This week, Lilah is talking to the FT's food and drink editor, Harriet Fitch Little, about how to host the perfect dinner party. And by "perfect" Harriet means one that you as the host will actually enjoy! Harriet shares practical tips and tricks for putting together a spread and an ambiance, but most importantly she wants you to be yourself – even if that means foregoing homemade everything.-------We love hearing from you. You can email us at [email protected]. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.-------Links:– Tim Hayward on ‘no effort dinner parties’: https://on.ft.com/3rfKiHU – ‘Who’d invite their boss to dinner?’ by Anjili Raval: https://on.ft.com/46mwf1S – Harriet’s dinner music recommendation is A Piano and A Microphone by Prince– From the magazine’s wine special, Jancis Robinson answers 121 of your questions about wine: https://on.ft.com/3EMh5Y8 , The FT Magazine’s dinner party special is out this weekend. It features hosting tips and recipes from Bao founder Erchen Chang. -------Special FT subscription offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam GiovincoRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we talk to country-pop sensation Shania Twain, one of the best-selling female artists of all time. Shania is touring in the UK this month and has just released an extended edition of her iconic 90s album Come on Over, which features her greatest hits. After more than a decade of battling Lyme disease, she tells us how it feels to be back on stage. -------We love hearing from you. You can email us at [email protected]. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.-------Links: Lulu’s interview with Shania Twain, ‘Writing a novel is easier than writing a three-minute, 22-second story that says something profound’: https://on.ft.com/3sDklCc Come on Over: The Diamond Edition is available now. Shania’s 2023 album is called Queen of Me. Shania Twain is performing at the O2 in London on 16 and 17 September. Her Vegas residency is announced for May 2024. -------Special FT subscription offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam GiovincoClips courtesy of Republic and Mercury Records. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe now to the FT's Tech Tonic podcast: Some scientists believe that rapid advances in artificial intelligence may also hold the key to decoding animal sounds, allowing us to ‘translate’ them into human language. In a new season of Tech Tonic, FT innovation editor John Thornhill and series producer Persis Love explore how the same technology that powers ChatGPT is being applied to research in animal communication. Could we one day learn to ‘speak whale’ or even chat with bats? And if so, can we trust ourselves to do so responsibly?Presented by John Thornhill, produced by Persis Love, sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The announcement last winter that the world’s top restaurant, Noma, will close in 2024, has spawned dozens of think pieces asking whether this is the end of fine dining. So this weekend, we went to the FT’s renowned food critic Tim Hayward to learn about the state of the industry. Running a restaurant has never been more expensive in cities such as New York and London. And now, in the middle of a cost of living crisis, Tim says a bloodbath is coming: in order to stay afloat restauranteurs must ditch a corporate business model and return to more nimble roots. Tim tells Lilah that the good news is that he’s seeing it happen.--------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at [email protected]. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------Links and mentions from the episode: – ‘The restaurant industry faces a bloodbath. But there are ways to survive’, by Tim Hayward: https://on.ft.com/3lfo2u6 –The column Tim mentions on The North Circular’s Ace Cafe, which has perfect hospitality: https://on.ft.com/3Yl3dMr –Tim’s piece ‘A 14-course tasting menu? Don’t. Just don’t’: https://on.ft.com/40GuBGq – Our previous episode on Noma is here: https://www.ft.com/content/04bd9722-1d17-496d-aefc-fdae46d5d3b2 – Tim Hayward is on Twitter and Instagram @timhayward. Clips from The Menu, copyright Searchlight Pictures—-------------Special offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we explore Chinese cuisine with cook and food writer Fuchsia Dunlop. In the west, misconceptions and prejudices surround Chinese food: that it’s unhealthy, or oily, or simple. In reality, it’s a cuisine with ancient roots, that Fuchsia strongly believes is “endlessly thrilling”, and among the best and most sophisticated in the world. Fuchsia is the author of six books on Chinese food, including her newest, Invitation to a Banquet. She tells Lilah there’s a lot the west can learn from how people in China approach food.-------We love hearing from you. You can email us at [email protected]. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.-------Links: – Fuschia’s book is called Invitation to a Banquet: The Story of Chinese Food– Our episode with Fuschia on the noodles of Shanxi on Apple, Spotify and our website– The FT’s review of Fuchsia’s book: https://www.ft.com/content/29a158e8-6b30-494e-91d4-d6348a12cfde A few relevant pieces we love published in the FT by Fuchsia: – “Tofu is a cornucopia of taste. No, really” https://www.ft.com/content/ea3d24e8-fd27-42e8-8f9d-805da91769d1 – ”The west hasn’t got a clue about bamboo”: https://www.ft.com/content/aea65ab3-f6c0-402b-83fa-e27f8262af3f– ”How to cook with lettuce — a Fuchsia Dunlop recipe”: https://www.ft.com/content/1cfbee9f-b92a-444e-a468-aaeea3f0e605 –Fuchsia is on Instagram at @fuchsiadunlop-------Join us at the FT Weekend festival, on Saturday September 2 at Kenwood House in London. It’ll be a day of debates, tastings, Q&As and more. For £20 off your festival pass, use promo code FTWeekendPod here: https://www.ft.com/festivalSpecial FT subscription offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://www.ft.com/weekendpodcast.-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam GiovincoRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.