In this special episode, James and Luke interview acclaimed author and Times journalist Sathnam Sanghera in front of a live audience at the Guru Nanak Sikh Academy in Hayes

**Starters** (01.14-02.49)

A quick introduction to Sathnam Sanghera and his work ahead of our live-recording.

**Mains** (02:50-30.58)

James and Luke discover what Sathnam ate growing up in Wolverhampton in the early 1980s, the intriguing ways in which British influences affected Punjabi food in the diaspora, and why his mother purposely didn’t teach him how to cook. We also discuss food and identity, and how it is used to express both love and anger; how Empire has left its indelible mark on how we eat the world over today; and why Sathnam doesn’t like the term “cultural appropriation.” Our conversation also explores Sathnam’s quest to find the perfect curry, why he once named Pizza Express as his favourite restaurant, and he favours Gymkhana and Jikoni over Dishoom.

**Dessert** (30.59-36.00)

Back in the studio, James and Luke reflect on their conversation with Sathnam and the discussion that followed it with the audience. They also gave a shoutout to Dr John Perkins of the Guru Nanak Sikh Academy – without whose help they couldn’t have held the event there – and the school’s catering team for laying on dal and rice, samosa and chai

Works Cited:

Collingham, Lizzie. 2017. The Taste of Empire: How Britain’s Quest for Food Shaped the Modern World. New York: Basic Books.

Jegathesan, Mythri. 2019. Tea and Solidarity: Tamil Women and Work in Post-War Sri Lanka. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

Mintz, Sidney W. 1986. Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History. Manchester: University of Manchester Press.

Sanghera, Sathnam. 2008. The Boy with the Topknot: A Memoir of Love, Secrets and Lies in Wolverhampton. Penguin Books.

Sanghera, Sathnam. 2016. Marriage Material. Europa Editions, 2016.

Sanghera, Sathnam. 2021. Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain. Viking.

Sanghera, Sathnam. 2023. Stolen History: the Truth About the British Empire and How It Shaped Us. Penguin Books.

Sanghera, Sathnam. 2024. Empireworld: How British Imperialism Has Shaped the Globe. Penguin Books.

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