Food Rebels

Rum has come a long way from its pirate reputation. In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp is joined by drinks experts Maria Easley and Clare Pope to explore the exciting world of modern rum. From Caribbean classics and tropical spiced rums to innovative producers in Scotland and Paraguay, they discover how today's rum makers are pushing the category in bold new directions. Along the way, they t...

From Japanese gin and award-winning potato vodka to alcohol-free alternatives and smooth English-inspired whisky, this episode of Food Rebels is a flavour-packed journey through some of the most exciting spirits on the market today. Host AJ Sharp is joined by cocktail expert Maria Eastley and drinks writer and specialist Clare Pope for a lively tasting of nine standout bottles. Along the way they...

What makes us come back to the same food or drink time and time again? According to consumer psychologist Chris Lukehurst, it isn't taste—it's emotion. In this fascinating episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Chris, founder of The Marketing Clinic and author of The Shape of Taste, to explore the hidden psychological forces behind our food choices. Drawing on more than two decades of exp...

This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp is joined by chef, content creator and food waste campaigner Martyn Odell, better known to millions online as The Lagom Chef. Martyn shares how a childhood passion for cooking led him into professional kitchens before eventually building one of the UK's most influential food platforms. Together, AJ and Martyn explore the reality of food waste in British homes, wh...

What happens when ancient remedies meet modern branding? In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Andrew Salter, co-founder and CMO of DIRTEA, to explore the rapid rise of functional mushrooms, wellness rituals and the growing consumer desire to take control of health. Andrew shares how burnout, exhaustion and years of entrepreneurial hustle led him and his brother to discover funct...

What happens when a chef discovers a food trend in New York years before anyone in the UK has heard of it? This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp meets Dan Shearman, founder of Wilderbee, the brand behind the UK's original hot honey. What started as a homemade chilli-infused honey for a food truck menu has grown into a fast-rising food brand stocked in major retailers including Harrods, Marks & Sp...

What does “sustainable seafood” actually mean and are we being misled about the fish on our plates? This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp meets chef patron Ben Champkin from Catch at The Old Fish Market in Dorset. After training in some of the world’s top kitchens including L’Enclume, The Newt and three Michelin-starred Meadowood in California, Ben returned to the South West with a mission to champio...

This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp is joined by chef, recipe developer and content creator Lungi Mhlanga, founder of Lungi’s Always Baking. From growing up in a food-obsessed Zimbabwean household to running bakeries in Shoreditch and Soho, Lungi’s journey has been full of creativity, graft and glorious kitchen chaos. AJ and Lungi talk about viral toast cookies, ADHD, confidence, failure, Substack,...

What really happens behind the scenes in Britain’s restaurant chains?   In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Andrew Macleod, founder of Emilia’s Crafted Pasta, to explore why so much casual dining restaurant food is far more processed than customers realise and why he chose to build his business completely differently.   After turning down a high-paying career on Wall Street, An...

This week we’re rerunning one of our most talked-about conversations. What are ultra-processed foods really doing to our health, our kids and our food culture? In this powerful episode, AJ Sharp sits down with Dr Dolly van Tulleken to unpack the rise of UPFs and the complex mix of politics, marketing and industry influence that keeps them on our plates. Dolly shares her journey into food policy, r...

What happens when three brothers ditch the safe path to chase a sausage dream? In this episode, AJ Sharp sits down with Olly and Max Kohn, two of the three brothers behind The Jolly Hog, the British meat brand that’s gone from a Kenwood sausage machine in a one-bed flat to shelves in every major UK supermarket. They share the real story behind the growth, from unpaid early days and street food gra...

Join us in this week, as we revisit our interview with Charlotte Miller, founder of Caroboo, shares her inspiring journey of revolutionising chocolate! She delves into the challenges of balancing parenting and entrepreneurship while creating healthier treats for families. Discover the story behind Caroboo's unique products and learn about their innovative approach to marketing. Tune in to hear abo...

What’s really driving the way we eat and why does it feel so hard to get it right? In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with nutritional therapist Nicola Moore to unpack metabolism, mindset and modern eating. From ultra-processed foods and gut health to cravings, cortisol and GLP-1s, this is a straight-talking look at what’s actually going on inside our bodies. They explore why we’re...

What happens when food justice stops being a conversation and becomes a political mission? In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Sarah Bentley, founder of Made in Hackney, to go way beyond the usual chat on ultra-processed food and “better choices”.  Sarah announces on the show that she is now standing as a Green Party candidate, taking everything she’s learned from the front lin...

Why does Denmark seem so far ahead when it comes to cutting ultra-processed food, serving better plant-rich meals and making sustainable food choices feel normal rather than niche? In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Anders Nicolajsen from the Danish Agriculture & Food Council to dig into how Denmark has built a food system where organic, seasonal and plant-rich food is not...

In this final Women Changing the World episode, AJ Sharp sits down with chef and restaurateur Ayesha Kalaji to talk about building a career on her own terms, from studying Middle Eastern politics to earning four consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands at Queen of Cups in Glastonbury. They get into the realities of being a woman in professional kitchens, the outdated stereotypes that still linger, and w...

In this special International Women’s Day series episode of Food Rebels, Women Changing the World, AJ Sharp sits down with Donna Edwards, founder of Kent-based skincare brand Fox and Bloom. Donna shares the story behind her journey from part-time teacher to natural skincare entrepreneur, sparked by a life-changing mindfulness course that helped her rethink how she wanted to live and work.    Drawi...

In this episode of our Women Changing the World series, AJ Sharp is joined by Emma Loder-Symonds of Nonington Farms in Kent, a regenerative arable farm proving that producing food and restoring nature can go hand in hand. Emma and her husband James are challenging conventional, high-input agriculture by putting nature back at the centre of every farming decision. It’s about community, collaboratio...

This is the first episode in our special International Women’s Day series, Women Changing the World, sponsored by Fox and Bloom. On this week’s Food Rebels, AJ Sharp is joined by Mex Ibrahim, founder of Women in the Food Industry, an organisation championing equity, visibility and real opportunity for women across every corner of food and drink. From Michelin-star gatekeeping to boardroom represen...

What happens when a professional contemporary dancer gets fed up with "healthy" snacks that are actually just sugar-laden, ultra-processed disappointments? She starts a revolution in her own kitchen. In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Claire Hindley, the powerhouse founder of Claire’s Amazeballs. Based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, Claire is on a mission to prove that "convenien...

This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp interviews Alex Emmanuel-Jones, Commercial Director of The Black Farmer, to unpack the real story behind one of the UK’s most recognisable challenger brands. What started as Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones’ bold response to assumptions about who “belongs” in farming has grown into a nationally stocked brand found in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Ocado, alongside urban farm...

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, AJ Sharp ditches the clichés and pulls together a Food Rebels gift guide that’s all about flavour, story and genuinely thoughtful food and drink. Joined by Claire Pope, editor of Taste Kent Magazine, AJ explores gifts that actually mean something, whether you’re buying for a partner, a friend, family, or yourself. The episode is packed with standout rec...

In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp interviews Matt Harris, founder of Pickle Project, who shares his journey from racing car driver to food innovator. The conversation delves into the science of flavour, innovative techniques like ultrasound in pickling, and the challenges of launching a food product. Matt discusses his vision for the future of Pickle Project, emphasizing sustainability and...

In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp speaks with Clara Latham, founder of Deeply Foods, about the critical importance of fibre in our diets and the alarming fibre gap affecting 96% of the population. Clara shares her journey in the food industry, the founding of Deeply Foods, and the innovative products designed to address gut health through fibre-rich nutrition. The conversation delves into t...

This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp is joined by Bruce McMichael a freelance food writer, community builder, and the mind behind The Lemon Grove, for a seriously zingy citrus exploration. From blood oranges with a tiny seasonal window to Amalfi lemons so fragrant they feel “more lemon than lemon”, Bruce makes the case for citrus as the unsung superstar ingredient, lifting flavours, balancing richne...