is out now. You can follow them both on Instagram, Yota...
Oct 13, 2021•44 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Season 4 of Life on a Plate is about to launch with a brand new host: writer, broadcaster and cookery book author Yasmin Khan. Listen to this trailer to find out more about Yasmin and what she’s looking forward to in this new season, featuring Yotam Ottolenghi, Ruby Tandoh, Chris Packham and many more... To find out more about the show, go to waitrose.com/podcast . Host: Yasmin Khan Co-host: Alison Oakervee Producer: Sera Berksoy Executive Producer: Nikki Duffy Editor: Nathan Copelin A John Brow...
Oct 06, 2021•3 min
With three wonderful seasons of Life on a Plate completed and the better-than-ever season 4 launching on October 14, we’ve taken a moment to create this best-of compilation featuring favourite clips from some of our most popular guests so far. Here you can listen to the fabulous John Whaite describing what Pride means to him, to comedian Sarah Millican explaining why it’s cool to eat cake, to the incredible Nadiya Hussain revealing what she overcame to make it to the final of Bake-Off – and much...
Sep 22, 2021•40 min•Ep. 3
This very special baking-focused episode features an incredible line-up of expert guests: Nigella Lawson, Edd Kimber and Ravneet Gill, who between them have written countless baking recipes and produced thousands of cakes, biscuits, buns and breads. They join Jimi Famurewa and guest co-host Martha Collison – the youngest person ever to take part in The Great British Bake Off and a baking aficionado in her own right – to look at why baking is more popular and meaningful than ever before. As well ...
Sep 15, 2021•56 min•Ep. 2
To mark the beginning of a new term, we present a very special back-to-school episode of Life on a Plate. Jimi welcomes comedy duo and podcasters The Scummy Mummies (aka Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn) to talk school dinners, packed lunches and the ongoing challenges of feeding children. In a hilarious conversation that takes in the merits of chocolate custard, mini pork pies and vegemite sandwiches, not to mention the frustration of ‘fussy’ eaters and the perils of lunchbox envy, Ellie and Helen ...
Sep 08, 2021•45 min•Ep. 1
Before the show enjoys a summer holiday, author, columnist and podcaster Dolly Alderton shares her love of food with Jimi and Alison. Revelling in the way food and memory are irrevocably entwined, she talks about her recipe-sprinkled memoir, Everything I Know About Love, and what it was like to reveal so much about herself through its pages. She describes her great pleasure in cooking for others – while confessing to being a control freak in the kitchen – and says that when she’s out on a date, ...
Aug 04, 2021•45 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In this wonderful and inspiring episode, actor Adjoa Andoh, who most recently played Lady Danbury in Bridgerton, talks about everything from her dad’s Ghanaian cooking and why she is ‘The Queen of Broccoli’ to her deep-held beliefs about race and identity, and how she supports her transgender son. Sit back and relax because this is an absolutely cracking listen… You can follow Adjoa on Instagram @adjoa.andoh and Twitter @andoh_adjoa. Season 2 of Bridgerton is set to air on Netflix at the start o...
Jul 28, 2021•49 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Record-breaking Paralympian Hannah Cockroft first tried wheelchair racing at the age of 15: in this episode she describes the overriding sense of freedom it gave her. She has never looked back, winning gold medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 games, being awarded an MBE – and having a postbox in her hometown of Halifax painted gold in her honour. She talks to Alison and Jimi about the pressures of life in the public eye as a female disabled athlete, and her intense preparations for Tokyo 2020...
Jul 21, 2021•45 min•Season 3Ep. 6
As lead singer of The Who, one of the world’s most iconic rock bands, Roger Daltrey is still belting out the hits on stage. He’s also a farmer, a campaigner, a father and a grandfather. In this episode, Roger tells Alison and Jimi about his childhood in war-torn London, making his first guitar by hand and keeping the rest of The Who on the road. He sings the praises of smoked trout, cider vinegar and his wife’s chips, describes the joy of having his family over for a Sunday roast and speaks movi...
Jul 14, 2021•37 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Sat Bains is one of the most renowned chefs in Britain and his eponymous Nottingham restaurant has been heaped with accolades. Yet as a young man, he says he was an ‘absolute dosser’. Thrown out by his parents, moving from job to job, he talks about the turning points – including meeting his wife and winning the prestigious Roux scholarship - that set him on the road to where he is now. Sometimes described as uncompromising and forthright, in this episode Sat reveals himself to be charming, funn...
Jul 07, 2021•48 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this glorious whirlwind of an episode, Jimi and Alison talk to the incredible Andi Oliver, chef, broadcaster and host of Great British Menu. With amazing energy, charisma and wit, Andi talks about her life and career, including the racism she faced growing up in 1970s Britain, her discovery of punk, singing, cooking and filming with her best friend Neneh Cherry, travelling the world, running restaurants - and her lifelong passion for good food with its ability to heal, nurture and connect us ...
Jun 30, 2021•47 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Our guest this episode is chef, TV presenter, author and former Great British Bake Off champion John Whaite. In a conversation that is emotional, honest and uplifting, he talks about his struggles with depression and disordered eating, about therapy, letting go of perfectionism and people-pleasing, and his journey to self-acceptance. Marking Pride month with a glorious rainbow cake recipe (find it on waitrose.com), he describes the importance of celebrating queerness, and embracing his true self...
Jun 23, 2021•47 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Season 3 of Life on a Plate kicks off in style with Joe Wicks, the Body Coach – author of Lean in 15 and, of course, everybody’s favourite PE teacher. Honest, humble and infectiously positive, Joe talks to hosts Jimi and Alison about feeding his young family and reveals the dish that first won his wife’s heart. He describes the experience of PE with Joe , which saw him attain 'national treasure' status during lockdown, and explains how he tackles his bad days as well as his good. Joe’s new cookb...
Jun 16, 2021•38 min•Season 3Ep. 1
With their London restaurant, Honey & Co, as well as their deli, shop and cookbooks, Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich celebrate the vibrant, delicious and diverse food of the Levant and the Middle East. In this week’s episode, the husband and wife team talk about what it’s like to work, cook and live together – mostly harmoniously! - and describe the dishes and ingredients that inspire them most. Sarit and Itamar’s new book, Chasing Smoke is out now. Their podcast, Honey & Co: The Food ...
May 12, 2021•46 min•Season 2Ep. 10
This episode’s brilliant guest is DJ Dev Griffin, a veteran of Radio 1 now with a brand new show on Heart. Dev talks about his childhood as the ‘baby boy’ in a houseful of women and his exploration of his heritage through music and food. He describes his all-or-nothing approach to learning to cook and the legacy of his time on Celebrity Masterchef and on SAS Who Dares Wins. He also reveals an eyebrow-raising breakfast choice from his days as an early morning presenter! You can listen to Dev’s sh...
May 05, 2021•41 min•Season 2Ep. 9
One of the wellness world's leading voices, Adrienne Herbert is an inspirational fitness expert, podcaster and TED speaker, whose hit book and podcast Power Hour aims to help us all make more of the first hour of the day. She talks to Jimi and Alison about going with the flow of the ‘seasons’ in our lives, being kind to ourselves and others – and the secret ingredient in her never-fail banana bread recipe. Adrienne’s podcast, Power Hour, is available wherever you get your podcasts and her book o...
Apr 28, 2021•37 min•Season 2Ep. 8
He may be a world-famous, game-changing chef but Heston Blumenthal is also warm, funny and absolutely fascinating. In this episode, he chats to Jimi and Alison about his extraordinary studies into food – including talking to rice – and his endless quest to learn more about the way our environment, our psychology and our emotions affect what we taste. He even has a few experiments for you to try at home. Heston's podcast, Journey to the Centre of Food is available wherever you get your podcast...
Apr 22, 2021•42 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Comedian and Celebrity Bake Off veteran Tom Allen has Jimi and Alison in fits of laughter as he describes his adolescent obsession with table etiquette and using the correct cutlery, and talks about the awkwardness – and joy – of not being quite like anyone else. You can follow Tom on Instagram @tomindeed and Twitter @tomallencomedy To find out more about the show, go to waitrose.com/podcast . Host: Jimi Famurewa Co-host: Alison Oakervee Producer: Sera Berksoy Executive Producer: Nikki Duffy Ass...
Apr 14, 2021•46 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Johanna Konta, Britain’s top female tennis player, serves an ace in this inspiring episode. She tells Jimi and Alison about the food of her Hungarian heritage and Australian childhood, explains how she balances her relentless training programme with an obsession for muffin-baking, and reveals the one thing she always carries onto court with her… You can follow Johanna on Instagram and Twitter @johannakonta To find out more about the show, go to waitrose.com/podcast . Host: Jimi Famurewa Co-host:...
Apr 07, 2021•41 min•Season 2Ep. 5
This week Jimi and Alison meet Minette Batters, president of the National Farmers’ Union – the first woman to head the organisation in its 113-year history. She shares with Jimi and Alison her vision for sustainable agriculture and the carbon-neutral farming she says is achievable by 2040 – as well as talking roast lamb and chocolate cornflake cakes… You can follow Minette on Twitter @Minette_Batters To find out more about the show, go to waitrose.com/podcast . Host: Jimi Famurewa Co-host: Aliso...
Mar 31, 2021•40 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Bake Off finalist Tamal Ray explains to Jimi and Alison why baking is his answer to meditation. He describes his work as a frontline NHS doctor during the pandemic, and shares his belief that community and belonging are essential to our health. You can follow Tamal on Instagram @drraybakes and Twitter @DrRayBakes. To find out more about the show, go to waitrose.com/podcast . Host: Jimi Famurewa Co-host: Alison Oakervee Producer: Sera Berksoy Executive Producer: Nikki Duffy Assistant Producer: Le...
Mar 25, 2021•42 min•Season 2Ep. 3
This week Jimi and Alison meet musician, author and broadcaster Cerys Matthews. Cerys rose to fame with Welsh rock band Catatonia and is now best known for her hugely popular shows on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio 2. In this episode of Life on a Plate she shares her childhood memories of foraging, explains how every meal we eat is seasoned with history and culture – and reveals the one dish she thinks should be banned forever! Cerys’s cookbook, Where the Wild Cooks Go, is out now. You can foll...
Mar 18, 2021•44 min•Season 2Ep. 2
In their first interview of Season 2, Jimi and Alison meet Candice Carty-Williams, author of the bestselling 2019 novel Queenie and the first black writer to win book of the year at the British Book Awards. Candice tells us about her father’s fried plantain and the challenge of cooking in flatshares - plus why cashews make the best writing fuel. Queenie is out now and People Person will be released in February 2022. You can follow Candice on Instagram and Twitter @candicec_w. To find out more ab...
Mar 11, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 1
