In The Jackfruit Chronicles, Ahsan weaves family recipes with personal and historical narratives to explore British-Bangladeshi identity. Desai, co-founder of Fox & Windmill, then shared their insights from Tales from the Kitchen, a moving collection of food essays by British South Asian writers.

They discussed how food writing can preserve heritage, challenge stereotypes, and connect generations – particularly in Bradford, where culture and cuisine are inseparably linked. Howarth brought her perspective as a food writer and culinary educator and reflected on the sensory power of food in shaping cultural identity and belonging. 

The Big Tasty Read was a brand-new nationwide campaign that blended the joy of reading with the love of food. Led by Bradford Council’s Bradford Libraries and delivered as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, the campaign featured an exciting programme of events that took place across the Bradford district and beyond.