Shine TV (part of Banijay UK) and Rick Stein Productions have been commissioned to produce a 15-part, Rick Stein fronted series that will follow him as he embarks on a mouth-watering cookery pilgrimage around the UK to explore what we all like to eat today.

In Rick Stein’s Food Stories, which is due to broadcast on BBC Two next month, Rick searches for the answer to one big question: how is British culinary culture evolving in the 21st century?

From The Lake District to Argyll, Belfast to The Gower Peninsula, Bristol to Yorkshire and many other incredible locations, Rick will meet the pioneers of the British food scene. From those perfecting traditional dishes like the great Yorkshire pud to the chefs and producers bringing new flavours and tastes from across the globe. Then, from his own home in beloved Cornwall, Rick shares his favourite dishes - the ones he think should have a place in our nation’s cook book.

Rick Stein says: “This is my idea of an expedition... I’m travelling the length and breadth of the UK to get an understanding of what us Brits are eating now. And that’s a subject that’s constantly changing. When I started out as a chef over 50 years ago the prawn cocktail, steak Diane and Black Forest Gâteau reigned supreme. Today the variety on offer is extraordinary; Sushi is now one of our most popular takeaway lunches; we no longer pop out for a Balti but enjoy Indian street food instead; and more than ever chefs are cooking with the environment in mind, creating new dishes using locally foraged or farmed ingredients. I’ve also seen how food has the power to bring communities together. What is clear to me is that what and how we eat touches every part of our lives. Thinking seriously about which dishes best represent our modern tastes requires me to reconsider everything.”

Matt Bennett, Senior Executive Producer at Shine TV, adds: “Following the success of our three series in Cornwall, it is once again a delight to collaborate with Rick to create a series for BBC Two which celebrates the many talented people who make the UK one of the most richly diverse food scenes in the world.”

Rachel Platt, Commissioning Editor BBC Daytime & Early Peak, says: “No one tells a food story like Rick Stein. With his natural curiosity, warmth and eloquence, Rick brings to life the work of the UK’s growers, producers, chefs and cooks in a feast for television.”

Rick Stein’s Food Stories (15x30’) was commissioned by Rachel Platt, Commissioning Editor BBC Daytime & Early Peak and Rob Unsworth, BBC Head of Daytime & Early Peak. It is a Shine TV (part of Banijay UK) and Rick Stein Productions project for BBC Two. Matt Bennett serves as Senior Executive Producer and Director, the Director is Colin Steele and the Line Producer is Julie Gilmartin, for Shine TV.