Samir Wanmali is the WFP Regional Director for Asia-Pacific. With over 20 years of experience across food security, emergency operations and programme design, he has led responses in some of the world's most challenging contexts. Since November 2024, he has turned his attention to a region that feeds much of the world, yet where hunger and malnutrition persist in ways that are often overlooked.

In this conversation, we explore the contradictions at the heart of the Asia-Pacific food story, a region of extraordinary abundance and economic growth where 69 million people still can't find their next meal, and 1.7 billion can't afford a healthy diet.

You'll hear why climate shocks that were once considered once-in-a-century events are now happening every three years, how WFP is shifting from response to anticipatory action and the experience working with displaced communities in South Darfur that taught Samir the difference between giving people food and building something with them.

Resources and links:

• WFP website

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website

• Paul Newnham on Instagram

• Paul Newnham on X

• Paul Newnham on LinkedIn

• Disruptive Consulting Solutions website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn
  

Jamie Drummond is the co-founder of ONE.org and the founder of Sharing Strategies — an organisation that brings together philanthropies, think tanks, campaign groups and international organisations to share collective intelligence on climate and development.

In this conversation, we explore why the money needed to solve the world's biggest problems already exists, and why it isn't getting to the right places.

You'll hear the story of how a documentary in northern Ethiopia sparked the Drop the Debt campaign, Jamie's case for why credit rating agencies are one of the most important and overlooked levers in global development finance, and the mountain of buttered potatoes on an Irish farm table that is his most enduring food memory.

Resources and links:

• Jamie Drummond on LinkedIn

• Sharing Strategies website

• ONE.org website

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website

• Paul Newnham on Instagram

• Paul Newnham on X

• Paul Newnham on LinkedIn

• Disruptive Consulting Solutions website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn
  

Sophie Healy-Thow is an Irish food systems and nutrition advocate. She is the founder of Act4Food Act4Change, a global youth-led campaign. And currently serves as Food Systems Coordinator for Belfast City Council. She also sits on the Advisory Board of EAT and is a Lead Group Member of the UN's Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement.

We explore what meaningful youth engagement in food systems actually looks like, and why it so often falls short. 

You'll hear about the school science project that first launched her into food systems advocacy, why she believes cities are the next frontier of food systems transformation, and Sophie shares her candid thoughts on whether the UN is still relevant in the current global climate.

Resources and links:

• Sophie Healy-Thow on Instagram

• Sophie Healy-Thow on LinkedIn

• Act4Food Act4Change website

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website

• Paul Newnham on Instagram

• Paul Newnham on X

• Paul Newnham on LinkedIn

• Disruptive Consulting Solutions website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn
  

In today's episode, we're talking to Sahar Parham Al Awadhi, an Emirati chef whose work is reshaping how Emirati cuisine is understood and experienced. 

We explore how culture, sustainability, and responsibility intersect in her work, and why she sees chefs not just as creatives, but as custodians of resilient food systems.

You'll hear about her commitment to elevating local ingredients and preserving food heritage, her upcoming restaurant that will bridge old and new Emirati cuisine, her refusal to do fusion because it compromises cultural integrity, and the Eid morning breakfast memory—sweet vermicelli noodles with saffron and cardamom—that connects her entire family after a month of fasting.

Resources and links:

• Sahar on Instagram

• Sahar on Linkedin

• Abra on Instagram

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website

• Paul Newnham on Instagram

• Paul Newnham on X

• Paul Newnham on LinkedIn

• Disruptive Consulting Solutions website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn
  

Rasmus Munk is the chef and co-owner of Alchemist in Copenhagen, Denmark — a restaurant that has redefined what a dining experience can be. Ranked among the world's best restaurants, Alchemist serves a 50-course "holistic dining" experience across five hours, where every dish is designed to provoke thought, spark conversation, and challenge the boundaries between food, art, and social commentary.

You'll hear about his philosophy of leading with concept over ingredient and why that sets Alchemist apart from every other restaurant in the world, his work beyond the kitchen, and the simple childhood memory of picking strawberries with his grandmother that quietly shaped one of the most complex culinary minds on the planet.

Resources and links:

• Rasmus on Instagram

• Alchemist on Instagram

• Alchemist website

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website

• Paul Newnham on Instagram

• Paul Newnham on X

• Paul Newnham on LinkedIn

• Disruptive Consulting Solutions website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub website

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook

• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn
  

In today's episode, we're talking to Chef Rick Bayless, renowned chef, restaurateur, and advocate for Mexican culinary traditions. He's spent decades bridging cultures through food, from growing up in his family's restaurant to living five years in Mexico studying regional cuisine with local cooks.

We explore his journey from childhood cook to award-winning chef, and how he's built a career dedicated to authenticity and tradition.

You'll hear about his transformative first trip to Mexico at age 14, his approach to training the next generation of hospitality professionals through purpose-driven work, and the peach-canning memory with his grandmother that shaped his entire culinary philosophy.

Resources and links:

• Rick Bayless on Instagram
• Rick Bayless on YouTube
• Rick Bayless' Website

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website⁠
• ⁠Paul Newnham on Instagram⁠
• ⁠Paul Newnham on X⁠
• ⁠Paul Newnham on LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Disruptive Consulting Solutions website⁠
• ⁠SDG2 Advocacy Hub website⁠
• ⁠SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X⁠
• ⁠SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook⁠
• ⁠SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn

Cristina Bowerman is a Michelin-starred chef and owner of Glass Osteria in Rome. She uses her platform to bridge cultures through food, advocate for sustainable sourcing, and champion the role of chefs as agents of change in the global food system.

In this episode, Cristina shares how curiosity has been the defining trait of her career, leading her from law to design to culinary arts across three US states before landing in Rome. She explains her culinary philosophy, she also details her "Adopt a Farmer" sourcing philosophy and finally, Cristina reflects on the unique role chefs play as advocates on issues from climate to inclusion, using their platform to communicate important messages.

Resources and links:

• Cristina Bowerman on Instagram
• Glass Hostaria on Instagram 
• Glass Hostaria on LinkedIn

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website
• Paul Newnham on Instagram
• Paul Newnham on X
• Paul Newnham on LinkedIn
• Disruptive Consulting Solutions website
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub website
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Disruptive conversations are the bread and butter of Future Fork. Watch on as we revisit some of the best sit-downs from the past year.

In this episode, Michelin-recognised Chef Sammy Monsour discusses how food activism provides a new path outside of the kitchen and the most rewarding aspects of his journey. Founder and CEO of AGREA, Cherrie Atilano, explains their organisation's "ecology of dignity" approach to uplift marginalised farmers and fishers, addressing challenges like climate change. The role of women in transforming food systems and the need for two breadwinners in farming families are also discussed. Finally, President of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation, Elizabeth Nsimadala stresses the importance of investing in farmers, increasing financing for the agriculture sector, and leveraging science and technology, including the need for scaling technologies and farmer-generated data and models.

Resources and links:

• Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) website
• Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) on Facebook
• Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) on LinkedIn
• Elizabeth Nsimadala on X
• Elizabeth Nsimadala on LinkedIn
• AGREA Business website
• AGREA Foundation website
• AGREA on Facebook
• AGREA on Instagram
• AGREA on LinkedIn
• Cherrie Atilano on Facebook
• Cherrie Atilano on LinkedIn
• Joyce Soul & Sea website
• Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture website
• Sammy Monsour’s website
• Sammy Monsour on Instagram
• Sammy Monsour on Facebook
• Sammy Monsour on LinkedIn

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website
• Paul Newnham on Instagram
• Paul Newnham on X
• Paul Newnham on LinkedIn
• Disruptive Consulting Solutions website
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub website
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Alyson Greenhalgh-Ball is the founder of Conscious Impact. Alyson uses a systems-thinking approach to drive collaboration and sustainable change that uplifts communities and creates lasting positive impact.

In this episode, she shares how her dedication to advancing good food for everyone began while growing up on a farm, giving her a firsthand understanding of the vital relationship between land, animals, food, and nutrition. She has since spent her career focusing on food systems, moving from nutrition epidemiology to advocating for sustainability, and now working across systems in academia, where she emphasises systems leadership. Finally, she stresses the importance of "pollination" and truly listening to and understanding others' values and perspectives.

Resources and links:

• Conscious Impact Website
• Alyson Greenhalgh-Ball on Instagram
• Alyson Greenhalgh-Ball on X
• Alyson Greenhalgh-Ball on LinkedIn

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website
• Paul Newnham on Instagram
• Paul Newnham on X
• Paul Newnham on LinkedIn
• Disruptive Consulting Solutions website
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub website
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Christopher Gardner is Director of Nutrition Studies Research Group and Professor at Stanford School of Medicine. For over 2 decades, he has studied what to eat and what to avoid, influencing best practices and food systems.

In this episode, Christopher discusses the American perspective on protein and how it shifts from the balanced diet. He dives into the U.S. dietary guidelines, the exhaustive process behind their creation, and the challenges experts face in making it official. Lastly, he talks about ‘stealth nutrition,’ an entertaining and educational way into hooking the public into better food habits. 

Resources and links:

• Stanford Medicine Nutrition Studies Group Website
• Christopher Gardner on LinkedIn

Connect:

• Future Fork podcast website
• Paul Newnham on Instagram
• Paul Newnham on X
• Paul Newnham on LinkedIn
• Disruptive Consulting Solutions website
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub website
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on X
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on Facebook
• SDG2 Advocacy Hub on LinkedIn

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.