Episodes

  • S18 Ep8: Asma Khan on her unstoppable quest for social change in the food industry.

    S18 Ep8: Asma Khan on her unstoppable quest for social change in the food industry.
    Apr 10 2025
    I've admired Asma and her work for many years now, I absolutely loved her episode of Chefs Table on Netflix, Ihighly recommend if you haven’t seen it. So it really was a pleasure to sit down with her and hear her story first hand.

    The work she does is truly amazing and it feels like she's only just getting started. I hope you enjoy todays episode.

    Thank you to our sponsor Wild Nutrition. Wild Nutrition are so confident you’ll see a difference with their Food Grown supplements that they’re offering Desert Island Dishes listeners 50% off for three months when you visit wildnutrition.com/desertislanddishes. If you don’t feel the benefits within 30 days, they’ll give you back your money. Ts and Cs apply.
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    51 mins
  • S18 Ep7: Nicola Lamb the beloved pastry chef on turning her passion into a career

    S18 Ep7: Nicola Lamb the beloved pastry chef on turning her passion into a career
    Apr 3 2025
    Nicola is the best selling author and pastry chef behind the Sunday Times bestselling Sift and also her hugely successful newsletter Kitchen Projects. Her knowlege of baking is hugely impressive having trained at top London and New York bakeries including Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel and Little Bread Pedlar.

    Thank you so much to our sponsor for this season of Desert Island Dishes - the brilliant Wild Nutrition. Wild Nutrition are offering Desert Island Dishes listeners 50% off for three months when you visit wildnutrition.com/desertislanddishes. If you don’t feel the benefits within 30 days, they’ll give you back your money. Ts and Cs apply.

    If you don't already come and follow me on instagram @desertislanddishes and sign up for my newsletter at www.dinnertonight.substack.com
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    55 mins
  • S18 Ep6: Martha Swales the Gardening Guru on the dishes that have shaped her

    S18 Ep6: Martha Swales the Gardening Guru on the dishes that have shaped her
    Mar 27 2025
    Martha is something of an anomaly these days. She grows (a lot of) her own food… and is an avid urban gardener from London.

    With over 1 million followers on Instagram, Martha’s straightforward and calming approach to growing your own food is digestible and relatable to the masses. Not only is it informative, but I find Martha’s content is such a celebration of what nature can do and how a little bit of sunshine can grow the most wonderful ingredients. Her debut book Give It A Grow has been an instant success, climbing to a top spot immediately in Amazon gardening books. It has chapters on veg, fruit, herbs, flowers and wildlife, with over 40 of her favourite projects to make the most of your garden, patio or balcony plus bonus recipes for how to cook with your produce.

    Thank you to our sponsor Wild Nutrition. Wild Nutrition are so confident you’ll see a difference with their Food Grown supplements that they’re offering Desert Island Dishes listeners 50% off for three months when you visit wildnutrition.com/desertislanddishes. If you don’t feel the benefits within 30 days, they’ll give you back your money. Ts and Cs apply.
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    49 mins
  • S18 Ep5: Natalia Rudin, the social media sensation Nats Nourishments on the dishes that have shaped her

    S18 Ep5: Natalia Rudin, the social media sensation Nats Nourishments on the dishes that have shaped her
    Mar 20 2025
    My guest today is Natalia Rudin otherwise known as Nats Nourishments

    Shooting to social media stardom, gaining over a million followers in 1 year, Nat is a personal chef turned food creator, having travelled the world with clients, she now translates this knowledge into her easy, home cooking videos and recipes.

    Having taken an untraditional route into the culinary world, she started out with a mission to bring retreats to her clients rather than her clients going off to retreats. She combined being a trainer, yoga teacher and chef and travelled the world – from the Bahamas, Canada, France and beyond.

    Eventually, all this travel caught up with Nat and she decided to commit to posting 3 times a week on Instagram to grow a following. The success soon came, and Nat now has over 2 million followers on social media.

    Her debut book Cooking Fast and Slow is a celebration of recipes that are simple and delicious, guaranteed to comfort, nourish and delight. It’s out in May 2025.

    Thank you very much to our sponsor Wild Nutrition who are offering Desert Island Dishes listeners 50% off a 3 month subscription for their food grown supplements.

    Head to www.wildnutrition.com/desertislanddishes and if you don’t feel the benefits within 30 days, they’ll give you back your money. Ts and Cs apply.
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    43 mins
  • S18 Ep4: Gordon Ramsay: One of the World's Greatest Chefs on the dishes that have shaped him

    S18 Ep4: Gordon Ramsay: One of the World's Greatest Chefs on the dishes that have shaped him
    Feb 25 2025
    As Gordon prepares to open his most ambitious project to date, 22 BISHOPSGATE, Margie got the chance to sit down with him and talk about the dishes that have shaped his life.

    He’s a chef, restaurateur and television presenter, known for Kitchen Nightmares, Masterchef and Hell’s Kitchen. He’s one of the most famous and recognisable chefs in the world with the kind of success most only dream of, and yet you may not know that he did not have the easiest start in life. Him and his siblings were on lunch vouchers at school, they moved house 15 times and a difficult relationship with his father marred his childhood.

    With a strong sense of purpose from a young age, and a determination to make a better life for himself, Gordon was a talented footballer with a bright future ahead until an injury on the pitch changed things overnight and he was back to square one.

    He set his sights on culinary school and it was the Banbury round table charity that bought him his first set of chefs whites and knives in order for him to start work.

    He went on to open his own restaurant , Aubergine, at the age of 27 and within 3 years it was awarded 2 Michelin stars. He then opened his flagship restaurant Restaurant Gordon Ramsey in 1998 which very quickly earned him the most prestigious accolade in the culinary world – three Michelin stars and Today, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is London’s longest-running restaurant to hold this award, and he is one of only four chefs in the UK to maintain three stars.
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    42 mins
  • S18 Ep3: José Pizarro

    S18 Ep3: José Pizarro
    Feb 11 2025
    My guest today is José Pizarro.

    José has been been cooking in the UK for over 25 years. He grew up in the outermost Western province of Spain and never thought of working in food, in fact he was all set to become a dental technician before fate intervened. He arrived in the UK in 1999 seeking to expand his horizons as a chef and has since become one of the industry’s best-loved characters.

    He worked at several Spanish restaurants, including Brindisa, where he was executive chef. Then, in 2011, he opened two restaurants of his own on Bermondsey Street, south-east London: a tiny tapas bar named José and the larger Pizarro, both instant hits. Many more restaurants and cookbooks have followed all championing Spanish cuisine. In recognition of his “extraordinary services to Spain”, Pizarro was awarded the officer’s cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic by the Spanish ambassador in London.

    He says when it comes to cooking, he has a mantra, “Buy the best and don’t mess it up” - often described as The Godfather of Spanish cuisine in the UK.

    If you enjoy Desert Island Dishes make sure to subscribe and I will see you next week.
    Thank you for listening!

    This episode was a Rutherford Production.
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    36 mins
  • S18 Ep2: Ferne McCann, TV presenter and reality TV star on the dishes that have shaped her

    S18 Ep2: Ferne McCann, TV presenter and reality TV star on the dishes that have shaped her
    Feb 4 2025
    Ferne is a TV presenter, reality TV star, social media sensation and entrepreneur. She shot to fame on hit reality series The Only Way is Essex where she quickly became a fan favourite. She’s gone on to front her own ITVBE series Ferne Mccann - First Time Mum which ran from 2018 - 2024 and documented her journey into motherhood with her two daughters. Since then she has graced our screens on shows like I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and Celebrity SAS - who dares wins.

    She made it to the semi final of Celebrity Best Home Cook and says that food is her love language.
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    53 mins
  • S18 Ep1: Gwyneth Paltrow, Oscar winning actress and founder of Goop on the dishes that have shaped her life

    S18 Ep1: Gwyneth Paltrow, Oscar winning actress and founder of Goop on the dishes that have shaped her life
    Jan 28 2025
    Gwyneth won an Oscar for her role in Shakespeare in love at the age of just 26 and she has since gone on to become an entrepreneur as the founder of the digital media, e-commerce and lifestyle brand and behemoth Goop. She founded Goop at the age of 36 which grew from a simple newsletter into one of the most influential businesses in the world.

    She’s hosted TV shows, starred in some of the most iconic films and tv shows we all know and love, and has written multiple best selling cookbooks. We explore the story of how she got to where she is today and her passion for cooking, her love of food and the belief that family really is everything.

    Thank you so much for listening. Don't forget to follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode and I will see you next week.

    Find me on instagram @desertislanddishes and @desertislanddishespodcast
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    48 mins