From Japanese gin and award-winning potato vodka to alcohol-free alternatives and smooth English-inspired whisky, this episode of Food Rebels is a flavour-packed journey through some of the most exciting spirits on the market today.

Host AJ Sharp is joined by cocktail expert Maria Eastley and drinks writer and specialist Clare Pope for a lively tasting of nine standout bottles. Along the way they explore why premium spirits are booming, how Japan has become one of the world's most exciting drinks producers, whether flavoured gin is still in fashion, and why more people are choosing to drink less; but drink better.

On the tasting table are Ukiyo Tokyo Dry Gin, Ukiyo Nashi Pear Gin, Cygnet 22 Gin, Clean G alcohol-free spirit, Ramsbury Raspberry & Wildflower Honey Gin, Chopin Potato Vodka, Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky, Wolfie's Blended Scotch Whisky and Ramsbury Hot Honey Vodka.

Expect plenty of tasting notes, cocktail inspiration, spirited debate over everyone's favourites, and a few fascinating discoveries, including why vodka can be made from potatoes, what yuzu actually tastes like, and why Japanese whisky is traditionally served as a Highball.

Whether you're looking for your next favourite bottle or simply love discovering the stories behind great drinks, this episode is packed with expert insight, honest opinions and plenty of laughs.

What makes us come back to the same food or drink time and time again? According to consumer psychologist Chris Lukehurst, it isn't taste—it's emotion.

In this fascinating episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Chris, founder of The Marketing Clinic and author of The Shape of Taste, to explore the hidden psychological forces behind our food choices. Drawing on more than two decades of experience working with global brands including Nestlé, PepsiCo and Mars, Chris explains why our earliest food memories shape our preferences for life and how brands can map the emotional journey of eating.

From childhood nostalgia and party foods to protein snacks, wine, coffee and even pain relief gels, Chris reveals how emotions influence purchasing decisions far more than we realise. The conversation explores how food manufacturers can create products that genuinely resonate with consumers, why "taste is king" may be outdated thinking, and how the industry is increasingly using psychology to develop healthier, cleaner-label products.

This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp is joined by chef, content creator and food waste campaigner Martyn Odell, better known to millions online as The Lagom Chef.

Martyn shares how a childhood passion for cooking led him into professional kitchens before eventually building one of the UK's most influential food platforms. Together, AJ and Martyn explore the reality of food waste in British homes, why so many people feel overwhelmed in the kitchen, and how simple changes can save families money while reducing waste.

They also discuss Martyn's new book, Eat the Food You Buy, packed with practical tips, ingredient mind maps and confidence-building recipes designed to help people make the most of what they already have at home.

From Jamie Oliver's influence on a generation of cooks to the pressures of social media perfection, this is a refreshing conversation about bringing joy, creativity and common sense back into everyday cooking.

What happens when ancient remedies meet modern branding?

In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Andrew Salter, co-founder and CMO of DIRTEA, to explore the rapid rise of functional mushrooms, wellness rituals and the growing consumer desire to take control of health.

Andrew shares how burnout, exhaustion and years of entrepreneurial hustle led him and his brother to discover functional mushrooms, before building one of the UK's fastest-growing wellness brands. The conversation explores why consumers are moving away from quick fixes, how wellness has become part of modern identity, and the role brands play in building trust in an increasingly skeptical world.

They discuss Lion's Mane, Reishi, matcha, creatine and collagen, but also go much deeper into community building, consumer psychology, founder-led brands and the wider cultural shift towards preventative health, sobriety, ritual and personal agency.

Along the way, Andrew reveals the unconventional marketing strategies that helped DIRTEA grow from a niche wellness product into a cultural movement, from Selfridges pop-ups and wellness raves to building a devoted community of customers who help shape the brand's future.

What happens when a chef discovers a food trend in New York years before anyone in the UK has heard of it?

This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp meets Dan Shearman, founder of Wilderbee, the brand behind the UK's original hot honey. What started as a homemade chilli-infused honey for a food truck menu has grown into a fast-rising food brand stocked in major retailers including Harrods, Marks & Spencer, Whole Foods, Co-op and now Waitrose.

Dan shares the story behind the business, from feeding Harrison Ford on a film set and cooking for the Crown Prince of Dubai, to appearing on Dragon’s Den and pioneering a category that is now exploding in popularity across the UK.

The conversation explores flavour innovation, ethical beekeeping, sustainable sourcing, scaling a food business and why Dan believes hot honey still has a long way to go before it becomes a kitchen cupboard staple.

Plus, AJ gets stuck into a tasting of Wilderbee’s Scotch Bonnet, Gochujang and Sriracha hot honeys and discovers why people are putting them on everything from pizza and cheese to cocktails and ice cream.

What does “sustainable seafood” actually mean and are we being misled about the fish on our plates?

This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp meets chef patron Ben Champkin from Catch at The Old Fish Market in Dorset. After training in some of the world’s top kitchens including L’Enclume, The Newt and three Michelin-starred Meadowood in California, Ben returned to the South West with a mission to champion truly sustainable British seafood.

From dayboat fish and dry-ageing sea bass to why we should be eating cuttlefish instead of imported squid, Ben lifts the lid on the realities of the UK fishing industry and the huge misconceptions around “local” seafood.

The pair discuss disappearing cod stocks, why lobster shouldn’t be eaten in winter, the surprising rise of octopus in British waters and how supermarkets and food culture may be holding back lesser-known sustainable species.

It’s a fascinating deep dive into provenance, food miles, restaurant ethics and the future of British fishing.

This week on Food Rebels, AJ Sharp is joined by chef, recipe developer and content creator Lungi Mhlanga, founder of Lungi’s Always Baking.

From growing up in a food-obsessed Zimbabwean household to running bakeries in Shoreditch and Soho, Lungi’s journey has been full of creativity, graft and glorious kitchen chaos.

AJ and Lungi talk about viral toast cookies, ADHD, confidence, failure, Substack, baking without rules and why the best ideas often come from trusting your own very strange brain.

A joyful episode about dessert, creativity and breaking all the right rules.

What really happens behind the scenes in Britain’s restaurant chains?

In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp sits down with Andrew Macleod, founder of Emilia’s Crafted Pasta, to explore why so much casual dining restaurant food is far more processed than customers realise and why he chose to build his business completely differently.

After turning down a high-paying career on Wall Street, Andrew travelled across Italy couch surfing, learning regional pasta traditions from chefs, students and home cooks before opening his first restaurant at just 24 years old. Nearly a decade later, Emilia’s has grown into one of London’s most respected independent pasta brands, built around fresh pasta made from scratch every single day with no central kitchens, preservatives or shortcuts.

AJ and Andrew discuss the hidden rise of ultra-processed food in hospitality, why many restaurant chains rely on reheated sauces and additives, and how authenticity has become one of the most valuable things in modern dining. They also dive into the pressures facing small hospitality businesses, the reality of scaling without compromising quality, and why more consumers are beginning to question what’s really in restaurant food.

From slow-dried pasta and Italian food culture to government policy, entrepreneurship and the future of eating out, this is a fascinating conversation about what happens when a founder refuses to follow the standard restaurant playbook.