It was a great privilege and pleasure, as an Honorary Fellow of Brunel University, London to support the launch of The Migration Menu, an innovative podcast series created by the University’s world-leading anthropologists, Professor James Staples and Dr Luke Heslop.
The podcast series, launched on 26 June 2024, explores the journeys of people from the Global South Asian Diaspora to West London, through food, especially restaurants and caterers. What a buzz there was!
Exciting 15 Minute Trailer And Q&A
Following the presentation of a 15-minute trailer of the 10-part series and a Q&A, the 100 plus diverse audience made up of businesses, academics, students and others, was treated to a wonderful array of mouthwatering South Asian food, including Momos, Hyderabadi Biryani and Mumbai’s number one street food, Vada Pav.
The Migration Menu Trailer & Episodes
Visit The Migration Menu website to access the trailer and episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts, but here’s the schedule.
- 26th June, Namaste Gurkha – There Will Always Be Momo
- 2nd July, Al Hyderabadi – “For Biryani, it’s the Uxbridge Road”
- 9th July, Saravana Bhavan – “A home away from home”
- 16th July, Ash Verma – “A stomach for business”
- 23rd July, Madhu’s – “when my back is against the wall”
- 30th July, Shri Krishna Vada Pav (SKVP) – “On the spice train”
- 6th August, Yako – “Short eats, not short cuts”
- 24th August, London Food Company – “A One-Woman Army”
The Aim Of The Migration Menu
The podcast series is part of Brunel University’s wider inroads into its cutting-edge research across the sub-continent and beyond.
The eventual aim of this, and future podcast series will be to capture these journeys in a book and a documentary, both entitled “The Migration Menu”.
The podcast series will also contribute to the University’s new and equally exciting MSc in Global South Asia Studies, which will equip students with the skills to confront the big challenges that will dominate the next century.
Ready To Share Your Food Journey?
Email ash@ashverma.com if you have a food journey to share for the next series or have suggestions for what further research Brunel University, London can undertake to help restauranteurs and caterers to be more successful.