Monocle 24: The Menu

Join Theo Clench, executive chef of the Michelin-starred Cycene, as he takes us on a tour of his favourite spots in the east London neighbourhood of Shoreditch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore the world of sustainable eating and meet trailblazers in the environmentally conscious food industry. Restaurateur and ecological campaigner Malcolm Wood tells us about his fine-dining restaurant, The Aubrey. Also in the programme: Gregory Scruggs discovers St Jude Tuna in Seattle and Monica Lillis heads to Mildreds restaurant in London’s Soho.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lisbon’s Príncipe Real district is filled with regal 19th-century architecture, leafy gardens, independent retailers and a host of quaint restaurants and bars. Monocle’s Chloé Lake takes us on a tour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chiara Rimella sits down with acclaimed Australian cookbook author Donna Hay to discuss her new cookbook, ‘Even More Basics to Brilliance’. Also in the programme, Monocle’s Milan correspondent, Ivan Carvalho, heads to Portugal to explore the lesser-known wine appellation, Vidigueira. Plus: Naomi Xu Elegant attend the World’s 50 Best Bars Awards in Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle’s Gaia Lutz sits down with renowned Slovenian chef Ana Ros in Lisbon. Also in the programme: Petri Burtsoff is in Finland to find out why mushroom foraging is becoming ever more popular in both home and restaurant cooking. Plus: Andrew Mueller speaks to Laura Suorsa of the Oulu 2026 Arctic Food Lab at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík and Monica Lillis ventures to southwest England to try a brand-new luxury cider brand, Showerings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dish-washing area of a restaurant is usually kept behind closed doors. During the Paris Internationale art fair, however, which wrapped up on Sunday, this was not the case. As part of a pop-up collaboration between the culinary group, We Are Ona, and creative practice, Crosby Studios, the restaurant on the top floor of the exhibition space included stainless-steel worktables and an impressive fountain made out of professional sinks. Monocle’s Robert Bound caught up with the Michelin-starred chef, Dalad Kambhu, whose contemporary interpretation of traditional Thai gastronomy took centre stage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore the world of Japanese cuisine and its role in boosting the nation’s profile around the globe. Monica Lillis sits down with London-based saké sommelier Erika Haigh and Monocle’s Copenhagen correspondent, Michael Booth, meets Mads Battefeld of Sushi Anaba. Plus: Gregory Scruggs visits Uwajimaya, an authentic Japanese grocery shop in Seattle, and Guy de Launey explores how Japanese tea-making is brewing bilateral relationships in Slovenia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we sample the strange and surprising culinary delights that Venice has to offer. Sarah Grice navigates us through the winding streets and canals of the floating city in search of its hidden treasures and plenty of spritzes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we sit down with Alexina Anatole to discuss her new cookbook, ‘Bitter’. Also in the programme, Myriam Zumbühl takes to the skies to try SWISS’s new in-flight menu, which was devised by Olivier Jean, executive chef of L’Atelier Robuchon and Le Jardinier restaurants at The Woodward Hotel in Geneva. Plus: Nora Hoel speaks to Michelle Salazar de la Rocha and Sam Napier, founders of London’s Sonora Taqueria.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we explore Seattle in the Pacific Northwest. Pike Place Market is the oldest and largest continuously running farmers’ market in the US. And to many, it’s even considered the soul of Seattle. From the fresh seafood that lines the stalls to the home of the first Starbucks store, Pike Place Market is a must-visit for both locals and visitors alike. Our guide to the market is Monocle’s Sheena Rossiter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we welcome Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne, co-founders of London Cocktail week, into the studio to reflect on how the festival has evolved since it was founded 14 years ago. Also in the programme: Julia Lasica remembers her childhood train journeys through Ukraine, which often involved a signature packed lunch and Naomi Xu Elegant speaks to Daniel Sia of the Coconut Club in Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chinese diaspora can be found across the globe, populating Chinatowns from Manila to Manchester. One of the most storied lies in Vancouver, Canada’s West Coast metropolis perched on the Pacific Rim. Monocle’s Gregory Scruggs takes us for a tour.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we are joined in the studio by Bash Redford and Michael Lavery, who run the renowned Forza Wine in South London. Also in the programme, Monocle’s Milan correspondent, Ivan Carvalho, ventures to the Carnuntum region of Austria to meet vintner Dorli Muhr. Plus: Monocle Radio’s head of production, Sam Impey, chats to chef Tyler Gugliotta at his restaurant Baran’s 2239 in Los Angeles and also shares her highlights of the city’s food scene.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we head to Kraków Old Town and the historic Jewish quarter, Kazimierz. One of Poland’s oldest cities, Kraków has embraced international cuisines over the decades while honouring local culinary traditions. Our guide this week is Monocle’s Julia Lasica.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We head to Estonia with our Helsinki correspondent, Petri Burtsoff, to visit Soo, a restaurant with a focus on foraged ingredients. Also in the programme: Isabella Jewell is in Oslo to try a cocktail at the renowned Himkok bar, while Lars Bevanger discovers Fold Bistro and Bottle Shop, a new eatery near Manchester, England. Plus: the week’s top food and drink headlines.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle Radio’s head of production, Sam Impey, takes a trip to Grand Central Market in Los Angeles. She meets its creative director, Erin Mavian, who shows her around and gives us a glimpse of what the market has to offer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we sit down with beloved British chef Tom Kerridge to discuss the release of his new cookbook, ‘Pub Kitchen: The Ultimate Modern British Food Bible’. Also in the programme: Monocle’s Milan correspondent, Ivan Carvalho, heads to the ethical-food summit, Care’s, on the picturesque island of Salina in Italy and Hannah Lucinda Smith discovers the fortunes of falafel in Istanbul. Plus: the week’s top food and drink headlines.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We head to the historic centre of Oaxaca City to look at the culinary scene of a place often hailed as the food capital of Mexico. Our guide is Nora Hoel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle’s head of radio, Tom Edwards, introduces a very exciting new voice to The Menu. Also in the programme: our Singapore correspondent, Naomi Xu Elegant, tastes a cocktail at the renowned Atlas Bar and we hop on the ferry to Orcas Island in the US to meet the founder of Matia Kitchen, Drew Downing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greece’s second city - Thessaloniki - is often dubbed the country’s gastronomic heartland. A crossroad of different cultures for centuries, the food in this city has a history so rich that UNESCO designated it Greece’s first city of gastronomy in November 2021. Part of that story is Agora Modiano: the recently refurbished food hall that pays homage to the past while bringing a breath of fresh air to the city’s downtown area. Monocle’s Paige Reynolds went down on a bustling Monday morning to meet the people and the stall owners behind the site’s impressive regeneration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.