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
Jul 29
Should I cut down on carbs?
Have you ever asked yourself: should I do Keto? Is white rice good for me? Am I eating too many carbohydrates? If so, then this episode of The Food Chain is for you. Carbohydrate-rich foods are everywhere and they’re delicious. But are they good for us? Carbs have a reputation fo ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 22
When should I eat my evening meal?
When should you eat your evening meal? Is it really better to eat earlier, or does it depend on when you go to bed? And if you do have to eat late, is there anything you can do to reduce the impact on your health?In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander explores what sci ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 15
The rise of eating alone
Listener Melanie wrote into The Food Chain to ask us to make a programme about the rising numbers of people who eat alone. She told us she often dines solo and sometimes finds the experience daunting. So today Ruth Alexander hears from Melanie and from other solo diners – some wh ... Show More
26m 27s
Recommended Episodes
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
Sep 2024
What’s the future of food? A chef and a cardiologist answer | TED Intersections
What does food mean to you, your community and our planet? With ​​personal accounts from the kitchen to the operating room, chef and content creator Jon Kung and cardiologist Uma Valeti unpack how food cultivates creativity and offers opportunities to connect with and blend cultu ... Show More
24m 11s
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
Mar 2023
Gourmet food for the final frontier | Phnam Bagley
What does an in-flight meal look like when you're traveling to Mars? Designer Phnam Bagley envisions a future where astronauts have nourishing, flavorful food reminiscent of home -- a giant leap from their current staple of "goop-in-a-bag." Learn more about her team's gourmet cre ... Show More
10m 15s
Nov 2022
EP133. Beauty in the metaverse
<p>If you are a gamer, then the metaverse will be a familiar space. But, if you are a natural cosmetics' formulator helping friends, family and customers with real-world skincare and haircare issues, a hyper-virtual reality metaverse of avatars, immersive digital experiences and ... Show More
34m 50s
Jun 2022
Love in virtual reality
We take a look at the companies moving the business of love to the metaverse. Hannah Mullane meets Aurora Townsend, co-founder of the world’s first virtual reality dating app, who tells us about what customers can expect and Hannah heads into the metaverse herself to meet Marc Ch ... Show More
17m 47s
Aug 2021
The Metaverse
Look out everyone, the metaverse is coming! As we continue down the current dystopian hellscape timeline we’re all stuck in, Mark Zuckerberg and the rest of the Silicon Valley eggheads have a new product they’d like to pitch you: what if you were just always inside the internet a ... Show More
1h 12m
Nov 2024
A menu of foods we might lose forever | Sam Kass
What does a warming planet mean for the foods you love? Hosting a dinner party that features a menu of foods that could disappear within our lifetimes, culinary entrepreneur Sam Kass invites us to chew on the reality of climate change by exploring the things — like chocolate and ... Show More
12m 49s
Jan 2024
Virtual Worlds, Virtual Lives
We're in a major technological revolution where artificial intelligence, gaming, and virtual reality allow us to create and enter totally new spaces and have new experiences there.In these virtual worlds, we can reinvent ourselves, connect with people around the world, or take on ... Show More
48m 46s