Every Bite

Many of us imagine that an athlete's diet consists of sports supplements providing carefully calibrated doses of carbohydrates, protein and electrolytes, but for ancient Olympians, a diet of cheese or figs was seemingly enough. In truth, whole foods are still the most important part of an athlete's diet today, as we discover on our culinary tour of the sporting world.This episode was originally broadcast on May 17, 2025.

Salad is at the core of Hetty Lui McKinnon's culinary being. For many, salad is something at the margins of our food lives — an adornment, if not something to be avoided. What might that attitude deprive us of? Since launching her career in Sydney as a cook and the author of the bestseller Community, Hetty has since moved to the United States and is now a regular contributor to the New York Times. Her new book is called Linger.This episode was originally broadcast on September 20, 2025.

While some might rely on a sachet of quick oats for their daily porridge fix, there are oat aficionados who will happily steam, roll, cut or grind their own. There's a world of flavour and texture to explore, and for the most accomplished out there, Scotland hosts an annual World Porridge Making Championship — The Golden Spurtle. This episode was originally broadcast on August 9, 2025.

Our Christmas food traditions are richly varied, with history behind every dish. While some mainstays of the Christmas spread have endured for hundreds of years, other icons of the feast are far more recent additions. Tracing the history of Christmas eating tells a story of changing foodways across Australia and the world.

Perhaps the skill that best serves a professional chef is knowing how to make a great meal with what's at hand. Stocking a pantry and fridge with dependable and adaptable ingredients is at the heart of two new cookbooks: The latest from Alison Roman, Something from Nothing, and Masterchef-winner Nat Thaipun's debut, Thai: Anywhere and Everywhere.