Welcome from the editor: all ages

Welcome and thank you for joining me this weekend.

I love how younger generations are passionate about food. It seems that children and young adults have really taken to cooking, baking and some even growing their own food.

Such is the popularity of food with kids, that the most popular baking show in Britain, The Great British Bake Off, launched Junior Bake Off a couple of years ago, where children can compete against each other and show off their amazing bakes.

Talking of GBBO, this week I had the pleasure of interviewing Liam Charles, at the time one of GBBO’s youngest contestants when he took part in 2017. He didn’t win, but has since forged an outstanding career in food and TV. Not even 25, he’s now a seasoned baker, writer and presenter and in our chat he lets me in on a few secrets, baking disasters and shares some sound advice for young people wanting to pursue a career in food. Read about it all in Dining Table Tales with…Liam Charles.

Could food keep us younger, fresher and slow down cognitive ageing? Anne-Marie Minihane, Professor of Nutrigenetics and Head of Nutrition and Preventive Medicine at the Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia explores the influence food has on our brain in this week’s podcast, How does what you eat affect brain function? Whilst Professor Richard Blackburn from Leeds University is putting waste to good use. Find out how in The beauty of food waste: how Professor of Sustainable Materials Richard Blackburn has turned fruit scraps into skincare.

And if you missed these most read Food Matters Live articles, here’s your chance to catch up on How receptacles and cutlery affect our eating and drinking experience and learn about the history of cooking and ingredients in The evolution of ingredients, nutrition and consumer demand.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Stef