Show Notes

• The BBC went to Assam to learn the bitter story behind the UK's national drink. Looks like the auditors need to be audited. Tea brands have vowed to improve conditions according to The Caterer. If only they'd done it after this Telegraph article in Feb 2014, or this blog about abuse in March 2014, or even this human rights report in August 2014.

• Want delicious ethically-grown, organic leaf tea from entrepreneurial farmers toiling in the wake of an earthquake? Then get in touch with with my brother-in-law Bhushan Subba who grows, sources and ships some of the best tea in the world through Tea Direct. Here's the Code of Conduct he instigated in Nepal.

• “No half decent pub chef is paid enough” according to a couple of ex-chefs in the Morning Advertiser. Sour grapes or sad reality? The latter, I suspect.

• Meanwhile, Heston is launching a new 'Food and Nutrition GCSE' as reported by the Caterer. Will the magic of liquid nitrogen tempt kids into cooking professionally? Luckily there's a Food Tech A-Level they can go on to study, right? Oh wait-

• MsMarmiteLover loves marmite, but hates being plagiarised according to this story in the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society Newsletter. Here's her recipe for Marmite if you want to give it a go yourself.

• Meanwhile, Lidl has struck a 6-figure deal with Mumsnet to accelerate plan to woo middle class mums. Thats quite a coup for the online forum.

• New National Living Wage sending 'shockwaves' through labour market according to the Caterer. Our old friend Tim Martin concurs as Wetherspoon 'lashes out' at Government policies as profits slide (The Telegraph). Perhaps Jeremy Corbyn might lend a sympathetic ear on this debate.... thought not.

Future-gazing in three stories:

1. Hospitalityandcateringnews,com runs with the latest trend report from J. Walter Thompson entitled 'The Future of Food and Drink'. Don't believe the hype, I say.

2. The NRA (National Restaurant Association, that is) surveyed members of the American Culinary Federation on which culinary themes will be hot trends on restaurant menus in 2015. They may as well have asked the real NRA.

3. The New York Times asks if this is The Restaurant of the Future? It could be if they ditch the qinao.

Campaign: Please Sign - and share - this Food Tech A-level Petition.

Food Teachers are campaigning to save the Food Technology A-Level.

Please read this very compelling Open Letter to the DfE by Food Tech teacher Rachel Richards and support their campaign on Twitter @FoodTCentre and use the hashtag #savefoodtechAlevel.

Here you'll find the consultation paper (Food tech on page 17)  - respond before 24 September 2015.