Show Notes
This episode, Jimi and Alison are joined by Joanne Harris, the author of more than 20 bestselling works of fiction. Joanne was born above a Yorkshire sweet shop and food flavours many of her novels – most famously Chocolat, which was turned into an Oscar-nominated film. She talks about why French food is part of her cultural identity, what it was like to become famous overnight, and the quiet pleasure of growing her own vegetables. Joanne’s latest book is Ten Things About Writing. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @Joannechocolat. To find out more about the series go to waitrose.com/podcast Host: Jimi Famurewa Co-host: Alison Oakervee Producer: Sera Berksoy Executive Producer: Nikki Duffy Editor: Nathan Copelin A John Brown production for Waitrose & Partners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Life on a Plate
For this episode, Yasmin and Alison talk to the brilliant, funny and down-to-earth Scottish actor Ashley Jensen, known for her roles in Extras, Ugly Betty, Catastrophe – and star of the Waitrose 2021 Christmas ad! She chats about Heston’s mince pies and her taste for sprouts (with pancetta), and shares tales of growing up in Scotland in the 1970s, enjoying her grandmother’s mince and tatties and a range of classic crisps including Frazzles and Monster Munch. She describes her no-nonsense response to Hollywood glitz and glamour (and her rejection of the idea that actresses must ‘stay young’) and also expresses her admiration for footballer and campaigner Marcus Rashford and his work tackling child food poverty.
Actor, DJ, presenter, photographer, author, acclaimed documentary-maker and now a feature film director – there aren’t many things that Reggie Yates can’t do! In this episode, he talks to Yasmin and Alison about his career to date and how important it has been to stick to his guns when it comes to authenticity and speaking in his own voice. He reminisces about the West African food he grew up with, touches on the great plantain pronunciation debate and reveals some interesting ideas about how to eat crisps and chocolate (at the same time). Reggie also chats about his brilliant new film, Pirates, launched on 26 November, which celebrates UK Garage culture at the turn of the Millennium. You can follow Reggie on Instagram and Twitter @regyates.
This week’s guest is chartered psychologist and nutritionist Kimberley Wilson. In addition to working in private practice, lecturing, podcasting and co-hosting Radio 4’s Made of Stronger Stuff with Dr Xand van Tulleken, Kimberley has also found time to write How to Build a Healthy Brain, a book that makes clear the crucial connections between what we eat and how we think, feel and remember. Kimberley speaks passionately to Yasmin and Alison about the simple dietary steps we can all take right now to help combat depression, anxiety and dementia – while also sharing her love of hot tea, porridge and plum crumble. You can follow Kimberley on Instagram @foodandpsych and Twitter @FoodAndPsych. How to Build a Healthy Brain is in bookshops now and Made of Stronger Stuff is available from BBC Sounds.
We were thrilled to welcome the incredible Diana Henry to Life on a Plate for this episode. She is one of our most beloved food writers, delivering a steady stream of delicious recipes into homes across the land via her cookbooks (including Simple and How to Eat a Peach), Telegraph columns and daily Instagram posts. Legendarily hard-working and prolific, Diana experienced severe illness during the past two years: it slowed her down a little but has not dimmed her spirit one bit. In this conversation with Yasmin Khan and Alison Oakervee, she talks about those frightening times, but also about her childhood in Northern Ireland, her first experiences of cosmopolitan London in the 80s, and the people, places and ingredients that inspire and delight her now.
This week, Yasmin and Alison enter the world of environmentalist and campaigner Chris Packham. With wit, warmth and enthusiasm, he describes his absolute passion for the natural world and outlines how he believes we can move towards a more sustainable future. He also talks about his work advocating for autistic people, reveals his deep appreciation of his partner Charlotte's cooking, and shares tales of his beloved poodles, Sid and Nancy, and their nightly digestive biscuit habit...