Max Pearson presents a collection of this week’s Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.
This week, we look at the disputed history of pad Thai with food writer Chawadee Nualkhair.
We also hear from former fruit exporter Don Turner on why his family changed the name of the Chinese gooseberry to the kiwi fruit.
Our expert guest is food historian, Prof Katarzyna Cwiertka, who highlights other moments in history when food and politics combined.
We also have an interview with Thomas Chatenier, the president of Nutella, about the origins of the chocolate hazelnut spread.
Plus, we talk about the Flavr Savr tomato - the world's first genetically-engineered food.
And finally we hear from Ken Hom, the chef who introduced Chinese cookery to TV audiences.
Contributors: Chawadee Nualkhair – Thai food writer. Don Turner – former chief executive of kiwi exporter, Turners and Growers. Katarzyna Cwiertka - food historian and Professor of Modern Japan Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Thomas Chatenier - the president of Nutella. Roger Salquist – former CEO of the biotech company which was responsible for the Flavr Savr tomato. Ken Hom – Chinese-American chef and author.
(Photo: Pad Thai. Credit: Getty Images)
Presidential diamonds and Tupperware parties
Dinosaur discoveries and a Berlin Wall treehouse
West African food and computer viruses
Wartime surrenders and the birth of Barbie
Five great inventions that changed the world
Tourism arrives in the Maldives and a royal night out
South Korea store collapse and Lady Gaga's meat dress
Somalia's civil war and golf on the moon
Amazing photographs and the people who took them
Inuit children taken from families and Le Mans crash
Scaling Everest, the highest mountain in the world
Bosnian concentration camp photo and hero clown
Singapore executes Filipina maid and German child evacuees of World War Two
World War Two African victory and 'Kai Tak heart attack'
The 'Stone of Destiny' and a self-proclaimed Emperor
Artist Althea McNish and history of the Met Gala
The history of dogs
Unearthing World War II mass graves and the Boston bombing
Escaping Eritrea and inventing Zumba
The godfather of manicures and India's Silicon Valley
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Global News Podcast
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
The Infinite Monkey Cage
You’re Dead to Me
Elis James and John Robins