Christmas Eve on Food Rebels: AJ is joined by olive oil sommelier Mazen Assaf, founder of The Olive Oil Guy, to talk festive traditions around the world, from Lebanon to London, and the stories behind truly exceptional olive oils. Mazen shares what Christmas looks like in Lebanon, how food brings different communities together, and guides AJ through a live olive oil tasting featuring Spanish, Italian and Greek varieties. Expect flavour notes, pairing ideas, and a deeper look at why olive oil is a craft, not a commodity. A cosy, foodie Christmas Eve episode full of warmth, culture and seriously good olive oil.

In this festive episode of Food Rebels: Getting Ready for Christmas, AJ Sharp is joined by Clare Pope to talk about one very important question: what should actually go in your Christmas shop?

Together they build the dream pre-Christmas trolley, from flavour-boosting staples to effortless party food and seriously indulgent puddings. They start with Borough Broth – organic, B Corp bone broth that’s AJ’s secret weapon for rich, non-greasy gravy and collagen-packed cosy mugs of goodness. Hydration gets an upgrade too, with Solo still and sparkling water from the Usk Valley, perfect for guests who aren’t drinking – or anyone who needs something refreshing between the bubbles.

For easy flavour wins, AJ and Clare taste their way through Herbamare’s herb sea salts, including a low-salt version and a slow-burn spicy blend that’s made for soups, broths and roast potatoes. They cover stress-saving midweek meals with HelloFresh, crowd-pleasing party food from Higgidy. Dessert lovers are in heaven with Simply Ice Cream – from Mince Pie and Christmas Pudding to cinnamon, stem ginger & marmalade and the legendary, three-star Great Taste Heavenly Honeycomb. Along with comforting spelt pasta from The Northern Pasta Company. Drinks-wise, there’s celebratory Bruno Paillard Champagne and party-ready Zonin Prosecco, everything you need for delicious, low-stress festive eating.

If you’re wondering what to add to your online shop before the big day, this is your Christmas food shopping list in audio form.

In Thoughtful Foodie Gifts for a Clutter-Free Christmas, AJ Sharp and Clare Pope share festive gift ideas for food lovers who prefer treats over festive clutter. They explore the Steenbergs Arabian Spice Collection with its Odyssea pomegranate molasses, taste the Tuscan Amaro Santoni aperitivo, try the edible 3D Doodler for creative bakers, and discuss alcohol free options from Wednesday’s Domaine. They move on to wines from Symington Family Estates, including Altano from the Douro, and open an English sparkling wine from Hambledon Vineyard. There’s also the surprising Wild and Fruitful To Matcha Ketchup, indulgent hot chocolate and spreads from Islands Chocolate, and beautiful festive boxes from Fudge Kitchen. A fun, flavour-packed guide to thoughtful gifts from brilliant brands.