logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2021
37m 44s

Nigella Lawson: My life in five dishes

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The internationally-acclaimed food writer and TV cook Nigella Lawson, tells her life story through five memorable dishes. Often filmed devouring food with a showy relish, she tells Emily Thomas how her mother’s bulimia sparked a life-long determination to enjoy eating.

Nigella explains how a series of bereavements has led her to memorialise her loved ones through recipes, and why she’s become more protective of her privacy in recent years.

Nigella’s books and TV shows often give the impression of a gregarious host, cooking for a multitude of family and friends, but her latest book ‘Cook, Eat, Repeat’ and its accompanying TV series, partly written and produced during lockdown, show her on her own. We find out how she’s coped.

(Picture: Nigella Lawson. Credit: Matt Holyoak/ BBC).

Up next
Oct 29
Why are people talking about food noise?
The term 'food noise' has been used by some to describe thoughts about food that are unwelcome and intrusive. People who have used weight-loss medication have reported that the drugs can help to quieten these thoughts. Ruth Alexander explores how frequent thoughts about food can ... Show More
26m 29s
Oct 21
The joy (and pain) of sharing food
Do you love to share food with friends and family? Or resent handing over even one french fry from your plate? Sharing food has a long and proud tradition in some cultures and is relatively rare in others. Ruth Alexander looks at what it does for our relationships, how it can enh ... Show More
26m 29s
Oct 14
How to eat well when travelling for work
What does a life on tour do to a stand-up comedian's eating habits? And how do you stay healthy if half of your working life is spent travelling? Ruth Alexander finds out. If you travel regularly for work you'll know how hard it can be to hold onto good eating patterns. Internati ... Show More
26m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2020
Nadiya Hussain: A Life Through Food
It's been five years since Nadiya Hussain left the Great British Bake Off tent victorious, inspiring and instilling confidence in wannabe bakers across the UK. In that time, Nadiya has presented eight TV series and a one off documentary and written 11 books. No surprise then that ... Show More
29m 8s
Sep 2023
Padma Lakshmi on Supertasting, Imposter Syndrome and What’s Sexy
From new in the nation to “Taste the Nation,” the no-nonsense author, host and activist has learned a bit about herself while teaching the rest of us about food. Plus: The secret to incredible romesco sauce. Recipe: Asparagus with Romesco Sales and distribution by Lemonada Media. ... Show More
47m 51s
Aug 2023
Second Helpings - Nigella Lawson
It’s week 2 of our summer Second Helpings series, and this week we take a look back at when the ultimate kitchen goddess joined us… Nigella Lawson. She had been top of our list since day one, and finally in season 4 we got her! We talk midnight snacks, her being a fussy eater as ... Show More
47m 30s
Nov 2020
Nigella Lawson's Fish Finger Bhorta
Nigella Lawson shares her delicious recipe for a dish inspired by Sarkar 
9m 53s
Apr 2022
Jack Monroe: A Life Through Food
Jack Monroe, the food writer and poverty campaigner sits down in her living room in Southend-on-Sea to share her 'Life Through Food' with Leyla Kazim. It has been almost a decade since Jack first made a name for herself as a blogger and food writer - documenting life as an unempl ... Show More
29m 25s
Jan 2022
Angela Hartnett: A Life Through Food
In this episode Sheila Dillon is joined by a chef, restaurateur, author and campaigner, Angela Hartnett, for another in the programme’s series of Lives told through Food. Angela Hartnett is seen as an icon in the food industry - she started out learning on the job in Cambridge - ... Show More
29m 6s
Oct 2017
Melissa D’Arabian – The Gift of Food
Our food series is ramping up with beloved celebrity chef, best-selling author, and mom of four, Melissa D’Arabian. Melissa was launched into the world of celebrity chef-dom by winning season 5 of “The Next Food Network Star” and started her first show, Ten Dollar Dinners. From t ... Show More
1h 6m
Sep 2025
Miss The Cook is Back
Cooking was once Tori’s happy place - until it wasn’t. How cooking went from pure bliss to pure hell in the blink of a divorce. Now, she’s back in the kitchen and rediscovering how much joy food can bring. Tori gets real about making dinner for five kids with very different taste ... Show More
32m 32s