The Recipe

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The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they’ll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us.

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S4 · E31
Friday · 33 min
How I Lost My Job and Built a Social Media Empire: Poppy O'Toole on Becoming the Potato Queen
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Poppy O'Toole, the Potato Queen herself, a Michelin trained chef who transformed a pandemic redundancy into a multi million follower empire and has spent the last few years demystifying fine dining techniques and teaching the internet how to make comfort food truly extraordinary. From growing up eating handfuls of roasted mince in her nan's kitchen and making mini roast dinners at five years old to becoming the potato maker at a fine dining restaurant inside a London bank, losing her job during lockdown, and gaining a million TikTok followers overnight with a video simply saying live, laugh, love potato, Poppy's journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, creativity, and cooking with instinct. With over 4 million followers across social media, six bestselling cookbooks including her latest Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Batch Cookbook, and appearances on Saturday Kitchen and Junior MasterChef as a presenter judge, Poppy represents a generation of cooks who celebrate bold flavours, accessible home cooking, and the belief that anyone can cook if they trust their instinct and go for it. Poppy prepares her beloved Supreme of Chicken with Potato Fondants, Smoky Hot Pan Sauce and Maple Glazed Corn, a dish inspired by her nan's experimental Chicken Maryland that she remembers eating as a child with banana, corn and chicken, wondering what on earth it was. You can find Poppy's full Supreme of Chicken with Potato Fondants recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out her latest cookbook Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Batch Cookbook for more accessible, flavour packed recipes that celebrate convenience, comfort, and cooking with instinct. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
- Transcript
S4 · E30
September 4 · 53 min
Why 21 Pubs Close Every Week: Tom Kerridge on 2 Michelin Stars, Steak & Chips and VAT's The Problem
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Tom Kerridge, the only chef in the world to hold two Michelin stars at a pub and a giant of British gastronomy who has redefined what pub food can be. From his early days as a child actor in Gloucester to washing dishes at 18 and falling in love with the energy of professional kitchens, Tom's journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, creativity, and cooking with purpose. With 21 years at the helm of the Hand and Flowers in Marlow, a second Michelin star that made history, and his tireless VAT's The Problem campaign fighting for the survival of British hospitality, Tom represents a generation of chefs who celebrate bold flavours, accessible cooking, and the belief that great food should never be intimidating. Tom prepares his beloved Steak and Chips, a dish that has been on the menu at the Hand and Flowers since day one and beautifully encapsulates his cooking philosophy of taking something everyone knows and loves and elevating it to two Michelin star level. Throughout the episode, Tom shares his remarkable journey from growing up on an estate in Gloucester with a single parent to joining a youth theatre in Cheltenham, being scouted by an agent and playing Thug One in London's Burning at 17, and why he quite liked being himself as opposed to acting where you're spending a lot of time pretending to be somebody else. He discusses walking into a kitchen at 18 to wash up and falling in love with the energy, the space, the noise, the movement, the connection between front of house and back of house, training under the legendary Gary Rhodes who taught him that one or two or three things on a plate is all you need, and why opening the Hand and Flowers at 31 was terrifying because the only way you're ever going to make money is by making your business work. Tom also opens up about the difference between one star and two star cooking being personality and the true character of the chef coming through, why three star restaurants are the ultimate in professionals where every single aspect from website to phone call to booking system makes you feel special, switching from gas to electric planches because gas in a professional kitchen can be quite dirty and not that efficient, and why his VAT's The Problem campaign is fighting for a reduction to 10% to give hospitality the level playing field it needs to compete with Europe where 21 businesses are shutting every single week. You can find Tom's full Steak and Chips recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to support his VAT's The Problem campaign at vatstheproblem.co.uk to help save British hospitality. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S3 · E29
July 3 · 27 min
How I Built My Dream Farm: Clodagh McKenna on Farm Life, Drunk Pigs & Happy Cooking
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Clodagh McKenna, the celebrated Irish chef, food writer, and television personality who has transformed a neglected 100 acre estate into a thriving organic farm and believes that happy cooking is one of the most impactful tools for mental health. From growing up in a small Irish house where her mother secretly took out a loan to send her to Ballymaloe Cookery School, Clodagh's journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, creativity, and cooking with purpose. With three years spent working with Slow Food in Turin, a new ITV television series launching in October, and her cookbook Happy Cooking celebrating the balance between indulgent Friday night martinis and Monday morning clean eating, Clodagh represents a generation of cooks who embrace bold flavours, sustainable farming, and the emotional connection we have with the dishes that define us. Clodagh prepares her beloved Ribollita Soup, a deeply nostalgic Tuscan that beautifully encapsulates her cooking philosophy of maximum flavour with minimum fuss. Using a perfectly caramelised sofrito base of carrots, celery, and onions this recipe celebrates the soul of Italian home cooking whilst showcasing the produce from her own farm at Broadspear, the forgotten corner of Highclere Park where she raises woodland pigs, Aylesbury ducks, heritage chickens, cattle, and grows over 150 varieties of vegetables and fruit in her restored walled garden. You can find Clodagh's full Ribollita Soup recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out her cookbook Happy Cooking for more accessible, flavour packed recipes that celebrate balance, wellness, and the joy of cooking without compromise. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S3 · E28
June 26 · 28 min
From Fashion Designer to Bake Off Star: Chetna Makan on Simplifying Indian Cooking
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Chetna Makan, the Flavour Queen herself, a former fashion designer turned culinary star who captured the nation's hearts as a semi-finalist on the Great British Bake Off and has since spent a decade on a mission to simplify Indian home cooking. From being scouted as a fashion designer in Mumbai to moving to Broadstairs in Kent where she discovered the transformative power of food as an icebreaker and community builder, Chetna's journey is a testament to the power of resilience, creativity, and cooking with purpose. With 10 bestselling cookbooks including her latest Five Ingredient Indian, millions of followers across social media through Food with Chetna, and a philosophy that celebrates accessible, flavour packed dishes that prove Indian cooking doesn't have to be complicated, Chetna represents a new generation of cooks who embrace bold flavours, seasonal ingredients, and the emotional connection we have with the dishes that define us. Chetna prepares her beloved Methi Chicken, a vibrant five ingredient dish that beautifully encapsulates her cooking philosophy of maximum flavour with minimum fuss. Throughout the episode, Chetna shares her remarkable journey from growing up in Mumbai watching her mother cook fresh meals twice a day for the family and learning that food was always at the heart of gatherings with aunties cooking together in the kitchen to studying fashion design and launching her own label before her then boyfriend decided to study medicine in the UK, the culture shock of moving to Broadstairs where shops closed at five o'clock and there were no Asian supermarkets so they would drive to Southall every four months to fill the boot of the car with rice, lentils, and atta, and why she started cooking more from scratch and using food as an icebreaker to make friends in her new community. You can find Chetna's full Methi Chicken recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out her latest cookbook Five Ingredient Indian for more accessible, flavour packed recipes organised by ingredient with five essential masalas, menu suggestions, and dishes that celebrate the simplicity and soul of Indian home cooking. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S1 · E27
June 19 · 29 min
I Went Gluten-Free and it Changed My Life: Becky Excell on Becoming the Queen of Gluten-Free
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Becky Excell, the Queen of Gluten Free, an ambassador for Coeliac UK, and an eight time Sunday Times bestselling author who has spent over a decade proving that eating gluten free should never mean missing out on a great meal. From being diagnosed at 18 whilst at university and feeling isolated and frustrated to building a devoted community of millions who turn to her for accessible, delicious gluten free recipes, Becky's journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, creativity, and cooking with purpose. With her latest cookbook Feel Good Gluten Free, Becky is championing simple, flavour packed dishes that celebrate what you can eat rather than fixating on what you can't, proving that gluten free food can be indulgent, comforting, and deeply satisfying. Becky prepares her beloved Chunky Chicken Masala with Rice and Roasted Green Beans, a vibrant, hearty dish that beautifully encapsulates her cooking philosophy of maximum flavour with minimum fuss. Throughout the episode, Becky shares her remarkable journey from being told to give up gluten at 18 on a whim by her doctor whilst struggling with gut issues and fatigue at university to realising she couldn't get an accurate coeliac test without reintroducing gluten for six weeks, which would have derailed her degree, so she chose to live as a coeliac without the rubber stamp on her medical record. You can find Becky's full Chunky Chicken Masala recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out her latest cookbook Feel Good Gluten Free for more accessible, flavour packed recipes that celebrate simple ingredients and joyful eating. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
- Transcript
S3 · E26
June 12 · 29 min
From 700,000 Followers in a Month to Global Hotel Menus: Alfie Steiner on AlfieCooks & Going Vegan
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Alfie Steiner, better known to millions as Alfie Cooks, the self-taught home cook who has turned plant-based cooking into a global phenomenon. From his early days as a university student in Edinburgh taking photos of leftover meals and yellow sticker finds to gaining 700,000 followers in a single month and reshaping how the world thinks about vegan food, Alfie's journey is a testament to the power of passion, creativity, and making delicious accessible cooking that celebrates bold flavours without compromise. With five million followers across social media, collaborations with Wagamama and Novotel, and a mission to make people fall in love with tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables cooked with joy and purpose, Alfie represents a new generation of cooks who prove that plant-based food can be indulgent, exciting, and deeply satisfying. Alfie prepares his beloved Turkish Style Pasta with Crispy Tofu, a vibrant dish inspired by his local Turkish supermarket on Holloway Road and a favourite meal he shares with his fiancée Angelica. Throughout the episode, Alfie shares his remarkable journey from growing up in a foodie household with a father who cooked incredibly well to studying Spanish and Portuguese at Edinburgh University, taking a year out to focus on his mental health, and working as a waiter at Cote where he famously spilled expensive sparkling wine on a date and got torn into by an angry customer. He discusses why stopping eating meat five years ago helped him become a better cook by forcing him to appreciate ingredients that require more thought and nuance, the surreal moment his social media following exploded from a few hundred to 700,000 in a month and he realized this wasn't just a hobby anymore, and why his Turkish supermarket with twice daily baked bread, industrial vats of red pepper paste, and bunches of fresh herbs for a pound has become his greatest source of inspiration. You can find Alfie's full Turkish Style Pasta with Crispy Tofu recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out his substack Veg Table for more inspiring plant-based recipes, travel food guides, and stories from his kitchen. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
- Transcript
S3 · E25
June 5 · 59 min
How I Went From Pub Kitchens to TV Fame: Jamie Oliver on The River Café, BBQ & The Naked Chef
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Jamie Oliver, the global phenomenon, tireless campaigner, and one of the most influential voices in food who has spent his career making cooking accessible, joyful, and transformative for millions of people around the world. From his early days growing up in his parents' pub The Cricketers in Essex where he started cooking at just 11 years old, to training with the legendary Gennaro Contaldo at Neal Street Restaurant, working alongside Theo at The River Cafe, and becoming a household name with The Naked Chef at just 23, Jamie's journey is a testament to the power of passion, resilience, and cooking with heart. With over 25 bestselling cookbooks, groundbreaking campaigns including the sugar tax and school food revolution, his charity Fifteen that transformed the lives of young people from challenging backgrounds, and his latest book BBQ: Easy Grilling Big Flavour, Jamie represents a generation of chefs who celebrate bold flavours, accessible home cooking, and the belief that food can change lives. Throughout the episode, Jamie shares his remarkable journey from spending hours prepping vegetables in the wash up at The Cricketers surrounded by punk rockers and mods with flat tops and tall boxes instead of chef bags, to being paid one pound twenty an hour as an 11 year old working double shifts on Sundays whilst his mates played football, the moment his college friend Marco wrote down Gennaro Contaldo's name on a piece of paper and told him there were only two people in London to learn proper pasta from, and why getting the head pastry chef job at Neal Street Restaurant after swotting up on Italian cookbooks from Saffron Walden library changed his life. He discusses the culture shock of moving from quarterly menus to writing menus twice a day at the River Cafe and why Theo taught him how to truly eat by tearing bread and dipping it into sauces with complete abandon. Be sure to order a copy of his new book BBQ: Easy Grilling, Big Flavour for more incredible outdoor recipes that celebrate bold flavours and accessible cooking. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
- Transcript
S3 · E24
May 29 · 34 min
From Marco Pierre White to Saturday Kitchen: Matt Tebbutt on His Unexpected Journey to Live TV
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Matt Tebbutt, the award winning chef and beloved presenter of BBC's Saturday Kitchen Live who has spent his career making high end cooking techniques accessible to everyone. From his early days training in the intense kitchens of Marco Pierre White and working alongside legends like Jun Tanaka and William Curley to running his own acclaimed gastropub in Wales and becoming one of the most trusted faces on British food television, Matt's journey is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and cooking with honesty and heart. With stints on Market Kitchen alongside Rachel Allen and Amanda Lamb, a decade presenting Saturday Kitchen, and his new podcast Check Out Confessions exploring the stories behind our shopping baskets, Matt represents a generation of chefs who celebrate bold flavours, accessible home cooking, and the joy of feeding people without pretension. Matt prepares his beloved Seafood Boride, a deeply nostalgic dish inspired by childhood caravan holidays in Northern France where he fell in love with the magic of dimly lit bistros, checked tablecloths, candles in old wine bottles, and the most incredible fish soup with rouille, croutons, and Gruyere served as dinner in a kit form. Using a rich aromatic fish stock infused with saffron, orange, and tarragon, tender chunks of sea bass and prawns gently poached until just cooked, and a punchy spicy mayonnaise rouille thickened with breadcrumbs and finished with a squeeze of lemon, this recipe beautifully encapsulates Matt's cooking philosophy of maximum flavour with minimum fuss, celebrating the transformative power of simple ingredients cooked with care and the emotional connection we have with the dishes that define us. You can find Matt's full Seafood Boride recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out his podcast Check Out Confessions for more entertaining conversations about the stories behind our shopping baskets. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
- Transcript
S3 · E23
May 22 · 31 min
How Modelling Damaged My Relationship With Food: Emily English on Making Nutrition Joyful Again
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Emily English, a nutritionist, best-selling cookbook author, and one of the most influential voices in making healthy eating accessible, delicious, and joyful. With three Sunday Times bestselling cookbooks including her latest So Good Express which is available to order now from Amazon and Waterstones; millions of followers across social media, and a mission to strip away the restrictive narratives that have dominated nutrition for far too long, Emily's journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, passion, and cooking with purpose. From being scouted as a model at 17 and spiraling into disordered eating to studying nutrition at King's College London under some of the country's leading academics, running a delivery kitchen during lockdown, and building a supplement brand called Epiome, Emily represents a new generation of nutritionists who celebrate bold flavours, family style eating, and the emotional connection we have with food. Emily prepares her beloved Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, a vibrant one pan dish inspired by her husband's former vegan days that beautifully encapsulates her cooking philosophy of maximum flavour with minimum effort. Using jarred roasted red peppers for smokiness and convenience, cashew nuts for creamy richness and natural umami, a spoonful of miso for depth, fresh garlic and shallots for aromatic sweetness, a touch of crème fraîche to bring it all together, and finished with a squeeze of lemon for brightness and acidity, this recipe is nutritionally complete, deeply satisfying, and designed to leave you feeling full and content hours after eating. Served with fusilli pasta to catch every bit of that luscious sauce, this dish proves that healthy food can be indulgent, comforting, and bursting with joy. Throughout the episode, Emily shares her remarkable journey from growing up working in her grandmother's restaurant Cornfield where she fell in love with the transformative power of feeding people to being scouted at a music festival at 17 and joining ASOS as an in house model, the moment a modelling agency commented on her thighs and sent her spiralling into an obsessive relationship with food where she was weighing spinach leaves and avoiding family dinners, and why leaving the modelling industry to study nutrition at King's College London became her way of reclaiming her love for food. She discusses why so many nutritionists on her course couldn't cook and the disconnect between the science and the soul of food, running a delivery kitchen called the Nutritionist Table during lockdown where she boiled 50 eggs a day and created her own take on a McDonald's breakfast muffin, and why her chicken shawarma recipe from her first book remains a weekly staple that fans always mention at events. You can find Emily's full Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out her latest cookbook So Good Express for 80 quick, nutritionally balanced recipes with clear prep and cook times, plus guides on stocking your pantry and building the perfect bowl. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S2 · E22
May 15 · 37 min
How Lyme Disease Led Me to a Michelin Star: Chef Kirk Haworth on Plant-Based Cooking
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Kirk Haworth, chef and co-founder of Plates London, a restaurant that achieved a historic Michelin star for its holistic plant-based methodology and was crowned the 2024 Great British Menu Champion of Champions. From growing up in Northcote with his father, chef Nigel Haworth, to battling Lyme disease for six years and rebuilding his life through food, Kirk's journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, creativity, and cooking with purpose. After working in legendary kitchens including The Square with Phil Howard and The French Laundry in California, Kirk stepped away from traditional fine dining to create something entirely new, a restaurant that celebrates bold, inventive plant-based cooking without compromise, proving that vegetables can be just as exciting, indulgent, and technically brilliant as any meat or fish dish. Throughout the episode, Kirk shares his remarkable journey from growing up in a hospitality household in Lancashire to moving to London at 21 and struggling with the intense, isolating environment of Michelin kitchens like The Square, getting bitten by a tick in Australia and developing chronic Lyme disease that left him unable to walk up stairs or work for years, and spending six years moving from doctor to doctor trying to find answers whilst living back at home with his dad. He discusses the moment he had to stop cooking entirely to focus on his health, why changing his diet and cutting out processed sugars transformed his life, and how his illness inspired the creation of Plates, a restaurant that would never have existed if he hadn't got sick. Kirk also opens up about his mission to create a positive kitchen culture where his team works only four days a week, why he believes energy and how you make people feel is more important than the food itself, his community table initiative that offers free meals to people struggling with chronic illness, and why winning Great British Menu Champion of Champions after failing on his first attempt three years earlier was the best feeling of his life. You can find Kirk's full English Rice Pudding with Vanilla, Yorkshire Rhubarb and Medicinal Spice Milk recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to visit Plates London to experience his boundary pushing plant-based cuisine for yourself. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
- Transcript
S2 · E21
May 8 · 38 min
What Makes the Perfect Recipe: Barney Desmazery on How He Writes Good Food Recipes
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Barney Desmazery, the man often described as the architect of the modern British recipe and one of the most influential voices in food media. As Food Director at BBC Good Food for over two decades, Barney has overseen thousands of recipe tests, collaborated with every major celebrity chef in the country, and quietly shaped the way Britain cooks at home. From his early days training in the kitchens of southwest France to building one of the most trusted recipe databases in the UK, Barney's journey is a testament to the power of precision, passion, and understanding your audience. With his debut cookbook One Dish Four Ways, Barney is finally stepping out from behind the scenes to share his philosophy of seasonal cooking, clever shortcuts, and dishes that work harder for the home cook. Barney prepares his beloved Duck Parmentier, a deeply personal twist on the classic cottage pie that beautifully bridges his English and French heritage. Using tinned confit duck for convenience without compromising on flavour, a classic mirepoix of finely chopped leeks, carrots, and shallots cooked gently in duck fat, fresh thyme, bay, garlic, and flat leaf parsley, all topped with buttery, cheesy mashed potato and finished with crispy baked duck skin for texture and indulgence. This dish encapsulates Barney's cooking philosophy of making restaurant quality food accessible at home, celebrating comfort and tradition whilst embracing clever techniques like starting the mash from the outside in to avoid pushing the filling up, and using every part of the tin including the rendered fat for maximum flavour. Throughout the episode, Barney shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Notting Hill with a French mother and an English father who cooked his way through Elizabeth David to spending five months in a small village in the Dordogne called Les Eyzies de Tayac near Sarlat, where he discovered the magic of foraging wild mushrooms, cooking with ceps and discovering confit duck for the first time. He discusses why his French chef never raised his voice and ran the kitchen like an orchestra with half of it outside overlooking rolling hills, the importance of speaking polite French which the kitchen loved, and why his stage in Gascony taught him that food has a sense of place. Barney also opens up about losing his mother at 18 and gravitating towards two older women who fed him dishes like this, his annual foraging trips to Wales with chef Jonathan Jones from the Anchor and Hope, and why he believes the difference between development and testing is what makes Good Food recipes so reliable. You can find Barney's full Duck Parmentier recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out his debut cookbook One Dish Four Ways for 25 classic dishes reimagined across the seasons with clever twists and accessible techniques. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S3 · E20
May 1 · 26 min
Why I Left Ottolenghi After 20 Years: Sami Tamimi on Palestinian Cooking & Going Solo
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Sami Tamimi, a chef whose food is a powerful celebration of Palestinian heritage and one of the most influential voices in Middle Eastern cuisine. From growing up in the old city of Jerusalem in the Muslim quarter to building a remarkable career in London and co-creating the Ottolenghi empire, Sami's journey is a testament to the transformative power of following your passion, embracing your roots, and cooking with purpose. After spending two decades as head chef and partner at Ottolenghi, Sami stepped away to focus on his own voice, documenting the vibrant, vegetable-forward cooking of his childhood through his stunning cookbook Bostani, which means garden in Arabic. Sami prepares his beloved Couscous Fritters with Preserved Lemon Yogurt, a deeply personal dish that takes him straight back to his childhood sitting on the floor with his siblings, spooning up bowls of his mother's simple couscous with tomato and onion. Using caramelised onions for sweetness, vibrant red pepper paste made from sun-dried fermented peppers, sweet carrots, fluffy couscous cooked like a pilaf, and a punchy yogurt dressing with preserved lemon, capers, and fresh mint, this recipe beautifully encapsulates Sami's cooking philosophy of taking humble, traditional Palestinian flavours and making them accessible, colourful, and bursting with bold taste whilst staying rooted in the soul of home cooking. Throughout the episode, Sami shares his remarkable journey from being kicked out of his mother's kitchen as a young boy to starting his cooking career at 17 washing dishes in a Jerusalem hotel, being promoted to running breakfast service after just three months because he learned so quickly, and why he was a rebellious kid who wanted to be an artist but found his creative outlet through food instead. He discusses moving to London and meeting Yotam Ottolenghi at Baker and Spice where their shared love of cooking, Arabic and Hebrew language, and being two gay guys new to the city created an unbreakable bond, creating the concept for Baker and Spice that introduced Londoners to colourful, vibrant, uncomplicated Middle Eastern food, and why opening the first Ottolenghi restaurant in Notting Hill in 2002 felt like doing the River Cafe but with a Middle Eastern twist. You can find Sami's full Couscous Fritters recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out his beautiful cookbook Bostani for more inspiring Palestinian recipes that celebrate tradition, memory, and the joy of cooking. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S2 · E19
April 24 · 27 min
From Veterinary Surgeon to MasterChef Champion: Chef Brin Pirathapan on Sri Lankan Flavours
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Brin Pirathapan, winner of the 20th series of MasterChef UK in what judges described as the most exceptional victory in the competition's history. A veterinary surgeon who traded the operating theatre for the kitchen, Brin is bringing the bold, vibrant flavours of his Sri Lankan Tamil heritage to a wider audience through his debut cookbook Elevate. From growing up in Chelmsford surrounded by his parents' incredible feasts to discovering his passion for cooking at university and eventually winning over fifteen past MasterChef champions with a standing ovation, Brynn's journey is a testament to the power of following your passion, embracing your heritage, and cooking with creativity and purpose. Brin prepares his beloved Jaffna Mussels, a stunning fusion dish that perfectly encapsulates who he is as a cook. Taking inspiration from the classic French moules marinière and infusing it with the aromatic spices of Jaffna in Northern Sri Lanka where his parents are from, this recipe uses black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fragrant curry leaves, roasted Sri Lankan curry powder, fresh turmeric, fenugreek, sweet tomatoes, tangy tamarind, and creamy coconut milk to create a deeply flavoured base that allows the sweetness of the mussels to shine through. Served with toasted sourdough for dipping into the rich, spiced broth, this dish beautifully represents Brin’s cooking philosophy of melting together his Tamil Sri Lankan background with French technique and his British upbringing to create food that is bold, accessible, and full of heart. Throughout the episode, Brin shares his remarkable journey from watching his parents lay on incredible feasts throughout his childhood to turning his nose up at fish curries as a kid because he had to pick out the bones, discovering his love for cooking at university when he realised the food at home was far better than anything available, and using cooking as a way to decompress after long days as a veterinary surgeon. He discusses why his wife encouraged him to apply for MasterChef after hearing him complain about work one too many times, nearly pulling out before filming because of nerves, why his anatomical knowledge from veterinary surgery gave him a technical edge when filleting fish, and how his parents kept asking if he was still going to do veterinary work until he reached the MasterChef final. You can find more delicious recipes on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out his debut cookbook Elevate for more vibrant, accessible dishes that celebrate bold flavours and creative fusion cooking. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S2 · E18
April 17 · 32 min
How a Judge Changed My Life: Chef Carlo Scotto on Finding Purpose Through Italian Cooking
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Carlo Scotto, a chef whose cooking is driven by memory, emotion, and fearless creativity. Born and raised near Naples, Carlo began cooking as a teenager after a life-changing encounter with a judge who saw potential in a troubled young man and offered him a path to redemption through food. From his early days washing pots at the legendary Don Salvatore in Naples to mastering his craft in London's most ambitious kitchens including Murano with Angela Hartnett and La Chapelle with the Galvin brothers, Carlo's journey is a testament to the transformative power of hospitality and the enduring influence of Italian tradition. With stints in Paris and experience across Europe, Carlo has forged an extraordinary career whilst staying deeply connected to the flavours and stories of his Neapolitan roots. Carlo prepares his beloved Farfalle Pasta a La Genovese recipe, a deeply personal tribute to his late grandmother who first taught him to make pasta as a little boy. This rich, comforting dish takes the classic Neapolitan interpretation of Genovese, a slow-cooked onion sauce with origins in Genoa that arrived in Naples through the historic port trade, and elevates it with decadent bone marrow, 36-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, and a silky onion puree made with chicken and beef stock, shallot vinegar, and fresh thyme. The handmade farfalle pasta, crafted from a unique dough taught to him by a British chef using pasta flour, semolina, six egg yolks, one whole egg, milk, and oil for elasticity, is pinched perfectly to hold the sauce whilst achieving that elusive al dente bite. This recipe beautifully encapsulates Carlo's cooking philosophy of honouring tradition whilst embracing global influences, creating dishes that are comforting yet refined, rooted in heritage yet unafraid to experiment. Throughout the episode, Carlo shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Naples surrounded by loud, passionate Sunday lunches filled with family arguments and endless conversations around the table to becoming a quiet, reserved child who found himself in trouble as a troubled teenager following a family tragedy. He opens up about the pivotal moment when a compassionate judge saw beyond his mistakes and gave him a summer job as punishment, leading him to the kitchens of Don Salvatore where he discovered his calling whilst washing pots bigger than himself. Carlo discusses the pride he took in ensuring every plate leaving the pass had no fingerprints, why Angela Hartnett's belief in him when she put him on the meat section as the youngest chef gave him the confidence to push through his mistakes, and how working across Paris and different countries taught him that excellence can come from anywhere. You can find Carlo's full Farfalle Pasta a La Genovese recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and keep an eye out for his return to London as he continues to build his culinary legacy. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S2 · E17
April 10 · 29 min
From Corporate Life to Head Chef: Nargisse Benkabbo on Finding Her Calling Through Moroccan Food
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Nargisse Benkabbo, chef, author, and one of the leading voices in modern Moroccan cuisine. From her upbringing in Brussels as the daughter of Moroccan immigrants to becoming executive chef at La Mamounia in the heart of the Marrakesh Medina, Nargisse has spent over a decade bringing a breath of fresh air to the Moroccan table. With her debut cookbook Casablanca and her latest release Madaq, alongside her residency at The Pilgrim in London, Nargisse is championing bold, accessible Moroccan flavours whilst honouring the traditions and stories behind every dish. Nargis prepares her beloved Tayb’ o’Hari Chickpea, Tuna and Egg Salad, a vibrant and contemporary twist on the humble Moroccan street food snack that has existed for generations. Using tender chickpeas cooked low and slow until soft and creamy, aromatic spices including cumin, paprika, and harissa, fresh coriander, salty olives, perfectly boiled eggs, and crispy golden potatoes, all brought together with a simple dressing of white wine vinegar and quality olive oil. This dish beautifully encapsulates Nargisse’s cooking philosophy of taking traditional Moroccan favourites and making them portable, approachable, and bursting with bold flavour whilst remaining rooted in the soul of Moroccan home cooking. Throughout the episode, Nargisse shares her remarkable journey from growing up in a traditional Moroccan household where only her mother cooked to leaving home and discovering her passion for feeding people during weekly dinners with friends in Paris, her transformative time at Leiths School of Food and Wine after leaving the corporate world, and why focusing on Moroccan cuisine became her way of staying connected to her roots. She discusses the misconceptions around Moroccan food in the UK, why hummus and tabbouleh are not Moroccan, her experience as executive chef at La Mamounia navigating traditional French-trained chefs who wanted to over-garnish her simple plating style, and why most Moroccan families use pressure cookers instead of traditional tagine pots for everyday cooking. Nargisse also opens up about her mission to showcase the fresh, vibrant, and vegetable-forward side of Moroccan cuisine that people don't know, why over 60% of the recipes in her new book are vegetarian, her dream restaurant concept Madaq which celebrates Moroccan tapas, and why using fresh spices that actually smell is the key to bold, flavourful cooking. You can find Nargis's full Tbikha Salad recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out her new cookbook Madaq for more approachable, flavour-packed Moroccan recipes. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S2 · E16
March 27 · 46 min
Why British Italian Food Was Wrong: Gennaro Contaldo on Carbonara Crimes & Mentoring Jamie Oliver
In this episode, Theo is joined by the legendary Gennaro Contaldo, one of the great champions of authentic Italian cooking and a true ambassador for the flavours of the Amalfi Coast. From his humble beginnings fishing for squid in the Mediterranean and foraging wild mushrooms on the mountains above his village to shaping how Britain fell in love with real Italian food, Gennaro's journey is a testament to the power of passion, heritage, and cooking with heart. As Jamie Oliver's mentor and the man who taught a generation of chefs what Italian food truly means, Gennaro has spent decades proving that simple ingredients cooked with love are all you need to create something extraordinary. Gennaro prepares his beloved Totani e Patate, squid with potatoes, a traditional celebratory dish from the Amalfi Coast that beautifully captures the essence of mare e monte, sea and mountain. Using fresh squid sealed in olive oil alongside golden waxy potatoes fried until crisp, sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh red chilli, and generous handfuls of flat leaf parsley, finished with a splash of white wine and a drizzle of quality olive oil, this humble one pan wonder is comfort food at its finest. Simple, accessible, and bursting with flavour, this recipe perfectly encapsulates Gennaro's cooking philosophy of celebrating the incredible ingredients from land and sea whilst staying true to the traditions of his coastal village. Throughout the episode, Gennaro shares his remarkable journey from being born just 30 metres above the sea in the Amalfi Coast to arriving in London in 1969 as a young Italian alien armed with nothing but a love for real food and a deep frustration at the state of Italian cooking in Britain. He discusses the shock of discovering spaghetti carbonara made with cream and pre-boiled pasta, working in fish and chip shops frying in whale oil, the importance of foraging wild herbs and mushrooms on the mountains of his childhood, and why catching squid at night with a hand line taught him patience and respect for ingredients. Gennaro also opens up about meeting Antonio Carluccio and transforming the Neal Street Restaurant into a beacon of authentic Italian cuisine, discovering a young Jamie Oliver who would turn up at three in the morning desperate to learn how to make proper pasta, and why teaching the next generation to cook with soul and simplicity remains his greatest passion. From his mission to preserve regional Italian recipes in his new book Gennaro's Hidden Italy to relaunching Jamie's Italian restaurants this April, Gennaro's love for Italian food and his absolute refusal to compromise on authenticity shines through every word. You can find Gennaro's full Totani e Patate recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out his new book Gennaro's Hidden Italy for more authentic regional Italian recipes that celebrate the stories and traditions behind every dish. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S2 · E15
March 20 · 32 min
From Failed Business to Cookbook Success: John Gregory-Smith on Travelling The World For New Flavour
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant John Gregory-Smith, a chef, best-selling author, and prolific content creator whose cooking is all about big flavour and food that brings people together. From launching his own spice company to traveling the world in search of the best dishes, John has built a career making global cooking accessible for the home cook. Whether he is filming three new recipes a week on his phone or researching his next cookbook, John’s journey is a testament to the power of "feeding the beast" of social media while staying rooted in authentic, bold flavours . John prepares his beloved Butter Chicken Tray-Bake, a clever, "stripped-back" twist on the North Indian Punjabi classic he first learned in Amritsar. Using chicken thighs poached in a rich sauce of ginger, garlic, Kashmiri chili, and garam masala, and finished with cream, butter, and the all-important "takeaway vibe" of scrunched fenugreek leaves, this dish beautifully encapsulates John’s cooking philosophy of maximum flavour with minimum effort. It is a recipe designed to be easy enough for a Wednesday night but delicious enough to serve to guests on the weekend . Throughout the episode, John shares his remarkable journey from his early days in London, where his sister’s drunken encounter in a bar led to a job at Gordon Ramsay’s Royal Hospital Road, to the "nightmare" logistics of running his own spice brand during a recession . He discusses the "Q-Mafia" traditions of his large, close-knit family and their legendary Sunday night curries, explaining how being the shortest and youngest cousin originally motivated him to start cooking so he could get to the food first . He also opens up about "fleeing his problems" to travel across Asia and the Middle East, a trip fuelled by a "complete lie" about book research that eventually became his very first publication . John also explores his obsession with "hanging out with old ladies" to learn intuitive, traditional recipes in places like Azerbaijan and Lebanon, contrasting these deep culinary dives with the reality of writing a tray-bake book in a high-pressure three-month sprint . From shocking Theo with his refusal to salt his pasta water to admitting his love for watching Below Deck when he’s too tired to cook, John offers a refreshingly honest look at the life of a modern food creator . You can find John’s full Butter Chicken Tray-Bake recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out his latest book, The Greatest Tray-Bake Cookbook Ever, for more inspiring, easy dinners. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S2 · E14
March 13 · 40 min
How a Track Athlete Became a Top London Chef: Kerth Gumbs on Caribbean Cuisine & His Mother's Legacy
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Kerth Gumbs, Chef de Cuisine at Fenchurch in the Sky Garden and one of the most exciting voices in modern Caribbean cuisine. From his humble beginnings in Anguilla watching his mother Daphine cater weddings and funerals to mastering French technique under legends like Joël Robuchon and Tom Aikens, Kerth’s journey is a testament to the power of heritage, discipline, and cooking with purpose. After representing the UK at the World Championships in track and field, studying at Le Cordon Bleu, and working his way through Michelin kitchens across London and Singapore with Jason Atherton, Kerth is now championing bold Caribbean flavours whilst honouring the traditions of his island home. Kerth prepares his beloved Jerk Steam Sea Bream with Escovitch Vegetables and Coconut Dumplings, a deeply personal Easter dish that beautifully encapsulates his cooking philosophy. Using whole sea bream seasoned with aromatic jerk paste, garlic salt, and sazon complete, sweet julienned peppers and onions sautéed with thyme and finished with Chardonnay vinegar for that classic escovitch tang, and fluffy coconut dumplings made with coconut milk powder for richness and body. Steamed en papillote with knobs of butter to sweeten and round the spices, this is humble Caribbean home cooking elevated with French technique, celebrating the incredible seafood and bold flavours of the islands whilst remaining accessible, affordable, and deeply comforting. Throughout the episode, Kerth shares his remarkable journey from chasing wild goats in the Anguillan bush to fund his travels to becoming captain of his island's track team and earning a scholarship to train in Jamaica, why his mother's ability to cook rice and peas to perfection in massive Dutch pots remains a skill he's never mastered, and how his coach suspended his athletic scholarship for six months which ultimately led him to cooking. He discusses the importance of learning to count from one to one hundred in French to secure his job at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, why working double the hours for free meant gaining double the knowledge, the brutal but transformative years in Michelin kitchens where his diploma meant nothing until he earned his stripes, and why managing yourself is just as important as managing others. Kerth also opens up about his mission to give back to Anguilla through mentorship at the island's first hotel Malliouhana, why Johnny cakes with barbecue is his death row meal, and how being relentless and making yourself an asset to yourself has shaped everything he does. You can find Kerth’s full Jerk Steam Sea Bream recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to visit Fenchurch at the Sky Garden to experience his modern Caribbean cuisine for yourself. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S2 · E13
March 6 · 29 min
The Recipe That Changed Everything: Meera Sodha on Mental Health & Rediscovering the Love of Food
In this episode, Theo is joined by Meera Sodha, best-selling author, Guardian columnist, and one of the most influential voices in modern plant-based cooking. With four acclaimed cookbooks to her name and a weekly Guardian column that has transformed the way Britain thinks about vegetables, Meera's journey from growing up as the only Indian family in a Lincolnshire village to becoming a celebrated food writer is a testament to the power of heritage, resilience, and cooking with purpose. From her early entrepreneurial ventures including the ahead-of-its-time dating site Fancy an Indian to working at Innocent Drinks and eventually finding her calling in food writing, Meera represents a new generation of cooks who celebrate tradition whilst embracing creativity and global influences. Meera prepares her beloved Malaysian Dal Curry, a deeply personal dish that helped her reconnect with cooking after months away from the kitchen during a difficult period in her life. Using red lentils, aromatic lemongrass, fragrant curry leaves, warming spices including cumin and coriander, creamy coconut milk, sweet carrots, and a finishing touch of tangy tamarind paste, this comforting dal is inspired by a memorable meal she shared with her husband in Singapore. This recipe beautifully encapsulates Meera's cooking philosophy - food that brings pleasure, comfort, and connection, rooted in tradition but open to experimentation and the joy of cooking what you truly love to eat. Throughout the episode, Meera shares her remarkable journey from watching her mother cook in their family kitchen to collecting recipes that became her first book, the significance of the wooden spoon her mother gifted her on her 30th birthday, and why tasting ingredients before, during, and after cooking remains the best advice she's ever received. Meera also opens up about her breakdown and how this simple dal helped her find her way back to the kitchen, the influence of her Ugandan heritage and Swahili words in her family's cooking, and why financial security through education was so important to her immigrant parents. You can find Meera's full Malaysian Dal Curry recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out her cookbooks including her latest, Dinner, for more inspiring plant-based recipes that celebrate pleasure and comfort. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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S2 · E12
February 27 · 44 min
The Truth About British Seafood: Jack Stein on Taking Over the Family Restaurant Empire
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Jack Stein, chef director of the Rick Stein Group and a passionate advocate for sustainable seafood. Growing up in Padstow surrounded by fishing boats, fresh crab, and his father's legendary seafood restaurant, Jack's journey has taken him from the kitchens of Michel Bras in France to building a thriving restaurant empire across Cornwall whilst championing British fish and sustainable fishing practices. With deep roots in Cornwall's fishing community and a commitment to preserving culinary traditions, Jack represents the next generation of the Stein legacy. Jack prepares his beloved Cornish Crab Linguine, his mum Jill's favourite dish and a modern twist on a classic Italian recipe. Using sweet Cornish crab meat from local fishermen in Padstow, a simple base of shallots, garlic, tomatoes, lemon juice, and quality olive oil, with a clever addition of gochujang for warmth and depth, and squid fish sauce for that umami punch reminiscent of ancient Roman garum. This dish beautifully encapsulates Jack's cooking philosophy - simple, ingredient-led food that respects tradition whilst embracing global influences and celebrates the incredible seafood landed on Cornwall's shores every day. You can find Jack's full Cornish Crab Linguine recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to visit one of the Rick Stein restaurants to experience their commitment to sustainable British seafood. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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