Food Matters Live Podcast

Sometimes in life, you just know you need to make a change. For Lauren Mote, that realisation came as she approached the end of her international politics degree."I was opening my Russian politics book and thinking 'I'm not interested in this," she tells Elisa Roche."And then (I was) picking up Harold McGee's 'On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen'."Lauren says it wasn't that she'd lost interest in academia, just that the subject matter had changed.Fast forward 24 years and she's been named one of the best bartenders in the world, became Diageo's first ever Reserve Global Cocktailian, and has launched a number of successful businesses.Her career in hospitality didn't start with quite so much glamour, although she does say she got "gratification" from her job as a singing hamburger dresser when she was 16.Listen on to hear about the strong female figures who inspired Lauren to succeed, how she sees herself as still very much on a career journey, and get her top tip for avoiding a hangover. Lauren Mote, Drink Consultant and EntrepreneurLauren Mote is a sought-after consultant and expert in the global spirits industry. Lauren is a Founding Partner of Bittered Sling Bitters, Chard & Laver Agency, Nightcap Media and Kale & Nori Culinary Arts. She's also the co-founder of Women Celebrate, a social media initiative to highlight women and fem folx in the drink industry and their achievements.An active member and educator within the global spirits industry, Lauren has led seminars at Bar Convent Berlin and Sao Paulo, TED, Vancouver, Barometer and presented at World's 50 Best Bars Awards. Lauren is a part of the Tales of the Cocktail’s Culture, Education and Spirited Award committees. She was recognised by her industry peers as one of the top 4 "International Brand Ambassadors of the Year 2019", top 4 "Best Bar Mentor 2020" at the annual Spirited Awards and the first Canadian woman inducted into the “Dame Hall of Fame” by Tales of the Cocktail. Lauren is often included in the industry's best lists, including the Bar World 100 by Drinks International, celebrating the very best of the global drinks industry.

Where is the plant-based food sector heading? It's a simple question that formed the basis of a Food Matters Live event held in 2021. Hosted by Mandy Saven from Stylus Media Group, our panel of experts gave their views on what plant-based diets might look like in future. They tackle issues like how to make plant-based meat alternatives an attractive colour, how farmers are being persuaded to move from growing crops for feed to growing crops for food, and the increasing importance of clean labels. And some new questions were raised too… Is mimicking meat the right approach for younger generations? How healthy are some of the plant-based products we see on our shelves? And - is fish the new frontier in plant-based innovation? Mandy Saven, Director of Consumer Lifestyle, Stylus Media Group With over 15 years’ experience in trends, consulting and journalism, Mandy is an expert at distilling food culture and consumption, flavour and ingredient innovation, and the future of food.  She also holds a strong commercial understanding of the travel and hospitality spaces, as well as the drivers propelling them forward.  Prior to joining Stylus, experts in trends intelligence, Mandy was executive editor at GDR Creative Intelligence, where she worked with clients such as Marks & Spencer, Coca-Cola, LVMH and Starwood Hotels.  Mark Driscoll, Founder and Director, Tasting the Future Mark is Founder and Director of Tasting the Future, a purpose and values driven sustainable food systems consultancy.  He is a global expert in and a passionate advocate for the need for food systems change. He has over years 30 experience of working with businesses, governments and civil society organisations on solutions that address some of the key social and environmental challenges confronting our global food system. He has developed and led large sustainable food programmes with organisations including WWF and Forum for the Future, focussing on policy and practice which supports sustainable nutrition – the intersection of health, nutrition and sustainability. Carole Bingley, Sr. Associate Principal Scientist Product and Ingredient Innovation, RSSL Carole is a Technical Specialist working in RSSL’s Product and Ingredient Innovation Team.  During her time with RSSL, Carole has undertaken ingredient evaluation and product development projects on a contract basis for clients in different food industry sectors.  A Food Science graduate from Reading University, with a Master’s degree in Nutritional Medicine from Surrey University, Carole has over 25 years’ experience in the food industry.  Maija Itkonen, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Gold & Green Foods Maija is an industrial designer, brand builder, tech lover, and entrepreneur. She is Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Gold & Green Foods, a food tech start-up born out of Helsinki that develops plant protein products using Nordic oats and legumes. Henrik Lund, CEO, Naturli Foods Henrik has a long career working as Sales Manager for companies like Beavais, Danæg, Royal Greenland and Dragsbæk before starting Naturli’ Foods in 2016.  “At Naturli’ Foods, we are known as first movers within plant-based foods for consumers, offering a cross category assortment from dairy to meat, targeting mainstream consumers – Naturli’ is present in 19 markets around the World."  Naturli’ says it challenges conventional thinking to stop climate change through what we eat and drink….without sacrificing anything.

How do you persuade people to move to a more sustainable diet? And how do we ensure that we're making choices that are good for our health as well as the planet?In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, brought to you in partnership with Kellogg's Europe Wellbeing Team, we delve into the world of sustainable diets, and look at the role plant-based foods have to play.Stefan Gates is joined by two world-leading voices on the topic. Dr Giles Yeo, programme leader at the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit at the University of Cambridge, and Dr Hazel Wallace, Doctor and Founder of The Food Medic.They look at some of the psychology behind the food choices we make, and why changing people's diets is often more about persuading than dictating.They discuss how cereals are often under appreciated for the role they can play in a healthy plant-based diet.And they highlight three factors; price, time and knowledge, which they say affect the food choices many of us make. Dr Giles Yeo, programme leader at the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit at the University of Cambridge, and Honorary President of the British Dietetic AssociationGiles Yeo got his PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1998, after which he joined the lab of Prof Sir Stephen O’Rahilly, working on the genetics of severe human obesity.  Giles Yeo is now a programme leader at the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit in Cambridge and his research currently focuses on the influence of genes on feeding behaviour & body-weight.In addition, he is a graduate tutor and fellow of Wolfson College, and Honorary President of the British Dietetic Association. Giles was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s 2020 birthday honours for services to ‘Research, Communication and Engagement’. Dr Hazel Wallace, Doctor and Registered Associate Nutritionist, and Founder of The Food MedicDr Hazel Wallace, founder of The Food Medic, is an NHS medical doctor, registered nutritionist (ANutR), and best-selling author.She started ‘the food medic’ blog in 2012, as a medical student, in a bid to bridge the gap between conventional medical advice and the latest thoughts and developments in nutrition and other areas of lifestyle. She is currently working as a COVID doctor during this pandemic.Dr Wallace hosts her own podcast “ The Food Medic” interviewing leading experts in their field and sharing actionable advice on how we can live healthier lives and features on James Martin Saturday Morning Kitchen as their resident doctor.

When Graeme Tomlinson started posting graphics on Instagram, it was just a side-hustle."I was a personal trainer who was doing this in their spare time," he tells Elisa Roche in the second episode of the Career Conversations podcast series.Over the course of a few years, he'd built his Instagram following to around 30,000, then all of a sudden, things took off."I think I'd done about 2,000 posts at that point," he says. Today he's only done about 800 more but he has over one million followers.Graeme's posts, under the name The Fitness Chef, are quite simple at first glance, but they are extremely effective.Often he posts photos of two bits of food, maybe toast with avocado next to toast with chocolate spread, and highlights the surprising difference in calories.So how did he become a social media superstar? How does he cope with being bombarded with requests for advice online? And why did he once lose his rag in a health food store?Listen now to find out all of that, as well as Graeme's top tip for building your personal brand online; be consistent about your identity and what it is you're offering people. Graeme Tomlinson - Nutrition CoachGraeme is a Scottish nutrition coach and personal trainer. In March 2018, Graeme began posting on Instagram about the ironies, myths and pitfalls of diet plans.With his trademark graphics and microblogs, he brought food facts to life, amassing hundreds of thousands of followers around the globe.With their support, he continues his mission to show that quick-fix diet plans and food guilt are neither necessary nor effective, and a calorie deficit through adjustments to your existing diet is the only sustainable way to lose weight.Graeme has released a new book in 2022 called Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind.

There's no doubt about it, flavour is a key factor in the success of any alcohol-free drink, but it's also one of the most difficult areas to master.How do you match the flavour of a single malt whisky, the taste of a session IPA, or the burn of a shot of tequila?Is it even about trying to replicate the taste of alcohol or should efforts be focused on different aspects?In this episode of Table Talk, brought to you in partnership with Kerry, we delve into these questions, as well as the science and the art of flavouring low and no alcohol drinks.We find out just how much work goes into getting the right flavour, including the sniff, taste and session tests.It's no surprise that good quality ingredients are seen as a major factor, but our experts say provenance is becoming increasingly important too, as is sustainability.And find out the one alcoholic drink each of our panel would really love to replicate but without the booze. Michel Aubanel, Flavour Ingredients Global Development Director, KerryMichel Aubanel, MSc is the Global Flavour Ingredients Director linking teams in various regions, including China, North America, Brazil, and Europe. Michel’s job is to explore new raw materials all over the world and find ways to improve not just the health of people, but also the planet. Michel holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering and Organic Chemistry from University Marseille in France.He has 35+ years’ experience in the flavour industry, has worked with companies like Mane, Sanofi/Degussa, Cargill and Kerry Taste & Nutrition. This year he celebrates 10 years with Kerry.His knowledge and expertise have been captured on 8 scientific publications. He also holds 3 patents and a great number of scientific publications. He specialises on Natural Extracts, Chemistry, biochemistry, liquid flavours and powder flavours. John Kelly, Senior Strategic Marketing Manager – Beverages, KerryWorking in Kerry Taste & Nutrition as the Senior Strategic Marketing Manager for the beverage category, leading the beverages marketing strategies across Europe & Russia. Over 20 years’ experience in the global beverages industry working across all sectors of the industry, driving brand and business growth. Extensive consumer FMCG and B2B marketing expertise and wider business leadership gained through working in a broad portfolio of leading beverages companies including Diageo, Molson Coors, Glanbia Consumer Foods, and Almarai across the Middle East and currently Kerry Taste & Nutrition. Danielle Bekker, Co-Founder, Good Living BrewDanielle Bekker, founder of Good Living Brewing Co, is a supply chain professional with over 20 years’ experience in the brewing industry including Global Brewing Innovation Director for SABMiller.  A qualified chemical engineer with an MBA and an MSc in Malting & Brewing she loves beer, innovation and food – all of which Binary encompasses. Craig Hutchinson, Founder of a portfolio of no-alcoholic spiritsCraig is the founder and former CEO of CEDER’S which he developed and grew to be sold in over 20 countries before the successful sale to Pernod Ricard in 2020.He has since launched CELTIC SOUL Non-Alcoholic Dark Spirit and M&C’s CBD Botanical Spirit.

How can you build a brand when you can't advertise or launch promotions, and there are restrictions on where you can position your products in shops? It's a dilemma many food companies are facing ahead of new legislation due to be enforced in England from October 2022. It means there will be restrictions on how foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar - collectively known as HFSS - can be promoted. The new rules will see the end of deals like buy-one-get-one-free, a ban on free soft drink refills, and restrictions on where HFSS products can be placed in a store – think sweets at the till. So what can affected brands do to make sure consumers are still aware of their products? In this episode of Table Talk, Stefan Gates is joined by three experts in this field who discuss the challenges and opportunities on the horizon. They discuss how marketing teams are going to be forced to think more creatively, why 2022 is going to be key for building up a customer database, and why premium HFSS brands are hoping to actually see an increase in sales. Rob White, Co-Founder at ZEAL Creative After 18 years in advertising, Rob set up ZEAL Creative with his partner Stewart Hilton.  Together they have built a multi-award winning marketing agency which is currently the most effective brand activation agency in the UK and their team are The Drum’s most recommended for client service. As an expert in marketing, Rob plays a key role in advising multi-national brands such as Kellogg’s & Nestlé on brand strategy, understanding shopper behaviour and winning with retailers.  As well as being a director for the for the Institute of Promotional Marketing, Rob also acts as a mentor with new business start-ups for Tech Manchester.  Jeremy Stern, CEO of PromoVeritas Jeremy founded PromoVeritas after a successful career as a senior marketer with Kraft, BT and Tesco.  It was when he was the European Promotions Director at Coca-Cola that he identified the need for a service that provided independent promotional compliance advice. Someone to bridge the gap between agencies with amazing ideas and lawyers with a preference for caution.  PromoVeritas is now a team of 40+, with its own legal team, hundreds of clients and they ‘run it right’ for thousands of promotions every year in the UK, Europe & globally – writing terms, picking winners of draws, judging competitions and hiding those instant win golden tickets.  Ben Greensmith, Lord Chocolonely iii, aka Country Manager at Tony’s Chocolonely Tony’s Chocolonely has a mission is to make chocolate free of child-labour and slavery; not just its chocolate but all chocolate worldwide.  Ben has been working for Tony’s since September 2018 as employee number 1 setting up the UK operation. Prior to this, he spent 3.5 years at Propercorn, most recently as Chief Operating Officer taking the business from a start-up to an SME and into national distribution.  Before joining Propercorn Ben was UK Commercial Director at innocent drinks having joined in 2007. He joined innocent after 5 years at Unilever in a mix of sales and category roles.

Rhiannon Lambert's path to becoming one of the UK's leading nutritionists hasn't always been a straight forward one.Years before she opened her own clinic on Harley Street, she was a successful singer, jetting off to perform around the world.But it was what she saw whilst singing at some of the world's biggest fashion shows, that encouraged her to pursue the career she has.Some of the models were swallowing cotton wool to feel full, without putting on weight."It repulsed me," Rhiannon tells Elisa Roche in this first episode of the Career Conversations series. "I didn't feel comfortable there."Rhiannon says later, her own unhealthy relationship with eating pushed her to "learn more about food" and go to university. Fast-forward a few years and she finds herself in another uncomfortable situation, this time after she was mis-quoted in some national newspapers.She describes it as a "really tough period" in her life, and says it made her realise the value in having a mentor.Rhiannon Lambert is the opitome of hard work; as well as running a hugely successful clinic, she is a best-selling author (her third book, The Science of Nutrition, was published in 2021), a chart-topping podcast host, and a new mother.And it's clear from her conversation with Elisa that success has not come overnight.Listen as Rhiannon busts the myth that being a social media star is "easy work", find out what she studied to reach the top, and get her top tips for starting out in the world of nutrition. Rhiannon Lambert, Registered NutritionistRhiannon founded Rhitrition, a renowned Harley Street clinic, which specialises in weight management, sports nutrition, eating disorders, and pre- and post-natal nutrition in 2016. As an evidence-based practitioner, Rhiannon is committed to the benefits of a scientific approach to nutrition. In 2017, she published her first book, the best-selling Re-Nourish: A Simple Way To Eat Well.Rhiannon hosts the top-rated ‘Food for Thought' podcast, which gives listeners practical, evidence- based advice on how to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Follow Rhiannon on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

The history of tea is as interesting and varied as the drink itself.In this episode we delve into that history to see what the past can offer present day tea makers.Stefan Gates is joined by Will Battle, Managing Director at Fine Tea Merchants, and author of the World Tea Encyclopaedia.They look back at the role tea has played in the economy of the world, in the past and today.The history of tea includes its use as a currency and how smuggling brought it to the masses in the UK.We also learn why one tiny parcel of tea was once worth more than a limousine. Will Battle, Managing Director, Fine Tea MerchantsWill Battle is Managing Director of Fine Tea Merchants Ltd, a business-to-business tea importing, trading and wholesale company. Will’s critically-acclaimed book The World Tea Encyclopaedia is in its second edition and won a ‘Best in the World’ award at The Gourmand World Cookbook awards.

Food brands need to work out what consumers will be eating in future, but how do they go about it, and what happens if they get it wrong?In this edition of the Table Talk podcast, we look at the business of predicting people's eating habits.How do companies work out what we'll all be reaching for in the supermarket in five years' time? What is the cost to them if they get it wrong? And how often do they get it right?Stefan Gates is joined by Sophie Davies, Senior Buyer at Planet Organic, and Mike Hughes, Head of Insight and Research at FMCG Gurus to try to answer those questions.They offer their insights into how the industry works, as well as setting out their predictions for 2022.Sophie Davies, Senior Buyer, Planet OrganicSophie has been at Planet Organic since March 2015 and is the Senior Buyer for the Fresh Food & Drink department, spanning across Grab&Go, Fresh Groceries including Fruit&Veg, Bakery and Chilled take home. Planet Organic has 14 stores in Central London and an online store, which distributes fresh products nationwide. Planet Organic prides itself on being at the forefront of innovation and leading on product trends within natural food and wellness. Sophie and her team are always on the hunt for exciting, innovative and delicious products to revolutionise the food and wellness scene.Mike Hughes, Head of Insight and Research, FMCG Gurus Mike Hughes has more than 13 years’ experience analysing consumer trends, attitudes and behaviours, and currently heads up the research and insight division at FMCG Gurus. Mike has a particular interest in highlighting how consumer attitudes and behaviours can often differ and what the true meaning of trends are for the industry.

In this edition of the Table Talk podcast, we're looking at the role of functional ingredients in low and no alcohol drinks.  Stefan Gates is joined by Dash Lilley, co-founder of Three Spirits, and David Begg, co-founder of Real Kombucha.  They discuss ingredients which lift the mood, as well as providing health benefits on the side.Functional ingredients have been one of the stories of the last few years, but the question is – can they also provide the beguiling and beautiful tastes to match the best in the sector?  In this episode, Stefan, Dash and David explain what we mean by functional ingredients, debate what needs to happen to move the sector forward, and answer the question: Does the lo and no alcohol sector still have an innovative, entrepreneurial feel - or is it just big business now?