Food in Britain

Instructions:

What do you think of as typical British food? Roast beef? Fish and chips? Tea and cakes? Or maybe there's more to British food than that? Check out this video to find out about what people in the UK are eating these days.

Preparation

Check your food vocabulary by doing this exercise before you watch the video.

This video is part of our Word on the Street series. Word on the Street is an exciting new English Language teaching programme co-produced by the BBC and the British Council.

Check your vocabulary: gap fill - countries and nationalities

In this exercise you see the nationalities. Type the countries in the gap.

Check your vocabulary: matching - food

Check your understanding of the food items that appeared in the video by doing this exercise.

Worksheets and downloads

Food in Britain - exercises

Food in Britain - transcript

Food in Britain - answers

Transcript

Transcript:

Carmen: The Chinese introduced oriental food to Britain. But before the Chinese, immigrants from all around the world came to live in London.

British people enjoy a huge range of food and flavours from other countries.

This is Borough Market, London’s oldest food market. Today, you can find food here from all over the world.

This is Italian cheese. Each group of settlers brought their own food and styles of cooking and people here embraced the exciting new flavours… maybe because British food wasn’t very good.

Restaurants from all around the world can be found on most British high streets. Indian, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Persian... the list goes on.

But just what are the UK’s favourite dishes?

On the Street: My favourite meal is Thai green curry.

On the Street: One of my favourite meals is... cottage pie with peas.

On the Street: My favourite food is... Chinese ... Chinese.

On the Street: What’s my favourite meal? Still full English breakfast.

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Chef: This is a full English breakfast. Tomato, black pudding, sausage, bacon, egg, mushroom.

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Carmen: A big fried breakfast might not be to everyone’s taste. But in Britain, there is something for everyone.

Celia Brooks Brown is a food writer and knows all about food and the future of food in the UK, today.

Mmm! It looks good. What have we got here, Celia?

Celia: Well, this is a British tomato salad with a Yorkshire-made sheep’s cheese. And here we have a Barnsley lamb chop with new potatoes and a mint hollandaise sauce.

Carmen: So is this a sign of developments in British cooking?

Celia: Yes, people want to know where their food comes from. Chefs in restaurants like these are reinventing classic British dishes. They’re using ingredients that are locally sourced and locally grown.

Carmen: So what about world cuisine?

Celia: Well, anything goes. Chefs love to experiment with ingredients from different cultures. And we live in a globalised society, it’s very exciting.

Carmen: OK, Celia, if you were cooking these dishes at home, what ingredients from different cultures would you use?

Celia: Well, I might use something like this. This is a Moroccan spice mix called Ras el Hanout. Have a sniff.

Carmen: Hmm. That’s really strong.

Celia: Lovely, isn’t it? Now, this might make a lovely spice rub for that lamb chop.

Carmen: I can’t wait to taste this.

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Carmen: The food in Britain reflects the many different cultures here. But some of the old favourites are here to stay. I’m off for my favourite, fish and chips. Want a chip?

Topics:

Language level:

Discussion

What do you think about British food?

Comments

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Tasha2012

30 May, 2012 - 23:43

So interesting that the desire to eat))

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IBRAzlatanHIMOVIC2

2 June, 2012 - 18:51

I don't really like Full English breakfast, it's to much of fried food on one plate. But I like the 'MIX of Cultures' and the way that British chefs can mykeout new food by mixing BOTH bRITISH AND OTHER TYPES OF FOOD.

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Jonathan

3 June, 2012 - 06:42

Hello IBRAzlatanHIMOVIC2!
A Full English breakfast is a bit too heavy for me too, so I usually just have cereals and maybe some fruit. Much lighter and healthier! What do you usually have for breakfast in your country?Thanks for your interesting comment!

Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)

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Little Dragon

20 June, 2012 - 03:28

In my country, Vietnam, we usually eat rice but not always rice with another food like at lunch or dinner, there is another type of rice names "xoi" and it's really richy. We usually eat "xoi" with corn, beans and peanuts. Another food for breakfast in Vietnam is "pho". Maybe you've already know about "pho" because it's very famous around the world. Just like "pho" are "bun" and "hu tieu". They are nearly like the same but their tastes are different. We also eat noodles and bread, too. There are a lot of food we eat in our breakfast, and I can't write all of it in my comment !

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Lady in Pink

12 July, 2012 - 10:13

I love british food it's so tasty!

Tricia

10 May, 2013 - 17:02

I've never eaten British good actually.
What is your favorite???

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Gina

16 July, 2012 - 18:44

I have never taste english food

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Medo 34

17 July, 2012 - 14:43

yeah! me too!!
i wish i taste english food! ^_^

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ombobos

30 August, 2012 - 18:37

i like trying all food from all over the world

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Cecília

18 September, 2012 - 17:44

I never taste British food!! I have a curiosity, Who did bring potatoes for England and the Grand Britain countries?

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Jonathan

21 September, 2012 - 17:02

Hi Cecilia! That's a good question. Does anyone know the answer? If so, please post the answer here! ;-)

I don't know who it was, but I'm glad they did because potatoes are one of my favourite foods. Do you like them too?

Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)

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Lejdi

21 September, 2012 - 19:36

Potatoes first arrived in the United Kingdom (then Great Britain) from the Spanish Armada in 1588.

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Jonathan

25 September, 2012 - 09:22

Thanks for the answer, Lejdi! :]

Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)

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Ali Hasan

21 September, 2012 - 16:20

OOh!! I am SO hungry.
I've never taste the English food, but the English breakfast looks delicious.

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Ashfaq Munir

4 October, 2012 - 07:31

Well it was intresting video.I would like to eat british food because i have never taste.Oriental foods are very delicious ever..

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Iphone345

13 October, 2012 - 08:25

I am getting hungry!

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20sep_fm

28 October, 2012 - 09:00

I'm surprised with Brtish food breakfst. It's very heavy meal for breakfast I think. A glass of milk or a glass of orange is enough for me for breakfast. In my country, Indonesia especially Jakarta, meals for breakfast many choice. They are nasi uduk ( rice which boiled with coconut milk), lontong sayur ( rice with vegetable), etc... But I rarely to eat them.

Well, that's all from me. But I would like to taste British food breakfast.

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Edona49

31 October, 2012 - 13:27

Thank you for this gr8 video.
Everything looks delicious especially the hollandaise sauce.The main reason that I would like to taste British food is that it includes lots of flavors!

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ellen

16 December, 2012 - 18:09

İn my country Azerbaijan most popular main course in Azerbaijan is plov (made rice).The popular soft drinks are sharbats. They are made of sugar, lemon, saffron, seeds of mint and other fruit. I think British food breakfast is a cooked meal of bacon, egsgs and sausages.What do you think about Azerbaijan food?
Write answer...................... I wait...................

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Jonathan

10 January, 2013 - 04:32

Hi ellen! I like rice very much, so I think I'd like plov. But what I'd most like to try is sharbat. It sounds very refreshing. Is it sweet?

Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)

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etleva hoxha

9 January, 2013 - 15:53

I think that are very delicious and worth trying them but each country has a different way to cook from another country and this is the reason that it forces you to try all .. It was a very nice video and you're doingan excellent job for this site and helping us to learn the cultures and traditions of other countries, and in particular for the UK .. you are the best,,!!!,
From Albania

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etleva hoxha

9 January, 2013 - 17:07

I think that are very delicious ... Each country has a special cooking and this is what makes us try all kinds of food .. The video was very useful because it helps to have as much knowledge about the dishes and it is a plus that in addition to that we learn in our language they can learn and in English and this has been done only with your help. Thank for everything you have done for this site and for us to teach us how to practice the English language ... You are the best ...!!!!
from Albania

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Jonathan

10 January, 2013 - 04:21

Hi! It's great to read your comments. I'm very happy you find this site useful. :-D Thank you so much for your encouragement and we'll keep on working to try and make this site even better. Please keep visiting us! We have lots more exciting things for you to read, watch and do coming soon ...

Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)

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ellen

11 January, 2013 - 16:09

Simply, sweet water.Jonathan Rickard(LearnEnglish Teens Team)

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JoEditor

11 January, 2013 - 16:16

Wow! It's great to hear about the food from your countries - reading your comments is making me hungry! :)

Jo (LearnEnglish Teens Team)

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ellen

12 January, 2013 - 16:06

Thank you very much.Jo (LearnEnglish Teens Team)

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megisiana

11 February, 2013 - 19:10

it looks so delicious ........and what a shame i have never tried Britain food but i would love and ******Jonathan potatoes is my favorite food too.............