Borough Talks
Borough Talks brings listeners real stories from inside London's oldest food market, Borough Market. Hosted by author and food writer Giulia Crouch, the podcast features conversations with the traders and chefs who bring the market to life. Each episode explores big ideas, bold food, and shares a few secrets from the market's vibrant community.
Episodes
The Black Pig: Secrets of the perfect sandwich
Nick Willoughby, founder of The Black Pig, joins Giulia Crouch to taste his stall’s legendary pork and parmesan sandwich and chat about his journey as a food entrepreneur, the theatre of street food, and the essential elements of a perfect sandwich.
Oliveology: The Greek way of living well
Marianna Kolokotroni, Greek food specialist and founder of Oliveology, joins Giulia Crouch to taste some Spartan olive oil and chat about the benefits of a Mediterranean lifestyle, the memories triggered by grape molasses, and why her olives are so different to the supermarket version.
Martyn Odell: The food waste disruptor
Chef, content creator and “food waste disruptor” Martyn Odell joins Giulia Crouch to chat about his simple, achievable approaches to avoiding waste, the joys of shopping in a food market, and the unforgettable experience of watching Borough’s skilled producers at work. Watch Borough Market's YouTube series with Martyn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmD2hJ5b48Y&list=PLRri2Pql7e4Q
Elliot's: Simple food, natural wine
Samantha Lim, co-owner of Elliot’s, joins Giulia Crouch to taste some of the restaurant’s legendary Isle of Mull cheese puffs and chat about the appeal of simple, seasonal cooking, the evolution of low-intervention wines, and her love-hate relationship with the concept of ‘small plates’.
Kappacasein: The life of the cheesemaker
Bill Oglethorpe, founder of Kappacasein, joins Giulia Crouch to taste a selection of his Bermondsey-made Alpine cheeses and chat about becoming a “qualified peasant” in Switzerland, why the cheesemaker’s craft is about guiding rather than mastering, and how he invented a toastie so good it made Phil Rosenthal propose to him.
Brindisa: The rich tapestry of Spanish cuisine
Monika Linton, founder of the highly influential Brindisa shop and restaurant, joins Giulia Crouch to taste a selection of Iberian products and tapas dishes and discuss her passion for Spanish cuisine, the gradual evolution of the British palate, and the joy found in unheralded foods like pulses and vinegars.
Alpine Deli: The unique food of South Tyrol
Thea Wunderer, founder of Alpine Deli, imports products from South Tyrol, a mountainous province in the far north of Italy. She joins Giulia Crouch to taste a selection of cured meats and discuss the unique food culture of her home region, her enduring love of market trading, and her advice for anyone starting a specialist food business.
Neal's Yard Dairy: The fragile beauty of British cheese
Neal’s Yard Dairy’s director Bronwen Percival and young cheesemonger Cián Ó Cinnéide join Giulia Crouch to discuss the magic of a slow make, the art of the monger, and the existential threat faced by traditional regional cheeses.
Camille: French regions, British seasons
Elliot Hashtroudi, head chef at Camille, joins Giulia Crouch to share a plate of chicken hearts and chat about his love of French regional cuisine, how the shifting seasons inspire creativity in the kitchen, and the beauty he finds in underappreciated British ingredients.
Jenki: The magic of matcha
Claudia Boyer, co-founder of Jenki, joins Giulia Crouch to taste some of the matcha bar’s signature drinks and chat about the heritage and craft of Japanese matcha production, the factors that determine its quality, and how its slow release of caffeine is meeting a cultural moment.
La Pepiá: The rise of the arepa
Joel Ferrer, founder of La Pepiá, joins Giulia Crouch to taste some of his stall’s Venezuelan salsas. They chat about sourcing produce from his fellow traders, the ethics of avocado consumption, and how his inventive approach to arepas – the traditional South American cornbread – has helped broaden their appeal.
Kolae: A love letter to southern Thailand
Andy Oliver, chef and co-owner of Thai bar and grill Kolae, joins Giulia Crouch to taste some the restaurant’s vibrantly flavoured dishes. They chat about the complexity of southern Thai cuisine, balancing authenticity with local sourcing, and accommodating spice-averse palates without compromising on heat.
Bianca Mora: A journey to Emilia-Romagna
Ewa Weremij, owner of Bianca Mora, joins Giulia Crouch to taste products from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and chat about two-hour lunch breaks, the Slow Food movement, and how time is an essential ingredient of the very best parmesan and balsamic vinegar.
Padella: The power of pasta
Tim Siadatan, chef-owner of Padella, joins Giulia Crouch to taste some of the restaurant’s signature dishes and chat about our universal love of pasta, his perspective on Italian ‘rules’, and how a simple plate of Tuscan tomatoes shaped his life.
The Colombian Coffee Company: The light and dark of coffee
Eduardo Florez, founder of The Colombian Coffee Company social enterprise, joins Giulia Crouch to taste some different beans and chat about the stunning diversity of coffee varieties, the unfairness of global markets, and how a focus on quality can help transform Colombian communities.
Khanom Krok: A taste of Thailand
Worawan Kamann, founder of both the Khanom Krok street food stand and Raya, Borough’s southeast Asian grocery, joins Giulia Crouch to share her signature dishes and chat about sourcing great ingredients, helping curious shoppers discover new flavours, and how Thai people live to eat.
School Food Matters: The drive for food education
Stephanie Slater, founder of the School Food Matters charity, joins Giulia Crouch to taste a soup recipe created by local children and chat about transforming school dinners, the vital importance of learning about food, and the impact of Borough’s Young Marketeers programme.
Padre: Secrets of the perfect taco
Nick Fitzgerald, founder of Padre, joins Giulia Crouch to share some of his street food stand’s signature dishes and chat about his life-changing stint as a chef in Mexico, the regionality of the country’s cuisine, and the essential elements of a perfect taco.
Pâté Moi: The alchemy of mushroom pâté
Flip Dunning, founder of Pâté Moi, joins Giulia Crouch to taste her famous mushroom pâté and chat about the strange alchemy of simple ingredients, the challenges of running a business and raising a child, and the friendships she’s forged across two decades of trading.
Borough Wines: Christmas in a bottle
Calvin Pearson, head of wine at Borough Wines, joins Giulia Crouch to taste a few of his favourite festive bottles and chat about perfect pairings with a Christmas dinner, the meaning of orange wine, natural wine and ‘pet nat’, and why kegs and refillable bottles are growing in popularity.
Jumi Cheese and Mons Cheesemongers: The art of the cheeseboard
Coles Loomis of Jumi Cheese and Jon Thrupp of Mons Cheesemongers are two of Borough Market’s most engaging cheese experts. They join Giulia Crouch to share some of their favourite winter products and chat about the artistry of small-scale cheesemakers, the ideal Christmas selection, and why blue cheeses are the haute couture of dairy.
Applebee’s: The fruits of the sea
Jack Applebee is part of the family that runs the Applebee’s Fish seafood restaurant. Raf Rundell is the manager of the Richard Haward’s Oysters stand. Together, they join Giulia Crouch to taste some of the fruits of the sea and chat about cooking turbot at Christmas, the terroir of shellfish, and how buying from a fishmonger takes the terror out of fish shopping.
Date Sultan: The Sultan’s guide to dates
Usman Shah of Date Sultan imports premium dates while using his company’s influence to improve the pay and conditions of workers in his supply chain. He joins Giulia Crouch to taste a diverse selection of date varieties and chat about the unique qualities of this Middle Eastern fruit, going viral on social media, and his battle to combat modern slavery.
Borough Talks: Winter series
Borough Talks returns with four more podcast episodes exploring the colourful produce and personalities of Borough Market. Host Giulia Crouch sits down to share food, drink and conversation with traders whose expertise covers some of the most enticing flavours of the festive season: dates, seafood, cheese and wine.
Food cultures of Asia
In the Borough Market Kitchen, Salina Khairunnisa of Joli shares the cuisine of Malaysia’s Peranakan community, while Urvesh Parvais of Gujarati Rasoi cooks food rooted in the Indian state of Gujarat. They joined Giulia Crouch to taste some dishes and chat about cultural authenticity, the importance of quality ingredients and the enduring appeal of street food.
A bridge to southern Europe
Philip Crouch of The Parma Ham and Mozzarella Stand and Patrick Martinez of The Tinned Fish Market source spectacular products from Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. They joined Giulia Crouch to taste some of those products and chat about their relationships with producers, the importance of sharing knowledge, and their drive to find the highest-quality versions of familiar foods.
Flavours of the Caribbean
Dawn Smith of Pimento Hill has been selling her handmade sauces, seasonings and jellies at Borough Market for 14 years. She sat down with Giulia Crouch over some spicy chicken wings to discuss the adventurousness of market shoppers, the role of food in Caribbean culture, and why peanut butter with scotch bonnet chilli jam is the best thing ever.
Borough Talks: The life of a restaurateur
David Carter of Oma and Agora and Rob Dann of Bedales Wine Bar are long-time friends as well as the owners of neighbouring businesses at Borough Market. They sat down with Giulia Crouch over a glass of Calabrian rosé to discuss sources of inspiration, the impact of restaurant architecture, and the elemental pleasure of breaking bread.
Borough Talks: A butcher's guide to barbecue
Run by the McCourt family, Northfield Farm has traded at Borough since the 1990s, selling high-quality meat from its East Midlands farm. To kick off our new season of podcasts, the stand’s manager Dom McCourt sits down with Giulia Crouch to share a steak and chat about the butcher’s craft, the importance of sustainable farming, and the art of cooking meat on a barbecue.
Borough Talks: Niki Segnit
Following publication of a new volume of her acclaimed book The Flavour Thesaurus, best-selling author Niki Segnit joins Angela Clutton at Borough Market. While exploring the stalls, they discuss the liberation that comes from cooking without a recipe, the difference between raisins and sultanas, and why allspice smells like clean ironing.
Borough Talks: Regula Ysewijn
Belgian food writer, photographer and TV star Regula Ysewijn talks to Anegla Clutton about her fascination with British history and culture, her strong ties to Borough Market, and how Belgium’s food traditions act as a bridge across the country’s deep regional divides.
Borough Talks: Alice Zaslavsky
On a flying visit from Melbourne, the much-loved Australian food writer, broadcaster and self-proclaimed ‘vegelante’ Alice Zaslavsky joins Angela Clutton for a stimulating stroll around Borough Market’s stalls, complete with honey tasting, cheese shopping and lots of inspiring chat.
Borough Talks: Pride Special
Mike Hill and Richard Dinwoodie of Utobeer and The Rake and drinks writer Emma Inch join Angela Clutton to discuss the shifting landscape of gay pubs, the battle against beer’s macho image, and Borough’s age-old links with brewing.
Borough Talks: Clare Finney
Clare Finney, author of Hungry Heart and a regular contributor to Borough Market, talks to Angela Clutton about the ties between food, love and human connection, her own complicated relationship with food, and the elemental power of breaking bread together.
Borough Talks: Plan Zheroes
Angela Clutton joins one of the regular surplus food collections run by Plan Zheroes and discovers how Borough Market produce that might otherwise go to waste finds its way to people in need. She chats to Plan Zheroes co-founder Chris Wilkie, chef and ambassador Jeremy Pang, traders, volunteers, and one of the many charities that benefit from the scheme.
Borough Talks: Food Waste Special
Chloë Stewart of nibs etc. and TikTok star Martyn Odell (Lagom Chef) join Angela Clutton to discuss the devastating impact of food waste and how, by unlocking our creativity, changing our habits in the kitchen and redefining ‘waste’ as ‘resources’, we can all play our part in reducing it
Borough Talks: Mallika Basu
Food writer and culture, diversity & comms consultant Mallika Basu offers her insights into writing cookbooks, building a personal brand, ‘feeding the beast’ of social media, and bringing cultural sensitivity to the language of food.
Borough Talks: Henrietta Green
Legendary food writer and organiser Henrietta Green joins Angela Clutton to discuss her role in the dramatic rebirth of Borough Market in 1998, the alarming shape of food retail, and the ongoing revolution in British charcuterie.
Borough Talks: Romy Gill
Romy Gill, the British-Indian chef, food writer, broadcaster and author of the beautiful On The Himalayan Trail cookbook, joins Angela Clutton to discuss the roots of her approach to food, and the intense experience of exploring the Himalayas.
Borough Talks: Frost Fair Special
This special episode looks back at the Frost Fairs – wild, spontaneous festivals that repeatedly erupted on the frozen River Thames. Mark Riddaway, author of Edible Histories, gives us the history, while Tim Wilson of Ginger Pig and Andy Geddes of The Cinnamon Tree Bakery discuss the food sold at the Frost Fairs and how these historic events resonate with today’s Market traders.
Borough Talks: Christmas Special with Jeremy Lee
For our second Christmas podcast Angela is joined by Jeremy Lee, charismatic chef-proprietor of Quo Vadis and author of the hit cookbook Cooking. The pair wander around the Market’s stalls visiting butchers, greengrocers and cheesemongers and chatting about everything from Jeremy’s memories of the Market’s formative days to his predictably indulgent approach to Christmas food.
Borough Talks: Christmas Special with Melissa Hemsley
For the first of our special Christmas podcasts, the cookery writer and self-proclaimed ‘queen of leftovers’ Melissa Hemsley wanders around the Market with Angela. They talk to traders, admire the design of Spanish fish tins, try Indonesian snake fruit and discuss Melissa’s love of Christmas pudding with cheese. Less an interview, more two friends chatting about food with the microphones left on.
Borough Talks: How to write a cookbook
Creating a complex cookbook like Borough Market: The Knowledge is an epic undertaking, requiring the input of lots of people with a diverse range of skills. For this highly informative podcast episode, Angela Clutton is joined by photographer Kim Lightbody, graphic designer Dave Brown and publisher Liz Gough to lift the lid on how Borough’s new cookbook came to be conceived.
Borough Talks: Itamar Srulovich interviews Angela Clutton
The tables are turned in our latest podcast, as regular Borough Talks host Angela Clutton finds herself in the hotseat being interviewed by Itamar Srulovich of Honey & Co. Recorded live at the Market, she tells us about her love of history, theatre and food, her approach to cooking, and how she came to write our new book, Borough Market: The Knowledge, then shares some of the many insights she
Borough Talks: Karaway Bakery, Hook & Son and JUMA (S5 E8)
Our new book, Borough Market: The Knowledge, is published on 27th October. Written by Borough Talks host Angela Clutton, it explores how the specialist knowledge of Borough’s traders can enhance your shopping, cooking and eating, and distils that expertise into beautiful recipes. In our latest podcast, Angela is joined by three traders who feature in the book: Nadia Gencas of Karaway Bakery talks
Borough Talks: Cynthia Shanmugalingam (S5 S7)
Earlier this year, Cynthia’s debut cookbook Rambutan made a huge splash, thanks to the vibrancy of her recipes and writing. In October, her restaurant of the same name will launch on Borough Market’s Stoney Street – one of the most keenly awaited openings of the year. In our latest podcast, Cynthia joins Angela to discuss how her Sri Lankan heritage and her experiences growing up in Britain have s
Borough Talks: Cemal Ezel (S5 S6)
Change Please is a social enterprise that provides homeless people with the skills, equipment and support required to become fully fledged baristas, selling high-quality coffee from distinctive mobile carts, one of which can be found in Borough’s Green Market. In our latest podcast, Change Please founder Cemal Ezel joins Angela to discuss how the business helps people back into homes and employmen
Borough Talks: Sheila Dillon & Alex Renton (S5 S5)
For over 20 years Sheila Dillon has been one of the lead voices of The Food Programme on BBC Radio 4. In the latest Borough Talks podcast, she talks to host Angela Clutton about how the programme’s focus has evolved over the years and tells us about the first official book to come from it, 13 Foods That Shape Our World. They are joined by the book’s author, Alex Renton, who gives us an insight int
Borough Talks: Sam Wallace (S5 E4)
A special episode of Borough Talks for World Bee Day, hosted by Angela Clutton, in conversation with Sam Wallace of From Field and Flower. Sam and her husband, Stefano, have and continue to be committed to bringing fantastic raw honeys to London that are sustainably produced by beekeepers who know and love their bees - discussing how the production process of their honey keeps the naturally-occurr
Borough Talks: Georgina Hayden (S5 E3)
Join host Angela Clutton in conversation with award-winning food writer Georgina Hayden. Georgina talks about the influence her Cypriot heritage has on her cooking, the breadth of vegan recipes in her new book Nistisima and the cultural inspirations behind them, and give us the inside track on being a judge on the Channel 4 TV show Great Cookbook Challenge with Jamie Oliver.
Borough Talks: Ravneet Gill (S5 E2)
Join host Angela Clutton in conversation with Ravneet Gill.There's not much, it seems, Ravneet Gill hasn't conquered: a pastry chef for over eight years, Ravneet studied at Le Cordon Bleu before working her way up the ranks in different pastry sections all over London (St. JOHN, Llewelyn's, Black Axe Mangal and Wild by Tart, to name but a few). In May 2018 she set up an organisation called Counter
Borough Talks: IWD with Clare Finney & Chantelle Nicolson
A special episode of Borough Talks for International Women's Day 2022, hosted by Angela Clutton.Food journalist Clare Finney - author of The Female Chef - and award-winning chef Chantelle Nicolson discuss the realities, opportunities and challenges facing women working in the food industry today. From the gender dynamics at play in being called a 'chef' or 'cook', to the role the media plays in pe
Borough Talks: Charles Tebbutt (S5 E1)
Join host Angela Clutton in conversation with Market trader, Charles Tebbutt of Food & Forest.Charles is committed to supporting and spreading the word on the benefits of agroforestry – discussing what sustainable farming can mean for maximizing flavour while protecting the environment. Subscribe to Borough Talks and never miss an episode.
Borough Talks: Claudia Roden (S4 E3)
Join host Angela Clutton in conversation with much-adored food writer, Claudia Roden CBE, credited with revolutionising Western attitudes to Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food.Since leaving the Cairo of her childhood and arriving in London to study at St Martin's School of Art, she has blazed a trail for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food in the UK. Her influence is evident in every bottle o
Borough Talks: Phil Juma (S4 E2)
Join host Angela Clutton in conversation with Phil Juma – self-taught British-Iraqi chef, bringing traditional Iraqi cuisine to Borough.Discussing the Iraqi food of his heritage and how it inspired him to leave behind a career in finance, listen as they chat through the intricacies of making kubba dumplings, to the regionality of food in Iraq and how it can challenge and change perceptions. S
Borough Talks: Dan Saladino (S4 E1)
Join host Angela Clutton in conversation with Dan Saladino, of BBC’s The Food Programme, discussing his latest book, Eating to Extinction - The World's Rarest Foods & Why We Need to Save Them. From a tiny crimson pear in the west of England to pistachios in Syria and an exploding corn that might just hold the key to the future of food – Dan shares with Angela some of the produce around t
Borough Talks: Honey & Co (S3 E4)
The award-winning Honeys – Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich – join Borough Talks to share a culinary journey filled with flavour and fire. They’ll be telling us all about their travels through their favourite cities of the Middle East, collecting recipes and the best of culinary culture along the way – the stories behind their latest book, Chasing Smoke. Join us for&
Borough Talks: the meat debate (S3 E3)
Veganism is often portrayed as being good for planetary and personal health – the implication being that meat production and consumption is, therefore, the problem. There is increasing acceptance, though, that the real picture for us and for the planet is not nearly as simple as that. Join us for a positive discussion of the reality of the environmental nuances of how meat and non-meat are farmed,
Borough Talks: food and travel (S3 E2)
Food offers a unique insight into community and culture. One of the joys of international travel is discovering a region through its food – not just for the pleasure of eating like a local, but for what doing that tells you about people, place and time. After a year of little if any travel for leisure (and perhaps more travel uncertainty ahead too), our panel will be discussing how the discovery o
Borough Talks: How the pandemic is shaping our food future (S3 E1)
Last year brought about huge changes in how we get and consume our food. As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, join our panel to consider the possible enduring impact of those changes and what – for better or worse – they mean for our food future. We’ll be considering it all: where and how we get our food shopping; the role of supermarkets and local markets; the impact on both home cooking and
Mark Riddaway and Ed Smith in conversation: Edible Histories
Mark Riddaway, author of the Borough Market: Edible Histories, joins Ed Smith, the man behind The Borough Market Cookbook, to explore the fascinating history of some of the everyday ingredients found on the Market’s stalls. They discuss how a Persian rhubarb trader came to predict a bright future for tea, the centrality of Italy to the history of food, and why the British were once so suspicious o
Summer cooking with Olia Hercules and Elisabeth Luard (S2 E3)
Chef Olia Hercules and pioneering food writer Elisabeth Luard will be sharing the joys of looking to the seasons when shopping for food and cooking and talking about late-summer cooking ideas, favourite seasonal recipes and insights into the best of summer produce. They will also look more broadly at why seasonality matters – for the land, for producers, and for anyone who cooks.
Restaurants pivoting and adapting during COVID-19 with Ravinder Bhogal, Elizabeth Haigh and Jack Stein (S2 E2)
Three top restaurateurs – Ravinder Bhogal of Jikoni, Elizabeth Haigh of Borough Market's Mei Mei and Bā, and Jack Stein of Rick Stein Group – will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing restaurants in the next phase of the Covid world. The trio will talk about the pivot that many restaurants have done to adapt to lockdown, including collections, deliveries and delis; what their thoughts a
Comfort food with Sabrina Ghayour and John Whaite (S2 E1)
The last few months have seen a surge in popularity of comfort foods – from old-school classics that come with a hit of nostalgia to mood-boosting indulgent treats. Best-selling food writer Sabrina Ghayour and John Whaite, food writer and winner of The Great British Bake-Off, will be talking about what comfort foods mean to them and considering why we reach for them in uncertain times.
Borough Talks: Agricultural Bill (S1 E5)
Britain’s food and farming future in the post-Brexit era are set to be defined by the Agriculture Bill which is currently making its way through parliament. Its system of subsidies designed to reward sustainability rather than scale may have a positive impact on farmers, retailers, the environment and the wider public, but many in the food world are hugely concerned about the Bill’s damaging impac
Kimberley Wilson: Food and mental health (S1 E4)
Kimberley Wilson: Food and mental health
Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley: Falastin, the food and stories of Palestine (S1 E3)
Sami Tammy and Tara Wigley: Falastin, the food and stories of Palestine
Yasmin Fahr, Rachel Roddy and Regula Ysewjin: a global city view on lockdown, food and community (S1 E2)
Yasmin Fahr, Rachel Roddy and Regula Ysewjin: a global city view on lockdown, food and community
Melissa Hemsley: global impact of food and sustainability in light of COVID-19 (S1 E1)
Melissa Hemsley: global impact of food and sustainability in light of COVID-19
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