The Recipe

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.

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 Barbecue: 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. You can find Jamie's full Beef Stroganoff recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to order a copy of his new book Barbecue: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Thuy Diem Pham, chef, author, and one of the leading voices in Vietnamese cuisine. Born in a rural village in southern Vietnam and raised in the UK, Thuy's journey is a testament to the power of heritage, family, and cooking with love. From opening her own Vietnamese restaurant to becoming a consultant for Baxter Storey and writing three cookbooks, Thuy is championing authentic Vietnamese cooking whilst making it accessible and inspiring for home cooks everywhere. Thuy prepares her beloved Bun Ga Hue, a traditional chicken noodle soup from the Midlands of Vietnam - a regional twist on Vietnam's national dish, pho. Using corn-fed chicken gently poached for clarity, charred onions and ginger for depth, aromatic lemongrass and star anise, fresh pineapple for natural sweetness, and a punchy lemongrass chili oil made with crispy shallots, garlic, and annatto seeds, this dish beautifully encapsulates the five essential tastes of Vietnamese cuisine - hot, sour, sweet, aromatic, and pungent. Finished with rice noodles, vibrant herbs including Thai basil and morning glory (water spinach), and a generous squeeze of lime, this recipe is comfort food at its finest whilst being naturally healthy and nourishing. Throughout the episode, Thuy shares her remarkable journey from growing up as a rice farmer's daughter in rural Vietnam to moving to the UK at seven and a half without speaking a word of English, her father's insistence on preserving their Vietnamese heritage through language and food, and why clarity in broth-making is an art form that requires patience and love. She discusses the regional differences in Vietnamese cuisine from north to south, the French influence on dishes like pho and Vietnamese stew, why her grandmother would stand for 15 hours making noodles as her way of saying "I love you," and the importance of using natural ingredients like pineapple and coconut water to tenderise meat and add sweetness. Thuy also opens up about her mission to preserve Vietnamese recipes for the next generation, her role as a consultant chef, and why shrimp paste is the most underrated umami ingredient in her kitchen. You can find Thuy's full Bun Ga Hue recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out her three cookbooks for more inspiring Vietnamese 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.

In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Gigi Grassia, chef, nutritional coach, and a leading voice in modern plant-based cooking. With a thriving online community and her debut cookbook Plant Protein, Gigi is championing high-protein vegan dishes that are comforting, colourful, and full of heart. From her small village in Verona to studying in Hong Kong, running ultramarathons, and building a devoted following online, Gigi's journey is a testament to the power of creativity, curiosity, and cooking with love. Gigi prepares her beloved Hearty Pasta e Fagioli, a traditional dish from the Cucina Popolare passed down from her Nonna Paola in Naples. Using simple, wholesome ingredients including borlotti beans, a classic sofrito of onion, carrot, and celery, fresh rosemary, a touch of chilli, spinach, and quality durum wheat pasta cooked directly in the broth, this one-pan wonder is comfort food at its finest. Finished with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for added protein and that irresistible cheesy flavour, this recipe beautifully encapsulates Gigi's cooking philosophy - plant-based food that's nourishing, accessible, and rooted in tradition whilst embracing global influences. Throughout the episode, Gigi shares her remarkable journey from leaving Italy at 19 to studying in Germany and Hong Kong, her transformative decision to go vegan four years ago, and how she's successfully combined her passions for fitness, nutrition, and cooking. She discusses the importance of whole food plant proteins, the misconceptions around vegan diets and protein intake, her experience running ultramarathons on a plant-based diet and why food education and creativity are essential to building a healthy relationship with what we eat. Gigi also opens up about her Italian heritage, the influence of both her Northern and Southern Italian family traditions, taking cooking classes whilst travelling, and why making food fun and flavourful is the key to inspiring others. You can find Gigi's full Hearty Pasta e Fagioli recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out her debut cookbook Plant Protein for more vibrant, high-protein vegan 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.

In this episode, Theo is joined by the remarkable Ayesha Kalaji, the talented chef behind Queen of Cups in Glastonbury, a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner celebrated for her bold flavours and modern Middle Eastern cooking. From studying Middle Eastern politics and languages to discovering her true calling at Leiths School of Food and Wine, Ayesha’s unconventional journey has taken her from the open kitchens of The Palomar to launching her own restaurant the day after indoor dining reopened from COVID - and she's never looked back. Ayesha prepares her beloved Makmoura, a lesser-known celebratory dish from the Irbid region in northern Jordan that traditionally marks the olive harvest. Transforming this generous regional pie into an elegant restaurant-style construction, Ayesha uses spiced chicken thighs with a warming blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom, crispy golden puff pastry, a vibrant herb salad with pomegranate molasses and sumac, and rich Somerset yoghurt. This dish beautifully encapsulates Ayesha’s cooking philosophy - modern Middle Eastern cuisine using classic French techniques whilst celebrating incredible local British produce. Throughout the episode, Ayesha shares her remarkable journey from working at The Palomar, Sosban and The Old Butchers under Michelin-starred chef Stephen Stevens, The Good Egg, and Bubala, to opening her own restaurant in Somerset during one of the most challenging times in hospitality. She discusses the importance of cooking with confidence and generosity, her passion for Jordanian wine, the influence of her Syrian grandmother's abundant table, and why she believes herbs are texture and flavour - not just garnish. You can find Ayesha’s full Makmoura recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to visit Queen of Cups in Glastonbury to experience her incredible modern Middle Eastern cooking 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 Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.

In this episode, Theo is joined by the extraordinary Ching-He Huang MBE, one of the most influential voices in modern Asian cooking - a chef, food entrepreneur, best-selling author, and TV pioneer whose mission has always been to make Chinese cooking joyful, healthy, and accessible. From her groundbreaking series Chinese Food Made Easy to her 11 television shows and appearances on Saturday Kitchen and Iron Chef, Ching has transformed the way people think about Chinese cuisine in the UK and beyond. Ching prepares her beloved Mama Huang's Hot and Sour Soup, a traditional dish rooted in Sichuan cuisine that brings back childhood memories of her grandmother's farm in Taiwan. Using shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soft tofu, chicken, and her signature blend of fresh ginger, chilies, ground white pepper, and black rice vinegar, Ching demonstrates how this warming, comforting soup embodies the perfect balance of hot, sour, sweet, aromatic, and pungent - the five essential tastes of Chinese cuisine. With variations that can be adapted for vegetarians or made lighter with prawns and fish, this recipe showcases the versatility and forgiving nature of authentic Chinese home cooking. Throughout the episode, Ching shares her remarkable journey from studying economics to setting up her own food production business supplying cold noodle salads to Pret and Benjy's, to becoming a television sensation who changed the conversation around Chinese food. She discusses the importance of cooking with intuition and love, the essential store cupboard ingredients every home cook needs (including Shaoxing rice wine, light and dark soy sauce, and Chinese five spice), and why Chinese home cooking is so much healthier and cleaner than restaurant versions. You can find Ching's full Hot and Sour Soup recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to sign up to her online masterclass featuring over 70 step-by-step recipes at chinghehuang.com. Don't forget to grab a copy of her latest cookbook, Wok For Less. 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 Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.

In this episode, Theo is joined by the extraordinary Adam Handling MBE, one of the most exciting and influential chefs in modern British cooking - a Michelin-star talent, sustainability pioneer, and creative force behind some of the UK's most innovative dining rooms. Adam shares his remarkable journey from a 16-year-old apprentice at Gleneagles to becoming an MBE for representing British food at the G7 summit, all while building a thriving collection of restaurants, pubs, and even a luxury chocolate shop. Adam prepares his spectacular Beef Wellington with Haggis and Black Pudding, a dish that celebrates his Scottish heritage whilst elevating the classic British centrepiece Throughout the episode, Adam opens up about his early days working at Gleneagles, his transformative experiences in London's top kitchens, and his appearance on MasterChef: The Professionals and Great British Menu. He discusses his unwavering commitment to sustainability - using every part of every ingredient and how the concept behind Ugly Butterfly was born from necessity and evolved into a philosophy that defines his entire collection. From making 13,000 meals during lockdown for the Felix Project to sourcing single-origin chocolate from around the world, Adam's passion for doing things properly whilst minimising waste shines through every aspect of his work. You can find Adam's full Beef Wellington recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo. 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 Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.