What happens when food justice stops being a conversation and becomes a political mission?

In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Sarah Bentley, founder of Made in Hackney, to go way beyond the usual chat on ultra-processed food and “better choices”.

Sarah announces on the show that she is now standing as a Green Party candidate, taking everything she’s learned from the front line of food justice into politics, because if the system is broken, someone has to change it.

From food swamps and broken food culture to the reality of feeding communities on the ground, Sarah connects the dots between what’s on our plates and the structures shaping our lives. And then she does something most people don’t. She steps in.

This is about power, inequality and why the system is stacked against real food and community.

Why does Denmark seem so far ahead when it comes to cutting ultra-processed food, serving better plant-rich meals and making sustainable food choices feel normal rather than niche?

In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Anders Nicolajsen from the Danish Agriculture & Food Council to dig into how Denmark has built a food system where organic, seasonal and plant-rich food is not just an aspiration, but something that actually works in public kitchens, restaurants and canteens.

They get into the long-term policy thinking that helped make change stick, why chef autonomy matters, how Denmark’s tiered organic certification system works, and why consumers are far more likely to choose greener dishes when they are led by taste, pleasure and great storytelling rather than guilt. Anders also shares insights from Danish consumer research, explains why the term plant-rich lands better than plant-based, and explores the role of chefs, waiters and menu language in helping diners make different choices.

The conversation also looks at green umami, upcycling, food waste, the future impact of GLP-1 drugs on restaurant culture, and why the next stage of change depends on better communication and more fruit and veg being grown closer to home.

It is a fascinating look at what happens when a country stops just talking about food system change and starts building it.

In this final Women Changing the World episode, AJ Sharp sits down with chef and restaurateur Ayesha Kalaji to talk about building a career on her own terms, from studying Middle Eastern politics to earning four consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands at Queen of Cups in Glastonbury.

They get into the realities of being a woman in professional kitchens, the outdated stereotypes that still linger, and why real change in hospitality has to come from within. Ayesha also shares how she went from working in other people’s kitchens to opening her own restaurant, staying fiercely true to herself, and turning joy, warmth and bold flavour into her signature style. It’s a brilliant conversation about resilience, identity, leadership and what happens when you stop trying to fit the mould and build your own table instead.

This series is sponsored by Fox and Bloom, a female-founded, women-led UK skincare brand creating 100% natural, waterless and plastic-free products designed to support healthy skin and the planet.

Listeners can also enjoy 15% off Fox and Bloom skincare throughout March using the code REBELS15.

In this episode of our Women Changing the World series, AJ Sharp is joined by Emma Loder-Symonds of Nonington Farms in Kent, a regenerative arable farm proving that producing food and restoring nature can go hand in hand.

Emma and her husband James are challenging conventional, high-input agriculture by putting nature back at the centre of every farming decision. It’s about community, collaboration and why more women are helping lead change in farming.

Emma and AJ discuss soil biology, skylarks at dawn, blending wheat varieties, and the quiet revolution happening beneath our feet.

If you care about ultra-processed food, food security, climate impact or simply better bread, this episode will make you feel hopeful about the future of British farming.

This series is sponsored by Fox and Bloom, a female-founded, women-led UK skincare brand creating 100% natural, waterless and plastic-free products designed to support healthy skin and the planet.

Subscribe to Food Rebels so you don’t miss the rest of our Women Changing the World series.

This is the first episode in our special International Women’s Day series, Women Changing the World, sponsored by Fox and Bloom.

On this week’s Food Rebels, AJ Sharp is joined by Mex Ibrahim, founder of Women in the Food Industry, an organisation championing equity, visibility and real opportunity for women across every corner of food and drink.

From Michelin-star gatekeeping to boardroom representation, from professional kitchen culture to the confidence gap in funding and leadership, this is a powerful and honest conversation about what still needs to change and why it matters to all of us.

Mex shares the moment that sparked the creation of Women in the Food Industry, inspired by her work with Asma Khan and a powerful quote about women supporting women.

What happens when a professional contemporary dancer gets fed up with "healthy" snacks that are actually just sugar-laden, ultra-processed disappointments? She starts a revolution in her own kitchen.

In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Claire Hindley, the powerhouse founder of Claire’s Amazeballs. Based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, Claire is on a mission to prove that "convenient" doesn't have to mean "chemical." From hand-destoning Medjool dates to battling the 12-month shelf-life industry standard, Claire shares her journey of building an award-winning brand while juggling three kids, dance teaching, and Pilates instruction.

Website: clairesamazeballs.com

Instagram: @clairesamazeballs

Discount Code: FOODREBELS (for 15% OFF)

This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp interviews Alex Emmanuel-Jones, Commercial Director of The Black Farmer, to unpack the real story behind one of the UK’s most recognisable challenger brands.

What started as Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones’ bold response to assumptions about who “belongs” in farming has grown into a nationally stocked brand found in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Ocado, alongside urban farm shops in Brixton and White City.

But this is more than a retail success story.

It’s about representation. It’s about resilience. It’s about building a commercially successful food brand without compromising on values.