The Dark Side of Dining
Have you ever heard about the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist of the 2010's? What about the debate over so-called "slow food?" Do you ever wonder how identity is tied to food? Have you ever questioned if your parmesan and olive oil are actually made in Italy? If you've ever wanted to know more about humanity's complicated and storied history with food, then this is the podcast for you. Join host Kenny Mears as he dishes up the dirty history of the dark side of dining, from food fraud and smuggling to endangered foods and how we can feed the...
Episodes
Invasion Of The Nanoparticles: Nanotechnology In Food and Food Labeling
Sci-fi tech is already in your kitchen, and it’s nanotechnology. In this episode, we dive into the dark side of materials measured at a billionth of a meter, which, as environmental lawyer George Kimbrell of the Center for Food Safety expla…
The Miracle Drug That's Killing McDonald's
A new kind of disruptor is threatening the bottom line of the world's biggest food corporations: GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic. In this fascinating episode of The Dark Side of Dining, host Kenny Mears welcomes back Sylvain Charlebois, The Food P…
When Food Talks Back: Understanding The Story Behind Our Food
Every piece of food has a complex, often surprising, story. In this episode of The Dark Side of Dining, host Kenny Mears talks with environmental journalist and author Louise Gray about the hidden realities, ethical dilemmas, and sheer comp…
War and Peas: The Power Of Food To Unite Or Divide
Food is more than sustenance; it's a powerful tool for diplomacy, identity, and even conflict. In this episode of The Dark Side of Dining, host Kenny Mears sits down with acclaimed author, food scholar, and founding editor of Gastronomica, …
Buttering Them Up: Black Market and Hard Butter In Canada
It's rich, creamy, and apparently a hot commodity for criminals. In this episode of The Dark Side of Dining, we uncover the baffling world of Canadian butter with food policy expert, Sylvain Charlebois, famously known as The Food Professor.…
How Molasses Smuggling Fueled The American Revolution
Ever wonder what started the American Revolution? It wasn't just about taxes and freedom. In this episode of The Dark Side of Dining, we uncover the shocking and delicious truth behind America's founding: it was fueled by the smuggling of m…
Why Talking About Food Matters
In this inaugural episode of The Dark Side of Dining, host Kenny Mears chats with Danielle "Dani" Nierenberg, co-founder and president of Food Tank, a leading organization dedicated to food system change. They dive into the complexities of …
The Dark Side of Dining: Coming Fall 2025
Have you ever heard about the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist of the 2010's? What about the debate over so-called "slow food?" Do you ever wonder how identity is tied to food? Have you ever questioned if your parmesan and olive oil are act…