The Maillard Reaction, osmosis, emulsion... Cooking is chemistry done every day. Jay Behrouzi and Big Manny lift the lid on the science behind some of her favourite dishes.
Across this six-part series; we visit the kitchens of British-Filipino chef Rex De Guzman's and actress Bangs Garcia. Conversations features Iranian chef Kazem Ashourzadeh to American ice hockey player Bo Hanson. And we rub shoulders with private chef Nelson Reposo as well as the Mancunian Baker behind Mr Manakeesh.
Welcome to the culinary delights of a migrant’s Melting Pot in the UK.
In this extra treat of a takeaway bonus, Jay Behrouzi and resident scientist Big Manny recap what we learnt from all five episodes whilst cooking the all important British beauty - Fish & Chips!
We explore the surprising origins of the nation’s favourite; what to do if you’re low on oil and Jay shares a big life milestone.
Melting Pot is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Sounds Audio Lab.
Written and produced by Jay Behrouzi
Resident scientist - Big Manny
Supervising producer - Richard McIlroy
Executive producers - Gill Farrington & Pete Wilson
Mixing and Sound Design - AJ Traspederme
Production Coordinator - Mica Nepomuceno
Commissioning Editor - Khaliq Meer
25 Feb 2025
5. Flour Power
In Flour Power, we learn how to perfectly blend flour, leaveners, sugar and eggs into that all important treat!
Jay Behrouzi visits Mr Manakeesh, an Arabic bakery in Manchester to see one of her favourite breakfast dishes come together, Zataar Manakeesh.
Melting Pot’s resident scientist Big Manny then helps Jay to overcome her biggest kitchen fear - Baking.
Check out Jay’s version of Zataar Manakeesh here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/zataar_manakeesh_99833
Melting Pot is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Sounds Audio Lab.
Written and produced by Jay Behrouzi
Resident scientist - Big Manny
Supervising producer - Richard McIlroy
Executive producers - Gill Farrington & Pete Wilson
Mixing and Sound Design - AJ Traspederme
Production Coordinator - Mica Nepomuceno
Commissioning Editor - Khaliq Meer
25 Feb 2025
4. Salad, Soup & Sauce
In Salad, Soup and Sauce, we learn how to blend ingredients that don’t at first want to hang out together!
Jay Behrouzi visits Comrie in Scotland to prepare a three-course meal in under 30 minutes with Italian chef Nelson Reposo. Chef Nelson shares his recipes for a tangy balsamic dressing, a vegan chickpea and garlic soup, and his Pasta Amatriciana - made from scratch.
Resident scientist Big Manny teaches is the chemistry of what the TV chef’s call ‘emulsion’.
Have a go at Jay’s version of this 30-minute three-course meal:
Balsamic Dressing -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/jays_balsamic_dressing_81736
Vegan Chickpea Garlic Soup -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/vegan_chickpea_and_09878
Pasta Amatriciana -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pasta_amatriciana_97929
Melting Pot is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Sounds Audio Lab.
Written and produced by Jay Behrouzi
Resident scientist - Big Manny
Supervising producer - Richard McIlroy
Executive producers - Gill Farrington & Pete Wilson
Mixing and Sound Design - AJ Traspederme
Production Coordinator - Mica Nepomuceno
Commissioning Editor - Khaliq Meer
25 Feb 2025
3. Comfort Food
Jay Behrouzi believes food is the best medicine for homesickness so she heads to Northern Ireland to cook a family favourite with Belfast Giants' Bo Hanson. He shares why his 'goopy' turkey lasagne keeps him close to North America.
Resident scientist Big Manny shows off his biochemist chops and explains how comfort food triggers brain chemicals that give us our insides a warm hug!
Here’s Jay’s version of this Turkey Spinach Ricotta lasagne:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/turkey_spinach_and_43594
Melting Pot is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Sounds Audio Lab.
Written and produced by Jay Behrouzi
Resident scientist - Big Manny
Supervising producer - Richard McIlroy
Executive producers - Gill Farrington & Pete Wilson
Mixing and Sound Design - AJ Traspederme
Production Coordinator - Mica Nepomuceno
Commissioning Editor - Khaliq Meer
25 Feb 2025
2. Spice Rack Hack
Jay Behrouzi is in Liverpool, her adopted hometown, to crash a cooking class with Kazem Ashourzadeh, an Iranian chef who teaches asylum seekers native recipes to help them stay connected to home.
Melting Pot’s Big Manny explains the chemical reactions of our seasoning, using easy science to get the best flavours out of them.
Try out Jay’s version of Persian Makaroni here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/persian_makaroni_with_39717
Melting Pot is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Sounds Audio Lab.
Written and produced by Jay Behrouzi
Resident scientist - Big Manny
Supervising producer - Richard McIlroy
Executive producers - Gill Farrington & Pete Wilson
Mixing and Sound Design - AJ Traspederme
Production Coordinator - Mica Nepomuceno
Commissioning Editor - Khaliq Meer
25 Feb 2025
1. Crispy outside, Juicy inside
What happens when you hold food to flame? It’s time to find out how a bit of fire can make your food delicous! Jay Behrouzi joins Filipino chef Rex de Guzman in London to cook his version of Chicken Inasal, a grilled delicacy from the Visayan region of the Philippines.
She next heads to Wokingham to meet her teenage idol, Filipina actress Bangs Garcia who lets us in on why she left a successful celebrity career in the Philippines behind while cooking her recipe of pork lumpia - a spring roll that steals the show at any buffet table.
We also hear about the Maillard Reaction from Melting Pot’s resident scientist Big Manny and the different ways to get a crispy outside whilst maintaining a juicy inside.
Have a go at Jay’s versions of Chicken Inasal and Lumpia:
Chicken Inasal -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chicken_inasal_57945
Tuna Lumpia -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/tuna_lumpia_21877
Melting Pot is a BBC Audio North Production for BBC Sounds Audio Lab
Written and produced by Jay Behrouzi
Resident scientist - Big Manny
Supervising producer - Richard McIlroy
Executive producers - Gill Farrington & Pete Wilson
Mixing and Sound Design - AJ Traspederme
Production Coordinator - Mica Nepomuceno
Commissioning editor - Khaliq Meer
17 Feb 2025
Welcome to Melting Pot
If you think you’re bad at cooking, think again! You just don’t know the science bit yet, so Melting Pot is here to help.
Join Jay Behrouzi as she goes around the UK to learn recipes from fellow immigrants and get a chemistry break down from resident scientist Big Manny. Get set to understand what makes your food sizzle, bubble, melt and even burn.
Across this six-part series; we hear the Maillard Reaction unfold in British-Filipino chef Rex De Guzman's chicken inasal and actress Bangs Garcia's lumpia.
We discover the chemical reactions of salt and seasoning in Iranian chef Kazem Ashourzadeh's Persian makaroni. Jay finds out why carbs make you feel so good with USA ice hockey player Bo Hanson's 'goopy' lasagne.
We figure out how to rustle up a 30-minute three course meal with private chef Nelson Reposo and discover the science behind common baking ingredients at Mancunian Bakery, Mr Manakeesh.
Welcome to the culinary delights of a migrant’s Melting Pot in the UK.
This podcast launches on Tuesday 25th February 2025
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
68,909
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 59 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
74
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
32
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