<description>&lt;p&gt;Prosecco flavoured crisps? Eggnog chicken? Sticky toffee pudding trifle? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The innovation for novelty Christmas products seems endless, but is there the appetite? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ruth Alexander lifts the lid on an industry churning out festive food hits, and flops, in the race for Christmas tastebuds. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She visits the Good Housekeeping Institute in London to take part in an opulent dessert testing event, deciding which puddings are the best on the shelves this year. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Eric Nummelin and Mike Vahabi from Hela Spice in Toronto, Canada, reveal the wacky inventions they have come up with for this year, and how inspiration can strike at any time. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A former buyer for a large European supermarket chain talks about how to “win” Christmas with headline-grabbing products, and what happens when shoppers try things once and don’t go back for more. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Ruth Alexander &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Producer: Hannah Bewley &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(Image: Colourful Christmas treats and biscuits. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Inside the race for creating the most eye-catching festive flavours

Prosecco flavoured crisps? Eggnog chicken? Sticky toffee pudding trifle? The innovation for novelty Christmas products seems endless, but is there the appetite? Ruth Alexander lifts the lid on an industry churning out festive food hits, and flops, in the race for Christmas tastebuds. She visits the Good Housekeeping Institute in London to take part in an opulent dessert testing event, deciding which puddings are the best on the shelves this year. Eric Nummelin and Mike Vahabi from Hela Spice in Toronto, Canada, reveal the wacky inventions they have come up with for this year, and how inspiration can strike at any time. A former buyer for a large European supermarket chain talks about how to “win” Christmas with headline-grabbing products, and what happens when shoppers try things once and don’t go back for more. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Hannah Bewley (Image: Colourful Christmas treats and biscuits. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Has Christmas food gone mad?

<description>&lt;p&gt;Which food do you associate with your favourite sport? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pie and chips at an English football match, biriyanis at the cricket in Pakistan or grilling meat in the parking lot outside an American football game – there are some tasty traditions which go hand-in-hand with sport across the world. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ruth Alexander hears how a traditional rice dish can bring two rival nations together over a game of cricket, and how a disappointing sausage roll before a football game led one man on a country-wide quest for better food for fans. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over a pile of warming chips on a frosty night in South Manchester, Ruth discovers how getting the food right off the pitch might help a team’s fortune improve on the pitch. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Ruth Alexander &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Producer: Hannah Bewley &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Additional reporting: Ben Derico&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(Image: a box of chips with gravy and curry sauce held beside a football pitch. Credit: BBC)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The best – and worst – things to eat at sports grounds across the world

Which food do you associate with your favourite sport? Pie and chips at an English football match, biriyanis at the cricket in Pakistan or grilling meat in the parking lot outside an American football game – there are some tasty traditions which go hand-in-hand with sport across the world. Ruth Alexander hears how a traditional rice dish can bring two rival nations together over a game of cricket, and how a disappointing sausage roll before a football game led one man on a country-wide quest for better food for fans. Over a pile of warming chips on a frosty night in South Manchester, Ruth discovers how getting the food right off the pitch might help a team’s fortune improve on the pitch. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Hannah Bewley Additional reporting: Ben Derico(Image: a box of chips with gravy and curry sauce held beside a football pitch. Credit: BBC)

Stadium food

<description>&lt;p&gt;Crookie, anyone? Cronut, croffle? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ruth Alexander looks at the rise of the dessert café and the extraordinary creations it’s spawned. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She visits one such café in Manchester with roses adorning the walls, and chocolate adorning almost everything else. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And speaks to a food blogger in Dubai and a café owner in USA about the latest trends and the businesses who have been serving puddings for decades. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Find out what the latest fashions are in dessert, and how quickly a new invention can sweep the world. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Going out for pudding has become the thing to do in many places and the more extravagant your order, the better. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In fact, going out for pudding has never been so fashionable – or has it? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Ruth Alexander&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Producers: Rumella Dasgupta and Hannah Bewley &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(Image: A selection of sweet desserts. Credit: BBC)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The rise of the dessert café and the extraordinary creations it’s spawned

Crookie, anyone? Cronut, croffle? Ruth Alexander looks at the rise of the dessert café and the extraordinary creations it’s spawned. She visits one such café in Manchester with roses adorning the walls, and chocolate adorning almost everything else. And speaks to a food blogger in Dubai and a café owner in USA about the latest trends and the businesses who have been serving puddings for decades. Find out what the latest fashions are in dessert, and how quickly a new invention can sweep the world. Going out for pudding has become the thing to do in many places and the more extravagant your order, the better. In fact, going out for pudding has never been so fashionable – or has it? Presenter: Ruth AlexanderProducers: Rumella Dasgupta and Hannah Bewley (Image: A selection of sweet desserts. Credit: BBC)

Croffle, anyone?

<description>&lt;p&gt;From America to Mongolia, you can go into a restaurant run by a global fast-food chain, and buy the same meal. So how did fast food become so successful? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Across the world, last year we spent more than 900 billion dollars on fast food. The USA, where it all began, consumes the most, but even in France, despite its history of haute cuisine, more than half of households regularly enjoy burgers and fries. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Julia Paul learns about its origins in the USA, and hears how it spread globally, thanks to the franchise model. She speaks to a superfan who’s eaten at one chain in 25 countries. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Critics say global brands shipping food around the world is bad for the environment and for local economies. There are some places where some brands have failed, and some where they haven’t even opened yet. Julia hears how local burgers, and the worldwide recession, saw off McDonalds in Iceland, and speaks to a Nigerian female chef who’s competing to offer fast local food in Lagos. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to get in touch with the programme, email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presented and produced by Julia Paul. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(Image: A large burger. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The story of how fast-food chains took over the world

From America to Mongolia, you can go into a restaurant run by a global fast-food chain, and buy the same meal. So how did fast food become so successful? Across the world, last year we spent more than 900 billion dollars on fast food. The USA, where it all began, consumes the most, but even in France, despite its history of haute cuisine, more than half of households regularly enjoy burgers and fries. Julia Paul learns about its origins in the USA, and hears how it spread globally, thanks to the franchise model. She speaks to a superfan who’s eaten at one chain in 25 countries. Critics say global brands shipping food around the world is bad for the environment and for local economies. There are some places where some brands have failed, and some where they haven’t even opened yet. Julia hears how local burgers, and the worldwide recession, saw off McDonalds in Iceland, and speaks to a Nigerian female chef who’s competing to offer fast local food in Lagos. If you would like to get in touch with the programme, email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk. Presented and produced by Julia Paul. (Image: A large burger. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

How did fast food become so successful?

<description>&lt;p&gt;We are celebrating 10 years of The Food Chain with some of our favourite programme moments from the past decade. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fishing to stay alive, chopping onions in remembrance, and tasting people’s names – these stories and more tell us something about our relationship with food and how it helps us connect with one another. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Ruth Alexander &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(Image: A chocolate birthday cake with number 10 candles on top. Credit: Getty Images)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

We are celebrating 10 years of The Food Chain with some of our favourite moments

We are celebrating 10 years of The Food Chain with some of our favourite programme moments from the past decade. Fishing to stay alive, chopping onions in remembrance, and tasting people’s names – these stories and more tell us something about our relationship with food and how it helps us connect with one another. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Ruth Alexander (Image: A chocolate birthday cake with number 10 candles on top. Credit: Getty Images)

We are 10!

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

The Food Chain

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