The Menu
535 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★ - 56 ratingsOur guide to the world of food, drink and entertaining, The Menu serves up interviews with the world’s most creative chefs, introduces the makers behind the scenes and the ingredients that will soon be landing on your restaurant table.
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Episodes
Food Neighbourhoods #381: Rosebank, Johannesburg
April 23, 2024 17:53 - 7 minutes - 6.61 MBThis week we head to Johannesburg in South Africa. Known for its work-hard-play-hard culture, it’s a city that brings together a vibrant mix of cultures. Elna Schütz heads to the leafy suburb of Rosebank to sample its innovative restaurants. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Endo Kazutoshi, Camparino in Galleria and Georg Oelschlägel
April 19, 2024 18:10 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBThis week we sit down with Japanese chef Endo Kazutoshi to discover why good sushi is all about mentality. Plus: we head to Camparino in Galleria in Milan just in time for ‘aperitivi’ and we meet Georg Oelschlägel, owner of Viennese bakery Felzl, to find out about his nose for entrepreneurship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #380: Margate
April 16, 2024 14:43 - 7 minutes - 7.1 MBThis week we head to the southeastern tip of England to wander around the seaside town of Margate. In recent years, the town has become a bit of a magnet for creatives, which has lead to some exciting culinary additions to the local food scene. Holly Fisher went along to meet Natalia Ribbe, the owner of French-inspired wine bar Sète, to visit some of her favourite seaside haunts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Milan’s ‘latterie’, Caviar House & Prunier and durian fruit
April 12, 2024 17:49 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBAs Salone del Mobile rolls into town, Chiara Rimella tells us which ‘latterie’ we should visit in Milan. Also in the programme: Monica Lillis sits down with Lucie Herring of Caviar House & Prunier to find out how the brand is adapting its image to appeal to a fresh crowd. Plus: Lilian Fawcett speaks to HSBC Asean economist Aris Dacanay to learn more about the booming market for the famously smelly durian fruit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #379: Elmira Maple Syrup Festival
April 09, 2024 17:55 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBThis week, Mandy Sinclair heads to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival in Ontario to find out how the condiment is made and meet the faces behind the sweet stuff. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
‘Good Eggs’, Daphnis and Chloe herbs, and Kim Mikkola
April 05, 2024 17:55 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBWe’re joined by food writer and cookbook author, Ed Smith, to flick through his new cookbook “Good Eggs: Over 100 Cracking Ways to Cook and Elevate Eggs”. Monocle’s Hester Underhill meets Evangelia Koutsovoulou whose brand, Daphnis and Chloe, is dedicated to bottling up the best Greek herbs to be shipped to keen cooks around the world. Plus: Petri Burtsoff is in Tallinn to learn more about chef Kim Mikkola’s new venture – chicken burgers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #378: Crouch End
April 02, 2024 17:44 - 6 minutes - 5.88 MBWe head to the leafy suburbs of north London to visit Crouch End. The area might feel like somewhat of an underdog to the nearby bustling Finsbury Park but its abundance of quaint coffee shops and vibrant bistros, as well as its community feel, make it well worth a stopover. Local resident Rob Prendergast takes us on a tour of the neighbourhood’s best culinary spots. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A taste of Poland
March 29, 2024 17:57 - 29 minutes - 27.5 MBThis week, we get a taste of Polish cuisine. We sit down with Ren Behan to discuss her new book, ‘The Sweet Polish Kitchen’. Also in the programme, Julia Lasica heads to the renowned Ognisko in London’s South Kensington to find out more about the historic restaurant. Plus: Mateusz Mazzini is in Warsaw to visit local wine bar Brać and learn about the emerging Polish wine industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #377: Tallinn Old Town
March 26, 2024 18:34 - 10 minutes - 9.37 MBEstonia’s capital, Tallinn, boasts a vibrant and rapidly evolving food scene. For many years, however, culinary talent has avoided the city’s medieval old town, which has been deemed too expensive and touristy. But now the trend is reversing and young chefs looking to make their mark have rediscovered the historical city centre. Monocle’s Petri Burtsoff met with restaurateur and sommelier Kristjan Peäske for a tour of his favourite drinking and dining spots in Tallinn’s Old Town. See omnyst...
Culinary literature
March 22, 2024 19:10 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBThis week we get bookish with an episode dedicated to food in literature – and literature about food. We sit down with food writer Felicity Cloake to hear her take on what makes great gastronomic prose. Also in the programme: Charlotte McDonald-Gibson delves into James Bond novels to find out how important food and drink is to their plot. Plus: We whip up a recipe from Nora Ephron’s acclaimed roman à clef, ‘Heartburn’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #376: Regent’s Park Road, London
March 19, 2024 17:05 - 10 minutes - 9.4 MBJoin Theo Randall, chef patron of Theo Randall at the InterContinental, as he takes us on a tour of Regent’s Park Road in the Primrose Hill area of London. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Toklas, Finnair’s in-flight menu and Provençal truffles
March 15, 2024 17:19 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBWe sit down with Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, the founders of Frieze art fair, to find out about their culinary ventures – and the intersection between art and food. Also in the programme: Monocle’s Helsinki correspondent, Petri Burtsoff, meets with Finnair’s development chef, Sami Oksava, to learn about the role of Finnish cuisine on board the airline’s flights. Plus: Michael Booth heads to the fête du Diamant Noir in Provence to discover more about the art of truffle-hunting...
Food Neighbourhoods #375: Dublin Coffee Festival
March 12, 2024 17:12 - 8 minutes - 7.89 MBThis week we’re in Ireland’s capital for the opening of the Dublin Coffee Festival. Sebastian Stephenson headed to the sold-out event, reusable cup in hand, to get a taste of how the Dublin scene is brewing and grab some recommendations from Ireland’s coffee masters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ajabu Cocktail and Spirits Festival, One House Bakery and crêpes Suzette
March 08, 2024 18:45 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBWe sit down with Colin Asare-Appiah and Mark Talbot Holmes, the founders of Africa’s first spirits and cocktail festival, Ajabu. Also in the programme: Ivan Carvalho is in the San Francisco Bay Area to meet Hannalee Pervan of One House Bakery. Plus: Myriam Zumbühl takes us to L’Apogée Courchevel hotel in the French Alps to taste crêpes Suzette as the winter season comes to a close. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #374: Florence
March 05, 2024 17:39 - 8 minutes - 7.6 MBMonocle’s Ivan Carvalho is in Florence to discover the culinary treasures of a city that’s best known for its cultural offerings. Amid its wealth of Renaissance art and architecture, the Tuscan capital has its fair share of gastronomic outposts rooted in local traditions. It’s also a place where both new and old concepts find space to entertain people’s palates. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ailime, Dorsia and chef Albert Ponzo
March 01, 2024 19:28 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBThis week, we meet Chicca Vancini in Turin at her restaurant, Ailime, to find out what she means when she says that her kitchen has an Italian ambience but a Japanese attitude. Also in the programme: we meet Marc Lotenberg of luxury restaurant-booking app Dorsia and Monocle’s Toronto correspondent, Tomos Lewis, is in Picton, Ontario, to meet chef Albert Ponzo of The Royal Hotel to learn about his farm-to-table approach to cooking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #373: George Town, Malaysia
February 27, 2024 17:36 - 6 minutes - 5.62 MBGeorge Town is the vibrant capital of the Malaysian Island of Penang. The bustling city was once an important trading hub within the Straits of Malacca and over the years has been influenced by a variety of cultures, which have transformed George Town’s food scene into the eclectic culinary destination it is today. Here, Monocle’s Lilian Fawcett takes us on a gastronomic tour of the Unesco world heritage site. Take a listen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The sweet stuff
February 23, 2024 20:30 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBThis week’s episode is dedicated to all things sugary. Monocle’s Paige Reynolds meets with maverick baker Lily Vanilli, whose creations have appeared everywhere from fashion-week events to Elton John’s birthday party. Also in the programme: Michael Booth visits one of Provence’s best-known nougatiers and Fernando Augusto Pacheco joins us in the studio for a biscuit-themed edition of ‘The Global Countdown’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #372: Aksaray
February 20, 2024 18:58 - 5 minutes - 5.06 MBMonocle’s Hannah Lucinda Smith heads to Istanbul’s vibrant Aksaray district to discover the city’s lesser-known international food scene. Here, we wander Aksaray’s sprawling backstreets to taste everything from Uzbek to Senegalese cuisine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Finnish love of rye, Valle Isarco wines and chef Jean-Philippe Blondet
February 16, 2024 18:54 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBWe sit down with Jean-Philippe Blondet, the executive chef at London’s Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, to ask what it takes to cook at the highest possible level. Plus: Petri Burtsoff explains why rye holds such cultural significance in Finland and Ivan Carvalho heads to the Valle Isarco in the foothills of the Italian Alps to find out why the region is becoming increasingly popular for wine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #371: Avignon
February 13, 2024 17:05 - 9 minutes - 9.04 MBThe southern French city of Avignon is internationally known for its annual summer cultural festival. For more than half of the 14th century, it was also home to the Roman Catholic papacy. Its culinary reputation, however, is often overshadowed by two neighbouring cities: Lyon and Marseille. In this episode, Monocle’s Michael Booth visits the Provençal city to unearth some of its specialties, which range from unique pastries and archeological cheeses to a delicious lamb recipe. See omnystud...
‘A Book about Bread’, Clyde’s Fine Diner and Domaine de Mourchon
February 09, 2024 19:11 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBWe sit down with Dutch baker Issa Niemeijer-Brown, who tells us about his new book, ‘A Book about Bread’. Also in the programme: Monocle’s Tomos Lewis visits Clyde’s Fine Diner in Des Moines, Iowa, and finds out more about the city’s growing culinary scene. Plus: Michael Booth heads to the Rhône valley to meet UK winemaker Kate McKinlay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #370: Tainan
February 06, 2024 17:03 - 5 minutes - 4.89 MBTaiwan might be a small island but its culinary staples, such as beef noodle soup and bao buns, are soaring in popularity worldwide. And there’s a rich diversity of regional cuisines that have yet to travel beyond its shores. Monocle’s Naomi Xu Elegant takes a trip to the southern city of Tainan to explore its unique food and drink scene. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Glenfiddich and Club des Chefs des Chefs
February 02, 2024 19:50 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBWe sit down with Struan Grant Ralph of Glenfiddich to savour the past and future of the heritage whiskey brand. Plus: Monocle’s Christopher Cermak joins us in the studio to discuss the world’s most exclusive gastronomic circle: the Club des Chefs des Chefs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #369: Weserstrasse, Berlin
January 30, 2024 18:29 - 7 minutes - 6.64 MBWhile the cool folk of Berlin can be found in all corners of the German capital, there’s one particular boulevard where they are known to congregate. Weserstrasse, in the heart of the Neukölln district, is a street where the food and drink offerings have stepped up to the city’s demands. Monocle’s Paige Reynolds takes us on a tour. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chef Daniel Humm, Lộ Quậy Singapore and St Moritz’s culinary scene
January 26, 2024 18:25 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBWe sit down with acclaimed chef Daniel Humm, of Eleven Madison Park in New York, to hear more about his new food-and-art book, ‘Eat More Plants’, released with publishing icon Gerhard Steidl. Plus: we sample new Vietnamese opening Lộ Quậy Singapore and hit the slopes of St Moritz to find out how the hallowed resort tempts discerning palates in winter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #368: Sankthanshaugen, Oslo
January 23, 2024 16:28 - 7 minutes - 7.19 MBFrom sweet and spongy cinnamon buns with strong cups of coffee to fresh local seafood, there is no shortage of culinary delights in Oslo. Here, Nora Hoel wanders the popular neighbourhood of Sankthanshaugen to show us the best her hometown has to offer. Take a listen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A postcard from Shoreditch
January 19, 2024 18:45 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBWe are staying close to our studios in London this week for a tour of a neighbourhood that keeps evolving in culinary matters. Shoreditch in east London has long been a great place to eat. Its refined restaurants often set the pace for the rest of the city – and beyond. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #367: Burgundy
January 16, 2024 17:58 - 6 minutes - 6.43 MBWe head to the Côte d’Or in Central France, which is known as the epicentre of the nation’s fine wine production. Its offerings, however, extend well beyond just wine. From triple-cream cheeses and truffles to honey and ham, there is no shortage of culinary delights to be enjoyed in the region. Monocle’s Liv Kessler takes us on a winding roadtrip from the Côte de Nuits to the Côte de Beaune. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
‘The Cheese Life’, Austria’s soybean revival and Sentia
January 12, 2024 18:24 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBWe sit down with Mathew Carver and Patrick McGuigan, authors of ‘The Cheese Life’, to discuss the obsession with the ingredient and try some delicious British cheeses. Plus: Monocle Radio’s Mariella Bevan speaks to scientist David Nutt, co-founder of Sentia spirits, an alcohol-free alternative designed to capture the relaxation that comes with drinking without the alcohol, and Alexei Korolyov looks back at the surprising history of soybeans in Austria. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...
Food Neighbourhoods #366: Rebellious Wine Club, London
January 09, 2024 18:26 - 7 minutes - 6.91 MBThis week we head to Rebellious Wine Club in London, an ongoing series of wine tastings hosted by some of the most exciting women working in the UK wine industry. Its aim? To debunk some of the more common wine myths and rules, while keeping things relaxed – and maybe even a little bit mischievous. Monocle’s Mae-Li Evans went along to Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings in Clerkenwell to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The best of 2023, part two
January 05, 2024 17:37 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBFor a second week, Monocle’s Chiara Rimella looks back on a delicious 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #365: Little Italy, San Diego
January 02, 2024 19:00 - 14 minutes - 13 MBMany Italian immigrants settled in North America in the 19th and early-20th centuries, establishing Little Italy enclaves wherever they went. Today the largest in the US can be found in San Diego, where nearly 50 blocks brim with food and drink from the ‘bel paese’. Monocle’s Gregory Scruggs tucks in for lunch and takes us on a tour. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The best of 2023, part one
December 29, 2023 14:51 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBMonocle’s Chiara Rimella looks back on a delicious 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Festive drinking and dining
December 22, 2023 20:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBWe sit down with Martin Dibben, head of champagne at Searcys, to learn the best way to enjoy our bubbles this festive season. Also in the programme: Myriam Zumbühl tells us where to find the best hot chocolate in Zürich and Hannah Lucinda Smith tastes traditional Boza in Istanbul. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #364: Porta Venezia, Milan
December 19, 2023 22:00 - 8 minutes - 7.84 MBJoin Monocle’s Ivan Carvalho as he explores Milan’s vibrant food scene in the Porta Venezia neighbourhood, which is home to a wide array of offerings, including pizzas, Japanese izakayas and contemporary bistros. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Christmas Special
December 15, 2023 17:23 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBWe take a deep dive into some classic culinary Christmas traditions. Chiara Rimella and Fernando Augusto Pacheco sit down in the studio for a battle of the panettones. Plus: Monica Lillis sings the praises of Christmas pudding and Nina dos Santos tells us why cod will be on her table this year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #363: The Monocle Christmas Market, London
December 12, 2023 12:53 - 9 minutes - 9 MBTom Webb, Monocle’s deputy head of radio, guides us through the delicious drinks offering at the London leg of The Monocle Christmas Market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
‘Slow Food, Fast Cars’ and Eline restaurant
December 08, 2023 17:13 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBMonocle’s Isabella Jewell sits down with renowned Italian chef Massimo Bottura and his wife, Lara Gilmore, to discuss their new food-and-lifestyle book, ‘Slow Food, Fast Cars’. Also in the programme: Lucrezia Motta heads to Eline restaurant in east London to discover its take on festive French dining. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #362: The Monocle Christmas Market, Zürich
December 05, 2023 18:34 - 10 minutes - 9.58 MBJoin Monocle’s deputy head of radio, Tom Webb, as he takes us on a whistle-stop tour of this year’s Monocle Christmas Market in Zürich. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
‘Vintage Crime: A Short History of Wine Fraud’, Copenhagen coffee culture and Jorg Zupan
December 01, 2023 17:27 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBWe sit down with “master of wine” and author Rebecca Gibb to explore the tantalising world of wine fraud. Also in the programme: Monocle’s Copenhagen correspondent, Michael Booth, finds out why Denmark is emerging as a gourmet coffee destination. Plus: our man in the Balkans, Guy de Launey, meets the award-winning Slovenian chef Jorg Zupan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #361: Kuching, Malaysia
November 28, 2023 19:04 - 6 minutes - 6.37 MBBorneo conjures images of wild jungle canopies and tropical fauna. But there is more to the world’s third-largest island than rainforests and orangutans. Monocle’s Lilian Fawcett visits Kuching in Malaysian Borneo, which was named a “creative city of gastronomy” by Unesco for its diverse culinary offering. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kudu Collective, chestnut season in Portugal and San Francisco’s Thanksgiving traditions
November 24, 2023 18:11 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MBWe meet Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams, founders of Kudu Collective, a group of popular South African restaurants in London. Also in the programme: Monocle’s Lisbon correspondent, Gaia Lutz, discovers Portugal’s autumnal love affair with chestnuts, and Simon Marks finds out about San Francisco’s unusual Thanksgiving ingredient: Dungeness crab. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #360: Rue des Martyrs, Paris
November 21, 2023 17:30 - 6 minutes - 6.42 MBWe head to Paris’s Rue des Martyrs, a street in the vibrant 9th arrondissement, which is brimming with dedicated food retailers that have been honing their craft for decades. Monocle’s Claudia Jacob takes us through the addresses preserving France’s traditional cuisine, as well as those going against the grain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hainan House, Ukrainian Borscht and La Marzocco Espresso Academy
November 17, 2023 17:07 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBWe sit down with Sunny Wu and Irene Hua, the brains behind new London opening Hainan House. Julia Lasica is in the kitchen with her mother and journalist Roksolyanan Lasica to find out how to make her version of the beloved Ukrainian dish borscht. Plus: Ivan Carvalho heads to the outskirts of Florence to visit the La Marzocco Espresso Academy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #359: Shoreditch, London
November 14, 2023 15:38 - 7 minutes - 6.9 MBJoin Theo Clench, executive chef of the Michelin-starred Cycene, as he takes us on a tour of his favourite spots in the east London neighbourhood of Shoreditch. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How can we eat more sustainably?
November 10, 2023 17:29 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MBWe explore the world of sustainable eating and meet trailblazers in the environmentally conscious food industry. Restaurateur and ecological campaigner Malcolm Wood tells us about his fine-dining restaurant, The Aubrey. Also in the programme: Gregory Scruggs discovers St Jude Tuna in Seattle and Monica Lillis heads to Mildreds restaurant in London’s Soho. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Food Neighbourhoods #358: Príncipe Real, Lisbon
November 07, 2023 17:49 - 7 minutes - 6.9 MBLisbon’s Príncipe Real district is filled with regal 19th-century architecture, leafy gardens, independent retailers and a host of quaint restaurants and bars. Monocle’s Chloé Lake takes us on a tour. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Donna Hay, wines of Vidigueira and the World’s 50 Best Bars Awards
November 03, 2023 19:11 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBChiara Rimella sits down with acclaimed Australian cookbook author Donna Hay to discuss her new cookbook, ‘Even More Basics to Brilliance’. Also in the programme, Monocle’s Milan correspondent, Ivan Carvalho, heads to Portugal to explore the lesser-known wine appellation, Vidigueira. Plus: Naomi Xu Elegant attend the World’s 50 Best Bars Awards in Singapore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Finland’s mushroom-foraging craze, Ana Ros and Showerings Cider
October 27, 2023 17:19 - 32 minutes - 30 MBMonocle’s Gaia Lutz sits down with renowned Slovenian chef Ana Ros in Lisbon. Also in the programme: Petri Burtsoff is in Finland to find out why mushroom foraging is becoming ever more popular in both home and restaurant cooking. Plus: Andrew Mueller speaks to Laura Suorsa of the Oulu 2026 Arctic Food Lab at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík and Monica Lillis ventures to southwest England to try a brand-new luxury cider brand, Showerings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...