The Food Programme
Encyclopedia
The Food Programme is a BBC Radio 4
programme investigating and celebrating good food, founded by Derek Cooper and currently presented by Sheila Dillon
.
It is a programme about food production, consumption and quality rather than a cookery programme with recipes. It looks at the food industry (usually that of Britain) at the macroscopic level. Apart from recent Jamie Oliver
campaigns and the output of Jimmy Doherty
, there are few programmes (except Farming Today
) that do this. Farming Today covers the upstream section of the British food industry and The Food Programme covers the downstream section.
Sometimes, the theme of a programme may fit into several of the above categories. For example, the programme broadcast on August 14 and 15 2011 dealt with institutional policies to improve the diets of people in Scotland
so as to make their diets more salubrious, a topic which is at once a topical issue related to food, a health issue related to food and a topic relating to the diet of people in a certain geographical group.
All the most recent programmes are now available indefinitely at the Radio 4 website to listen again.
as a "national institution".
The Food Programme, which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in November 2009, has won multiple UK radio awards.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programme investigating and celebrating good food, founded by Derek Cooper and currently presented by Sheila Dillon
Sheila Dillon
Sheila Dillon is a food journalist, who first began her career writing for the New York food magazine called "Food Monitor". She was born in Hoghton, Lancashire, and grew up in the 1950s and 1960s...
.
It is a programme about food production, consumption and quality rather than a cookery programme with recipes. It looks at the food industry (usually that of Britain) at the macroscopic level. Apart from recent Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver
James "Jamie" Trevor Oliver, MBE , sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his campaign against the use of processed foods in national schools...
campaigns and the output of Jimmy Doherty
Jimmy Doherty (farmer)
Jimmy Doherty is a Suffolk based farmer and television presenter for the BBC, famous for the show Jimmy's Farm, based around his and his partner Michaela Furney's Essex Pig Company.-Biography:...
, there are few programmes (except Farming Today
Farming Today
-Transmission:It is broadcast each week day between 5.45 and 6.00 a.m. and a longer programme is broadcast on Saturdays from 06.35 – 7.00 a.m. Around one million people listen to the programme...
) that do this. Farming Today covers the upstream section of the British food industry and The Food Programme covers the downstream section.
History
It began being broadcast in 1979. It was initially broadcast at 12.30 on a Sunday afternoon, after which there was The World This Weekend.Structure
Programmes are usually devoted to discussion of a single topic, from a consumer angle, such as:- Topical issues related to food, such as institutional cookery or dealing with food waste;
- A specific food item, such as a particular fruit or traditional dish;
- Food of a certain geographical area or of certain ethnic peoples;
- Health issues in relation to food.
Sometimes, the theme of a programme may fit into several of the above categories. For example, the programme broadcast on August 14 and 15 2011 dealt with institutional policies to improve the diets of people in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
so as to make their diets more salubrious, a topic which is at once a topical issue related to food, a health issue related to food and a topic relating to the diet of people in a certain geographical group.
All the most recent programmes are now available indefinitely at the Radio 4 website to listen again.
Awards
The show hosts the annual BBC Radio Food and Farming Awards, and in so doing has been praised by Charles, Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
as a "national institution".
The Food Programme, which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in November 2009, has won multiple UK radio awards.
See also
- You and YoursYou and YoursYou and Yours is a British radio consumer affairs programme, broadcast on BBC Radio 4.-History:It began broadcasting in October 1970, its first presenter was Joan York. In the great rescheduling of April 1998 it was increased from a 25 minute programme to 55 minutes. In the 1980s it briefly ran...
, covers the more popular (mass market) types of food stories and food scares.