With the Rugby World Cup on at present there's huge interest in all things Japanese. Timely then, that Martin Hesp found himself visiting the country recently - he began his journey in Hokkaido which is Japan's most northerly large island, as a guest of YTL Hotels which operates a luxury establishment in the famous Niseko Village ski area. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy ..read more

In this episode Martin returns to Lundy to report that it was 50 years ago that it was given to the nation - and to celebrate with a meal of local seafood cooked up with his old friend Dan the Fishman For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy ..read more

In this episode Martin is invited to the island of Petit St Vincent in the Grenadines - where he meets chefs, boatmen, and the Englishman who looks after this exclusive holiday destination For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy ..read more

Martin visits an old Somerset cider-making family where the son of the cider-maker - a young man called James Rich - has had a remarkable book called Apple, Recipes From the Orchard, published by a leading British cookery book publisher. We hear from James and also his father Martin and from his aunt who now runs the traditional cider business. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy ..read more

The area around the Tamar Valley is famous for its fine local ingredients - or, at least, it used to be when the south-facing hills were renowned for their soft-fruits and vegetables. But now there's something of a renaissance going on in the area, as Martin was shown on a recent food tour of West Dartmoor with poet James Crowden. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy ..read more

Ever thought about where your food comes from? In this episode Martin talks to ex-Archers agricultural story editor Graham Harvey about the demise of small family farms and then goes to mid-Devon to meet a couple who farm organically and who have just won the UK's most prestigious organic awards. Tim and Jo Budden of Higher Hacknell Farm actually invented the "box" scheme which sees meat and veg boxes being sent all over the UK nowadays For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy ..read more

It is very unusual in the hospitality industry for a chef to work at the same restaurant for years and years - but Matthew Mason, of Devon's famous Jack in the Green, has been doing just that and making both a name for himself and for his many local suppliers as he's cooked hundreds of thousands of meals. In this podcast Martin visits Matt and some of his suppliers as they celebrate his quarter of a century at the same stove. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy ..read more

Martin has a day out at the Bath & West Show where's been selected as a judge at the British Cheese Awards - but of course he can't resist popping next door to also cast an eye over the British Cider Championships, which is the biggest competition of its kind in Europe ..read more

Martin meets a Dartmoor farmer who is so passionate about the South Devon breed of cattle, he has written a massive 900-page book about them. Colin Pearse laments for a world that has passed by - but also looks forward to the future of his favourite breed of cattle. In the podcast you can hear how the farmer-poet has a unique and very rural viewpoint when it comes to the modern world and the passing of Dartmoor's days of yore ..read more

Martin travels to the Somerset Levels to meet farmer Chris Burnett who has spent over half a century taking some of his land out of production to return it to nature. The result is one man's amazing nature garden - over 22 acres of beautiful, peaceful, paradise ..read more