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The Recipe

The Recipe

Listen To This 26 Episodes Jul 3, 2026

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.

Episodes

How I Built My Dream Farm: Clodagh McKenna on Farm Life, Drunk Pigs & Happy Cooking Jul 3, 2026 1641 In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Clodagh McKenna, the celebrated Irish chef, food writer, and television personality who has transformed a neglected 100 acre estate into a thriving organic farm and believes that happy cooking is one of the most impactful tools for mental health. From growing up in a small Irish house where her mother secretly took out a loan to send her to Ballymal
From Fashion Designer to Bake Off Star: Chetna Makan on Simplifying Indian Cooking Jun 26, 2026 1698 In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Chetna Makan, the Flavour Queen herself, a former fashion designer turned culinary star who captured the nation's hearts as a semi-finalist on the Great British Bake Off and has since spent a decade on a mission to simplify Indian home cooking. From being scouted as a fashion designer in Mumbai to moving to Broadstairs in Kent where she discovered t
I Went Gluten-Free and it Changed My Life: Becky Excell on Becoming the Queen of Gluten-Free Jun 19, 2026 1795 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 mill
From 700,000 Followers in a Month to Global Hotel Menus: Alfie Steiner on AlfieCooks & Going Vegan Jun 12, 2026 1755 In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Alfie Steiner, better known to millions as Alfie Cooks, the self-taught home cook who has turned plant-based cooking into a global phenomenon. From his early days as a university student in Edinburgh taking photos of leftover meals and yellow sticker finds to gaining 700,000 followers in a single month and reshaping how the world thinks about vegan
How I Went From Pub Kitchens to TV Fame: Jamie Oliver on The River Café, BBQ & The Naked Chef Jun 5, 2026 3574 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 t
From Marco Pierre White to Saturday Kitchen: Matt Tebbutt on His Unexpected Journey to Live TV May 29, 2026 2093 In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Matt Tebbutt, the award winning chef and beloved presenter of BBC's Saturday Kitchen Live who has spent his career making high end cooking techniques accessible to everyone. From his early days training in the intense kitchens of Marco Pierre White and working alongside legends like Jun Tanaka and William Curley to running his own acclaimed gastropu
How Modelling Damaged My Relationship With Food: Emily English on Making Nutrition Joyful Again May 22, 2026 1865 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
How Lyme Disease Led Me to a Michelin Star: Chef Kirk Haworth on Plant-Based Cooking May 15, 2026 2238 In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Kirk Haworth, chef and co-founder of Plates London, a restaurant that achieved a historic Michelin star for its holistic plant-based methodology and was crowned the 2024 Great British Menu Champion of Champions. From growing up in Northcote with his father, chef Nigel Haworth, to battling Lyme disease for six years and rebuilding his life through fo
What Makes the Perfect Recipe: Barney Desmazery on How He Writes Good Food Recipes May 8, 2026 2282 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 h
Why I Left Ottolenghi After 20 Years: Sami Tamimi on Palestinian Cooking & Going Solo May 1, 2026 1570 In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Sami Tamimi, a chef whose food is a powerful celebration of Palestinian heritage and one of the most influential voices in Middle Eastern cuisine. From growing up in the old city of Jerusalem in the Muslim quarter to building a remarkable career in London and co-creating the Ottolenghi empire, Sami's journey is a testament to the transformative powe
From Veterinary Surgeon to MasterChef Champion: Chef Brin Pirathapan on Sri Lankan Flavours Apr 24, 2026 1658 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.
How a Judge Changed My Life: Chef Carlo Scotto on Finding Purpose Through Italian Cooking Apr 17, 2026 1923 In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Carlo Scotto, a chef whose cooking is driven by memory, emotion, and fearless creativity. Born and raised near Naples, Carlo began cooking as a teenager after a life-changing encounter with a judge who saw potential in a troubled young man and offered him a path to redemption through food. From his early days washing pots at the legendary Don Salvat

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