Borough Talks

Samantha Lim, co-owner of Elliot’s, joins Giulia Crouch to taste some of the restaurant’s legendary Isle of Mull cheese puffs and chat about the appeal of simple, seasonal cooking, the evolution of low-intervention wines, and her love-hate relationship with the concept of ‘small plates’.

Bill Oglethorpe, founder of Kappacasein, joins Giulia Crouch to taste a selection of his Bermondsey-made Alpine cheeses and chat about becoming a “qualified peasant” in Switzerland, why the cheesemaker’s craft is about guiding rather than mastering, and how he invented a toastie so good it made Phil Rosenthal propose to him.

Monika Linton, founder of the highly influential Brindisa shop and restaurant, joins Giulia Crouch to taste a selection of Iberian products and tapas dishes and discuss her passion for Spanish cuisine, the gradual evolution of the British palate, and the joy found in unheralded foods like pulses and vinegars.

Thea Wunderer, founder of Alpine Deli, imports products from South Tyrol, a mountainous province in the far north of Italy. She joins Giulia Crouch to taste a selection of cured meats and discuss the unique food culture of her home region, her enduring love of market trading, and her advice for anyone starting a specialist food business.

Neal’s Yard Dairy’s director Bronwen Percival and young cheesemonger Cián Ó Cinnéide join Giulia Crouch to discuss the magic of a slow make, the art of the monger, and the existential threat faced by traditional regional cheeses.