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From the makers of QI and No Such Thing As A Fish: Gastronomically-minded QI researchers Jack Chambers and Manu Henriot join chef and food writer Rosie MacKean to unpack the world of food and drink, one lunchbox at a time.

Can you unboil an egg? Why would you milk a spider?  How much Dairy Milk would it take to kill you? Dig in now to get answers to the questions you never knew you had.

2026 British Podcast Awards Finalist

Hosts: Rosie MacKean, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot
Producer: Alex Bell
© Quite Interesting Ltd 2025

qi.com/lunchbox

Lunchbox Envy

Lunchbox Envy
Food
90 episodes
86: 🥂 The Real Widows Of Champagne Region
Who was the first person to pop out of a cake? Which supermarket's caterpillar cake has the most disappointing name? What's the best strategy to score the most canapés at a wedding? Farewell from Team Lunchbox! ❤️✨ Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
1hr 2m • Oct 06
1hr 2m
85: ☢️ How The Experts Are Stocking Up For The Apocalypse
How do you open a can without a can opener? Who ended a military siege armed only with a fake loaf of bread? Why shouldn't you hire a private chef for your luxury fallout shelter? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
41m • Sep 27
41m
84: 🍞 When Bread Was Sold Stale...By Law
Is it OK to feed bread to the ducks or not? Where can you find Japanese English French toast? What's the difference between a trencher and a sop? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
54m • Sep 20
54m
83: ⭐ Why Some Chefs Hate Getting Michelin Stars
What five things do you need to nail to impress the Michelin judges? How did a garden shed end up at the top of the Google Review restaurant rankings? Which country did soldiers invade literally armed with a restaurant guide? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
47m • Sep 13
47m
82: 🍍 Does Pineapple Really Make S**** Taste Nicer?
Why did SpongeBob's house have to be redesigned? How do you make a cocktail out of torpedo fuel? When you eat pineapple, does it eat you back? Hosts: Alex Bell, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
47m • Sep 06
47m
81: 🛒 Walmart Employees Use Virtual Reality To Practise For Black Friday
Which supermarket divided Germany down the middle? Who's the sexist cereal mascot? Are you allowed to snack on the food while you shop? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
35m • Aug 30
35m
80: 🤯 Is Your Local Chip Shop Faking Their Vinegar?
Why should you smother yourself in mustard? Which is the most Brexit-y condiment? What links James Bond to Gentleman's Relish? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
46m • Aug 23
46m
79: 🕊️ Eating Gourmet Scabs Off A Peasant's Foot
What's the secret jingle hidden in Da Vinci's Last Supper? Could you actually feed 5,000 people with just five loaves and two fish? What happens when you get a mouse drunk on Buckfast? Hosts: Alex Bell, Manu Henriot Guest: John Mitchinson Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
42m • Aug 16
42m
78: 🌶️ The Hottest Ever Chilli Is Locked In A Secret Greenhouse
Would you eat a chilli placenta? Is there a better cure for chilli burn than milk? What's the secret to the perfect piri piri sauce? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
53m • Aug 09
53m
77: 🌋 Spain's Volcano-Powered Restaurant
What is every chef's secret weapon? How did a moustache start a waiters' strike? Would you like to have dinner 150 feet up in the air? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
49m • Aug 02
49m
76: 🍜 Pad Thai Is A Government Invention
Where can you ride a train powered by noodle broth? Who uses noodles as currency? When should you replace your pasta with noodles? Hosts: Alex Bell, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
48m • Jul 26
48m
75: 🥒 Why Disney Grew The World's Biggest Cucumber Plant
How did the Romans build their greenhouses out of stone? When is pickle juice mouthwash a good idea? Is cucumber juice actually any good for you? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
47m • Jul 19
47m
74: 🌽 XXX UNRATED Corn Smut NSFW [Explicit Farming]
Which animal pees popcorn flavour? When is someone else's saliva in your drink a delicacy? Why is Tom Cruise so good at eating corn on the cob? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
42m • Jul 12
42m
73: 🌊 The Chef Who Caused A Tahini-nami
How do you smuggle meat into a vegetarian restaurant? Who needs a mochi attachment on their hoover? What's a goth's favourite food? With special guest, chef and food writer Helen Graham Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Helen Graham Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
43m • Jul 06
43m
72: ✈️ The Great Sandwich War Of 1958
Who needs a gyroscopic kitchen? How do you save $500,000 by slicing limes? What actually is the deal with airline food? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
36m • Jun 28
36m
71: 🌋 The World's Most Expensive Pistachios Come From A Volcano
Why did pistachios used to be bright red? Where in the world do pistachio trees need police protection? How could a pistachio help you survive a car crash? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
40m • Jun 22
40m
70: 🔐 Why The Recipe For [REDACTED] Is Locked In A Vault
Why doesn't Coca-Cola have to list their secret ingredients on their packaging? How do you break out of prison with peanut butter? What happened to the mythical Roman spice silphium? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
39m • Jun 14
39m
69: 💦 Could You Cook With Human Oil?
Why should you beware of Chinese gutter oil? Which oil is the healthiest to fry with? Does snake oil actually work? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
46m • Jun 07
46m
68: 🫛 Ozempic For Medieval Peasants
Why are frozen peas better than fresh peas? How do you use a pea as an alarm clock? Whose constipation can be cured with a single pea? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
47m • May 31
47m
67: 🍬 Why They Set Fire To Your Sugar
When is it a good idea to set fire to your sugar cane field? Why would you sprinkle sugar over a bee? Do you prefer your sugar in cubes or loaves? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
52m • May 24
52m
66: 🐔 Why Chickens Need Spectacles
Why would you put spectacles on a chicken? What's the secret to a perfect roast chicken? Do chickens find you beautiful? Another bite of the drumstick with cook and writer Ed Smith. Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Ed Smith Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
37m • May 17
37m
65: 🌱 Screaming For Asparagus Ice Cream
Why shouldn't you snap your asparagus in half? Who was known as The Giant Asparagus? How can you make a knife out of asparagus? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
41m • May 10
41m
64: 🐑 Why Are Doner Kebabs Cone Shaped?
What's the difference between dagging and redding? Why are doner kebab spits cone-shaped? What makes mint go so well with roast lamb? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
54m • May 03
54m
63: 🥭 India's Magical Million Mango Tree
Who was the Indiana Jones of mangoes? What's the best way to mail a mango? Do you know the Mango Man? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
38m • Apr 26
38m
62: 🍴 Buckingham Palace's Upside-Down Forks
Why are the forks in Buckingham Palace placed face down? Are spoons making us uglier? How do you flirt with a butter knife? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Tim Hayward Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
41m • Apr 19
41m
61: 💃🏻 Victorian Girl Dinners
What does a Victorian girl dinner look like? Why is the plough to blame for gender inequality? What's gay about quiche? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
44m • Apr 12
44m
60: 🎨 The $6.2 Million Banana
Why did the Romans decorate their dining rooms with leftovers? How do you sell a banana for $6.2 million? Where can you eat dirt for fun? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
40m • Apr 05
40m
59: 🥥 Performing Brain Surgery With A Coconut
Why would you inject coconut water directly into your bloodstream? How can a coconut help in brain surgery? What do octopuses use coconut shells for? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
42m • Mar 29
42m
58: 🥣 The Best Place To Smear Yoghurt On A Hot Day
Whose testicles grow when you feed them yoghurt? Which animal would give you the highest protein yoghurt? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
40m • Mar 23
40m
57: ☠️ The Deadliest Dishes Of History
Which food do you need a licence to prepare? When are you at risk of Margarita burn? Why should you never accept marzipan from the Pope? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
45m • Mar 16
45m
56: 🫙 How To Hypnotise Your Pâté
What does Catherine of Braganza have to do with marmalade? How do you hypnotise pâté? If Marmite...what about Pa? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
40m • Mar 09
40m
55: 🥕 Who Sabotaged Hitler's Carrots?
How do you cure a floppy carrot? Why would you feed carrots to a chicken? Who sabotaged Hitler's carrots? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
46m • Mar 02
46m
54: 🐂 Bathing In Beef Broth
What are the benefits of a beef broth bath? How do you turn a cow into a tennis racket? Would you chow down on some chewy arse-tongue? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
49m • Feb 23
49m
53: 🍊 The Medieval King Who Gave Us Jaffa Cakes
What can you do with a boiled orange? Which medieval king do we have to thank for Jaffa Cakes? Why does orange juice taste so bad after brushing your teeth? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
52m • Feb 16
52m
52: 🍆 Why Is The Green M&M So Sexy?
Where did the Ancient Greeks stick their loaves? What's so sexy about sitting on a cake? Why is the green M&M so sexy? Happy Valentine's Week from Lunchbox Envy 😘 Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
41m • Feb 09
41m
51: 🍟 Waiter, There's A Thumb In My Chilli!
Which chain feeds 5% of the UK every day? Why would you send a spy into a pizza factory? What would you do if you found a thumb in your chilli? Hosts: Alex Bell, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
40m • Feb 02
40m
50: 🚀 Where To Get A Good Drink In Space
What's the best way to smuggle vodka onto a space station? How do you make rocket Huel? Why do astronauts love shrimp cocktail so much? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Vickie Lynn Kloeris Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
40m • Jan 26
40m
49: 🫀 The Scottish Delicacy Banned In America
Would you try Lancashire calamari? What did Mrs Beeton cure with tripe? Where could you get arrested for cooking a haggis? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Ken Albala Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
47m • Jan 19
47m
48: 🫘 The Scientists Measuring Bean Fartiness
Who built a car out of beans? Can you put out a fire with beans? How do you measure the fartiness of a bean? Hosts: Alex Bell, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
47m • Jan 12
47m
47: 🥗 How To Sleep Yourself Skinny
How many calories are there in a gram of uranium? What is the Sleeping Beauty diet? What do you have in common with a doughnut? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
47m • Jan 05
47m
46: 🍻 Who's Up For Peekaboo Meatball?
Why would you order a brick sandwich? What does a Peekaboo Meatball taste like? What was the mysterious Third Condiment? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Jake Bhardwaj Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
43m • Dec 29, 2025
43m
Bonus: 🥂 The Best (And Worst) Festive Tipples
One more for the road? Merry Christmas! Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
18m • Dec 25, 2025
18m
45: 🎄 The Fish In The Bath On Christmas Eve
What is a live fish doing in your bath on Christmas Eve? Who tried to cook their turkey via electrocution? Where can you find roast reindeer on the menu? Merry Christmas from Lunchbox Envy! Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot, Rosie MacKean Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
56m • Dec 22, 2025
56m
44: 🎛️ Oven Baking Your Laptop
Why would you oven bake a laptop? Which day of the week can your oven switch itself on? Who cooked himself in a bread oven just to see what would happen? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Jamie Morton Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
38m • Dec 15, 2025
38m
43: 🍸 too dRUnk to thinkof a title f0r thsi one sorry
What do you get when you mix vodka with gunpowder? When will a doctor give you vodka? Who got paid in vodka? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
41m • Dec 08, 2025
41m
42: 🎓 Jamie Oliver Is Screaming At Our Home-Twizzled Turkeys
How do you Twizzle a Turkey? Where did Ancient Spartan kids get their packed lunch from? Who used to give their schoolchildren wine? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Jodie Nixon Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
36m • Dec 01, 2025
36m
41: 🦃 CALL NOW: The Emergency Turkey Hotline
How do you make a Frogeye Salad? When was eel on the Thanksgiving menu? Who can you call when your turkey won't defrost? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guests: Gesine Bullock-Prado, Nicole Johnson Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
49m • Nov 24, 2025
49m
40: 🍯 Are You Being Swindled With Fake Honey?
Why does your honey have bubbles in it? How do you eat ant honey? What does purple honey taste like? Hosts: Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Guest: Jodie Nixon Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
44m • Nov 17, 2025
44m
39: 🥓 The Man Who Tricked America Into Eating Breakfast
What's the point of a bacon window? Who's using a bacon dating app? How do you make bananacon? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
43m • Nov 10, 2025
43m
38: 🌾 The Cereal Toy That Could Hack Phones
How do you make a Diamond Shreddie? Which cereal accidentally invented computer hacking? Why are some cereals magnetic? Hosts: Alex Bell, Jack Chambers, Manu Henriot Producer: Alex Bell © Quite Interesting Ltd 2025
38m • Nov 03, 2025
38m

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