Podcast · Arts & Books
by Lunchbox Envy · English · Arts & Books
From the makers of QI and No Such Thing As A Fish: Gastronomically-minded QI researchers Jack Chambers and Manu Henriot join chef and food writer Rosie MacKean to unpack the world of food and drink, one lunchbox at a time. Can you unboil an egg? Why would you milk a spider? How much Dairy Milk w
6 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Who was the first person to pop out of a cake? Which supermarket's caterpillar cake has the most disappointing name? What's the best strategy to score the most canapés at a wedding? Farewell from Team Lunchbox! ❤️✨ Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E85 · 27 Sep 2026 · 41 min
How do you open a can without a can opener? Who ended a military siege armed only with a fake loaf of bread? Why shouldn't you hire a private chef for your luxury fallout shelter? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E84 · 20 Sep 2026 · 54 min
Is it OK to feed bread to the ducks or not? Where can you find Japanese English French toast? What's the difference between a trencher and a sop? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E83 · 13 Sep 2026 · 47 min
What five things do you need to nail to impress the Michelin judges? How did a garden shed end up at the top of the Google Review restaurant rankings? Which country did soldiers invade literally armed with a restaurant guide? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E82 · 6 Sep 2026 · 47 min
Why did SpongeBob's house have to be redesigned? How do you make a cocktail out of torpedo fuel? When you eat pineapple, does it eat you back? Hosts: Alex Bell, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E81 · 30 Aug 2026 · 35 min
Which supermarket divided Germany down the middle? Who's the sexist cereal mascot? Are you allowed to snack on the food while you shop? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E80 · 23 Aug 2026 · 46 min
Why should you smother yourself in mustard? Which is the most Brexit-y condiment? What links James Bond to Gentleman's Relish? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E79 · 16 Aug 2026 · 42 min
What's the secret jingle hidden in Da Vinci's Last Supper? Could you actually feed 5,000 people with just five loaves and two fish? What happens when you get a mouse drunk on Buckfast? Hosts: Alex Bell, Manu Henriot Guest: John Mitchinson Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E78 · 9 Aug 2026 · 53 min
Would you eat a chilli placenta? Is there a better cure for chilli burn than milk? What's the secret to the perfect piri piri sauce? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E77 · 2 Aug 2026 · 49 min
What is every chef's secret weapon? How did a moustache start a waiters' strike? Would you like to have dinner 150 feet up in the air? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E76 · 26 Jul 2026 · 48 min
Where can you ride a train powered by noodle broth? Who uses noodles as currency? When should you replace your pasta with noodles? Hosts: Alex Bell, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E75 · 19 Jul 2026 · 47 min
How did the Romans build their greenhouses out of stone? When is pickle juice mouthwash a good idea? Is cucumber juice actually any good for you? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E74 · 12 Jul 2026 · 42 min
Which animal pees popcorn flavour? When is someone else's saliva in your drink a delicacy? Why is Tom Cruise so good at eating corn on the cob? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E73 · 6 Jul 2026 · 43 min
How do you smuggle meat into a vegetarian restaurant? Who needs a mochi attachment on their hoover? What's a goth's favourite food? With special guest, chef and food writer Helen Graham Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Helen Graham Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E72 · 28 Jun 2026 · 36 min
Who needs a gyroscopic kitchen? How do you save $500,000 by slicing limes? What actually is the deal with airline food? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E71 · 22 Jun 2026 · 40 min
Why did pistachios used to be bright red? Where in the world do pistachio trees need police protection? How could a pistachio help you survive a car crash? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E70 · 14 Jun 2026 · 39 min
Why doesn't Coca-Cola have to list their secret ingredients on their packaging? How do you break out of prison with peanut butter? What happened to the mythical Roman spice silphium? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E69 · 7 Jun 2026 · 46 min
Why should you beware of Chinese gutter oil? Which oil is the healthiest to fry with? Does snake oil actually work? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E68 · 31 May 2026 · 47 min
Why are frozen peas better than fresh peas? How do you use a pea as an alarm clock? Whose constipation can be cured with a single pea? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E67 · 24 May 2026 · 52 min
When is it a good idea to set fire to your sugar cane field? Why would you sprinkle sugar over a bee? Do you prefer your sugar in cubes or loaves? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E66 · 17 May 2026 · 37 min
Why would you put spectacles on a chicken? What's the secret to a perfect roast chicken? Do chickens find you beautiful? Another bite of the drumstick with cook and writer Ed Smith. Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Ed Smith Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E65 · 10 May 2026 · 41 min
Why shouldn't you snap your asparagus in half? Who was known as The Giant Asparagus? How can you make a knife out of asparagus? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E64 · 3 May 2026 · 54 min
What's the difference between dagging and redding? Why are doner kebab spits cone-shaped? What makes mint go so well with roast lamb? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E63 · 26 Apr 2026 · 38 min
Who was the Indiana Jones of mangoes? What's the best way to mail a mango? Do you know the Mango Man? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E62 · 19 Apr 2026 · 41 min
Why are the forks in Buckingham Palace placed face down? Are spoons making us uglier? How do you flirt with a butter knife? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Tim Hayward Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E61 · 12 Apr 2026 · 44 min
What does a Victorian girl dinner look like? Why is the plough to blame for gender inequality? What's gay about quiche? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E60 · 5 Apr 2026 · 40 min
Why did the Romans decorate their dining rooms with leftovers? How do you sell a banana for $6.2 million? Where can you eat dirt for fun? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E59 · 29 Mar 2026 · 42 min
Why would you inject coconut water directly into your bloodstream? How can a coconut help in brain surgery? What do octopuses use coconut shells for? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E58 · 23 Mar 2026 · 40 min
Whose testicles grow when you feed them yoghurt? Which animal would give you the highest protein yoghurt? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
E57 · 16 Mar 2026 · 45 min
Which food do you need a licence to prepare? When are you at risk of Margarita burn? Why should you never accept marzipan from the Pope? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
From the makers of QI and No Such Thing As A Fish: Gastronomically-minded QI researchers Jack Chambers and Manu Henriot join chef and food writer Rosie MacKean to unpack the world of food and drink, one lunchbox at a time. Can you unboil an egg? Why would you milk a spider? How much Dairy Milk w
Lunchbox Envy is a English arts & books podcast from Lunchbox Envy. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
