Business Daily

Is it time the old trope of the brilliant, angry chef gets retired for good? Michelin-starred chefs are often famous for their skill, precision and passion. But many of them are just as well-known for their tyrannical and belligerent behaviour towards staff. With ever more allegations surfacing of abuse and harassment in Michelin-starred restaurants, leaders in the industry are calling for the culture to change once and for all. Eric Rivera, owner and head chef at Addo in Seattle tells the BBC’s Tamasin Ford about the abuse he’s seen and experienced first-hand, and why he thinks it’s always white male chefs who get praised for this behaviour. Asma Khan, chef and owner of Darjeeling Express in London, says chefs should be stripped of their accolades if found to be abusive. Chef and TikTok star Poppy O’Toole says she’s worried that without positive change, an industry ravaged by Covid-19 might never fully recover. And Viviana Varese, chef and owner of Viva in Milan, tells Tamasin how she built an inclusive and supportive environment for her staff, while still achieving Michelin-star excellence.

Producer: Frey Lindsay

(Photo: Chef holding a pan in flames. Credit: Getty Images)

Global economies are starting to see the return of inflation after a long period of low prices and low interest rates. Central bankers seem pretty calm so far, but some economists are getting jittery. We’ll find out why prices are rising and what can be done to steady the global economic ship. As the EU announces dramatic plans to curb climate change we ask what more financial institutions can do to play their part.

Online marketplaces are being flooded with bogus reviews. Is the whole model of ecommerce under threat? Rebecca Kesby speaks to Neena Bhati from UK consumer group Which? about the ways unscrupulous sellers are generating fake reviews to boost sales of their products, and Amazon seller Janson Smith tells us the impact fake reviews can have on legitimate small businesses that depend on Amazon for their sales. Saoud Khalifah, CEO of FakeSpot, decribes the scale of the bogus reviews problem, and the threat it poses to the integrity of the ecommerce model.

(Picture: Graphic of a five-star review, Credit: Getty Images)

Carlos Ghosn was the superstar chairman of the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi alliance, one of the largest automakers in the world. Now, he’s an exile from the Japanese authorities in his home country of Lebanon. Ghosn sat down with the BBC’s Simon Jack to discuss everything that happened between these two points: from his shock arrest in a Tokyo airport charged with financial crimes, to prolonged legal battles and his dramatic escape from Japan.

(Picture: Former Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn in Beirut on January 8, 2020. Picture credit: JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images)

From its early reputation as mothers’ ruin to its prime spot in upscale cocktail bars, we tell the story of the juniper-infused spirit. And as the gin craze in the US and the UK shows no sign of slowing, we ask where the next global hotspots will be. Dr Angela McShane of Warwick University tells Elizabeth Hotson how and why gin drinking became popular in the UK and Sandie Van Doorne, from Lucas Bols - which claims to be the oldest distillery brand in the world - explains how the Dutch spirit, genever, fits into the story. Sean Harrison of Plymouth Gin explains how the company is taking on the new contenders in the market and we hear from up-and-coming brands; Toby Whittaker from Whittakers Gin and Temi Shogelola of Black Crowned Gin. Plus, we hear from Emily Neill, Chief Operating Officer at the IWSR which provides data and analysis on the beverage alcohol market. And a programme about gin wouldn’t be complete without a cocktail; William Campbell-Rowntree, bar supervisor at Artesian in London’s Langham Hotel, gives his tips for the perfect tipple.

Presenter: Elizabeth Hotson

(Picture of a gin and tonic with garnish; Picture via Getty Images)

As we head towards the postponed Tokyo Olympics, the world’s eyes will be on athletics. But huge controversy is brewing over a new type of super shoe which has led to a recent surge in track and field records. Ivana Davidovic asks whether runners' ability is becoming less and less important for success on the track? And what does that do the sport?

US Olympian Mason Ferlic is worried that this is creating a division between the haves and the have nots and thinks that World Athletics should pander less to big brands and tighten regulation on running shoes.

But they are not the only ones. Technology used to assist disabled athletes is now propelling their able-bodied counterparts to new heights. Running coach and former World Athletics official Peter Thompson - who also worked in shoe development for Nike and Hoka - says we are nowhere near the limit to where materials can go. He also sees these super shoes as "mechanical doping." While professor of sports innovation Mike Caine warns that to limit innovation would be a commercial disaster for any sport, as viewers and sponsors are attracted by tumbling records.

(Photo: Male sprinter starts from blocks in athletics stadium. Credit: Getty Images)

Authorities in China ordered Didi to stop taking new ride sharing customers, and banned the sale of the app, because of data sharing issues. Investors in the newly floated company are furious, but this isn’t the first kind of regulatory intervention China has made. So what’s behind this crackdown?

When it comes to climate change, what is the world of finance doing? Manuela Saragosa speaks to Jan Erik Saugestad, executive vice president of Norwegian asset managers Storebrand, whose investments must meet certain environmental, social and governance standards. This week also saw finance ministers from the V20 group of countries most vulnerable to climate change meet virtually. We talk climate justice with former president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, currently speaker of the country's parliament.

Produced by Benjie Guy.

(Picture: coins in a jar with plant on a table. Credit Getty Images.)

It’s been six months since the UK’s transition period from the EU ended. While the two sides hammered out arrangements for how various goods-producing sectors would continue to trade post-Brexit, financial services was largely left out of negotiations. We hear from the boss of Euronext, the head of securities trading at the London Stock Exchange, the man who authored a government-commissioned report on reforming the city’s listings regime, and a host of others to find out whether Brexit has been good or bad for the industry.

Presented by: Victoria Criag

Can anyone make it in the modern western world with hard work and good education? No, says Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel in conversation with Ed Butler. He says liberal politicians have lied to us, which is why populist politics has taken root. So what's the solution to the failure of globalisation?

(Picture: Michael Sandel addresses a theatre audience. Credit: http://justiceharvard.org)