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Thursday 17 April 2025 - Sunday 1 June 2025

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We all enjoy eating food, but how much do we really think about what’s on our plates? From cuisine, culture, identity, environmental challenges and the media, there is a fascinating amount we can discover about the world of food around us.

And what better way to learn than at the British Library’s Food Season, which features a series of thought-provoking and engaging events from a stellar line-up of speakers including Prue Leith, Ruby Tandoh, Dan Saladino, Claudia Roden, Bee Wilson, Nadiya Hussain, Candice Brathwaite and many more.

This year sees the launch of the Food Season Food Awards with four prize categories for Best Narrative Cookery Book, Food Stories Fellowship, Food on Display and a Food Hero Award voted for by the public.

Now in its seventh year, the British Library Food Season continues to bring together some of the most influential names in food and provides a platform for new voices, ventures, and ideas. Featuring writers, historians, food experts and chefs, this year offers a diverse, engaging and thought-provoking series of events drawing on the library’s extensive food-related collection.

Our top picks from the 2025 programme

What is the Point of a Cookbook?

28 April, 19.00 - 20.30, Pigott Theatre

This year’s Vittles panel explores the enduring relevance of cookbooks. In an era of online recipes, why do printed collections still matter? Food writer Ruby Tandoh chairs a discussion with recipe authors Ozoz Sokoh (Chop Chop), Rukmini Iyer (The Roasting Tin series), and Sophie Wyburd (Tucking In), covering everything from cultural storytelling to the cookbook’s evolving place in the kitchen.

Ozempic Nation: Injecting our way out of a food crisis

9 May, 19.00 - 20.30, Pigott Theatre

With Ozempic and other semaglutide drugs making headlines, this panel examines their potential to address the obesity crisis – and the controversy around them. Endocrinologist Dr Tony Goldstone, food policy professor Christina Vogel, Guardian columnist Zoe Williams and psychologist Kimberley Wilson explore medical, ethical and cultural perspectives.

Nadiya Hussain: Writing Rooza

15 May, 19.00 - 20.15, Pigott Theatre

In conversation with author Candice Brathwaite, Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain discusses her new book Rooza, a personal and cultural journey through Islamic cuisine. The event delves into the food traditions of Ramadhan and Eid, and the connections between food, identity and belonging.

An A-Z of Language in Food

31 May, 11.15 - 12.30, Pigott Theatre

Why is food language so loaded with meaning? Writer Jenny Lau draws from her book An A-Z of Chinese Food to unpack the politics and power behind food terminology. She’s joined by Olia Hercules, Salma Elsahhar and Sally Abé to explore how words around food reflect deeper tensions around culture and identity.

From Albania to Zagreb: Eating the Balkans

31 May, 13.00 - 14.00, Piazza Pavilion

Food from the Balkans – long overlooked in the West – is gaining recognition for its richness and diversity. Caroline Eden (Green Mountains), Irina Janakievska (The Balkan Kitchen), fermentation expert Jelena Belgrave, and chef Aleksandar Taralezhkov celebrate the region’s culinary identity and rising visibility.

Fish Lives: Women in the Fishing Industry

31 May, 14.30 - 15.30, Piazza Pavilion

Hattie Ellis leads a dive into women’s evolving roles in fishing, from folklore to the frontlines. Featuring maritime historian Dr Helen Doe, fisherwoman Ashley Mullenger and material from the Wick Heritage Museum, the discussion is punctuated by songs from Cornish group Femmes de la Mer – and finishes with a tasting of British tinned fish.

Beyond the Taco: Mexican food here and now

1 June, 12.30 - 13.30, Piazza Pavilion

A fresh take on Mexican cuisine in the UK. Historian Chloe-Rose Crabtree is joined by chefs Karla Zuazeta, Thomasina Miers, Santiago Lastra (KOL) and Andrea Montes Renaud (Masafina) to discuss how chefs are blending regional Mexican traditions with British produce – and how the UK’s understanding of the cuisine is expanding far beyond tacos.

Five Years On: Hospitality since 2020

1 June, 14.15 - 15.30, Piazza Pavilion

Has hospitality changed since the industry pledged to tackle racism in 2020? Food writer Mallika Basu leads a discussion with Lorraine Copes (Be Inclusive Hospitality), Aji Akokomi (Akoko), and Jackson Mclarty (BlackEats LDN) to assess progress on representation, equity and accountability.

Eat the Future: Radical ways to feed ourselves and save the planet

1 June, 16.00 - 17.00, Piazza Pavilion

With the climate crisis reshaping how we eat, Dan Saladino hosts a panel on radical food solutions. Expect perspectives from Chloë Dunnett of Sitopia Farm, urban growers Crate to Plate, and Kera Foods, which turns chicken feathers into edible protein – all exploring how we can build more resilient food systems for the future.

Martini: Myths, Magic and Mixes

Sunday 1 June 16.00 - 17.00 Piazza Pavilion

It’s been nearly 150 years since someone first stirred together gin and vermouth – and the martini has been turning heads ever since. From James Bond and Winston Churchill to Ernest Hemingway and A Simple Favor’s Blake Lively, this iconic cocktail has long been a symbol of cool, in all its many variations. Join Financial Times drinks columnist and The Martini author Alice Lascelles, Sipsmith master distiller and drinks historian Jared Brown, and award-winning bartender Monica Berg for a lively tasting and discussion on what makes the martini such a lasting classic – and why it still has us shaken (or stirred).

For the full programme and tickets, head over to events.bl.uk/whats-on/food-season