logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2022
28m 11s

Food in the metaverse

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Imagine a world where going out for dinner virtually - from the comfort of your own sofa - becomes the norm. Whether it sounds appealing or dystopian - there are restaurants, chefs and gamers already out there experimenting with food in virtual worlds.

Tamasin Ford speaks to the developer of a ‘foodverse’ that will feature everything from virtual dining and cookbook signing experiences to food-based virtual games and we hear from a large US restaurant chain on why they are playing with their customers in the metaverse. But what does a future of virtual worlds mean for the food industry? Will it be a niche pursuit or an invaluable tool? And could it threaten the existence of restaurants in the real world?

(Picture: person wearing VR headset. Credit: Getty/BBC)

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Contributors:

Supreet Raju: Co-Founder of OneRare Tressie Lieberman: Vice President of Digital Marketing at Chipotle Michelle Evans: Global Lead of Retail and Digital Consumer Insights at Euromonitor International.

Up next
Aug 6
The anti-dementia diet
The World Health Organisation says close to 60 million people are living with dementia; and there are 10 million new cases every year. But could what we eat help to prevent it?Three guests who've been exploring the potential for diet to help prevent dementia tell Ruth Alexander a ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 30
Eating well with dementia
Dementia is a syndrome associated with a decline of brain function that can affect memory, thought processes and behaviour. In some cases this can impact people’s ability to shop, cook and eat a meal. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease. In this programme Ruth ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 23
India's caste system and food
Something as simple as sharing a meal or utensils can carry social stigma for the millions born into the bottom of India’s caste system, a social structure that divides people into different groups. In this programme Devina Gupta explores the foods of the Dalit community, histori ... Show More
26m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
Should Fine Dining Exist?
The Copenhagen restaurant Noma has consistently topped lists of best restaurants in the world. People fly in from all over the globe to pay $500 per person for the hyperlocal tasting menus dreamed up by chef/owner Rene Redzepi. But a couple months ago, Redzepi announced the resta ... Show More
30 m
Oct 2021
Living in the metaverse
Are virtual online worlds the future of the internet? Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg thinks so. He is among the tech leaders who say we'll increasingly live, socialise, play and shop in the metaverse. Is he right, and what is the metaverse anyway? Ed Butler speaks to venture capitali ... Show More
18m 37s
Jul 2021
The Virtual Future of Restaurants
There's a secret world of restaurants that you can only find when you open up the delivery apps. This brave new world of ghost kitchens and virtual brands has allowed traditional restaurants to access new revenue streams. And these new models are using data to shape new concepts ... Show More
37m 46s
Jan 2022
#FoodTok: Mastering the Art of Cooking in Three Minutes
Jaega Wise and her co-presenters start the New Year having a go on TikTok after #FoodTok raked in billions of views in 2021. What, if anything, can be learned from the app, which dishes up creator-made videos in three-minute-long bursts? The presenters are joined by TikTok Chef P ... Show More
29m 25s
Aug 2022
Enter the Zuckerverse: On the Metaverse and its Corporatization
The term “metaverse” was coined in a 1993 science fiction novel. Since then, it’s grown from a dystopian literary concept to a reality that corporations want to sell you. Strap on some VR goggles and escape your tired analog life! Except that the systemic issues we already have s ... Show More
46m 54s
Nov 2021
Comfort food, with Danny Meyer
This weekend, we talk about food and home. Lilah has lunch with restaurateur Danny Meyer, chief executive of Union Square Hospitality Group, known for the likes of Gramercy Tavern and the $3bn Shake Shack empire. They eat at his favourite classic New York restaurant, Sparks Steak ... Show More
27m 4s
Mar 2022
Rob Percival, "The Meat Paradox: Eating, Empathy, and the Future of Meat" (Pegasus, 2022)
Our future diet will be shaped by diverse forces. It will be shaped by novel technologies, by geopolitical tensions, and the evolution of cultural preferences, by shocks to the status quo-- pandemics and economic strife, the escalation of the climate and ecological crises--and by ... Show More
49m 23s
Jul 2023
Crop Diversity: Why It Matters | FoodUnfolded AudioArticle
The FAO estimates that we lost 75% of our crop diversity during the 20th century. This trend is threatening food security and human health. But in recent years awareness has increased and efforts to reverse this trend are being made. So what is crop diversity? How can this benefi ... Show More
5m 52s