F2F
FACE TO FACE Ursula meets:
Ursula meets amazing people who influence nutrition policies and practices in the UK.
Ursula Arens Writer; Nutrition & Dietetics Ursula has a degree in dietetics, and currently works as a freelance nutrition writer. She has been a columnist on nutrition for more than 30 years.
STEFAN GATES Food writer and broadcaster Host of 300+ food science live shows Gastronaut - explorer of food frontiers
When Stefan invited me to his house, he promised me magic - and delivered! After being told to eat two thirds of a digestive biscuit, not-more-not-less, he lit some bioethanol in a large container: “The huge flame exactly demonstrates the energy in the biscuit you ate,” he said . . . We then juiced some red cabbage and added lemon juice or washing powder (acid or alkali), to watch a constant back and forth of pink and blue colour change: “Red cabbage juice contains a pH indicator,” he said. The last feat involved licking dabs of citric acid, bicarbonate of soda and icing sugar aka sherbet: “A great way to demonstrate the production of carbon dioxide with the addition of water from saliva,” he said. Stefan is known for being a food adventurer, and I knew enough not to accept the cup of tea he then offered. He will be familiar to younger dietitians, or those with children, as a presenter of many CBBC programmes about food, and has presented hundreds of large venue live shows to both adult and school audiences, to support a more scientific interest in the foods we eat. In fact, all school children in Camden, London, will enjoy attending one of his food-is-amazing shows at the new Francis Crick Institute this summer. You might have even seen him at the Big Bang Science Fair in Birmingham in March earlier this year.
Perhaps his showman skills started when his mum let him and his sister miss chunks of schooling to do smallpart film roles during childhood, which did not hinder his getting into Oxford University to read English. Between literature and endless essays, Stefan delighted in trying new foods. “But the herring toasted sandwich was perhaps a step too far,” concedes Stefan. His early career was at the BBC as a scriptwriter and director and he enjoyed the variety and challenge of a career in visual media. But food was always a big interest to him: the-what and the-why of food choice. He was inspired by the fresh approach of the chain-smoking, hard-drinking TV chef Keith Floyd and the genius food writings of MFK Fischer. “At the time, so much that was written and shown about food was so timid and boring and only related to etiquette or trivia.” He was sure he could do better, and started producing screen clips of food presentations, which he shared with friends and media contacts. In due course (in 2004), Stefan was invited to present the BBC2 series Full on Food. During very competitive interviews for the role, everyone was asked to describe favourite foods. Others selected rare delicacies; Stefan chose ‘cheesy Wotsits’ (which must have convinced the selectors of his original and left-field approach - just what was needed for the show). The series was a huge success, but would another www.NHDmag.com June 2017 - Issue 125
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