Stefan Gates

Stefan Gates is a television presenter and author renowned for his sparky presenting style and passion for quirky culinary quests and extraordinary food adventures. He has created 16 TV series including Harvest, Food Factory, and Cooking in the Danger Zone, with programmes broadcast in over 50 countries, and is a regular panellist on Radio 4's Kitchen Cabinet. Stefan has also authored five books, most recently The Extraordinary Cookbook, and performed over 300 live shows at science festivals across the UK. His engaging sessions inspire audiences to embrace curiosity about food science, sustainability, and global food culture, transforming how organisations think about innovation and creative problem-solving.

Appalled at the timidity of British food writing, Stefan Gates started writing a book of food adventures to share with his friends, a personal project that caught the attention of the BBC and launched him into television with his first series, Full On Food, in 2004. Since then, he has created 16 TV series that have been broadcast in over 50 countries, establishing him as one of Britain's most distinctive voices on food science, global hunger, and the politics of what we eat. His programmes range from the food science series Harvest and Food Factory on BBC1 and BBC2, to three series of Cooking in the Danger Zone exploring global food security, and the acclaimed children's series Incredible Edibles and Gastronuts on CBBC. He has also produced BBC4 documentaries including Can Eating Insects Save the World? and Calves Heads and Coffee: the Golden Age of English Food, winning several awards for both his television work and books.

Stefan's career spans television presenting, writing, and live performance, with over 300 shows delivered at science festivals across the UK. He has served as guest director of Cheltenham Science Festival and appears regularly as a panellist on Radio 4's Kitchen Cabinet, alongside guest appearances on programmes from Newsnight to Blue Peter. As an author, he has written five books, most recently The Extraordinary Cookbook: How to Make Meals Your Friends Will Never Forget, alongside his 2017 title Insects: An Edible Field Guide, which explores the origins of entomophagy and provides practical guidance on finding and preparing edible insects. His work consistently bridges the gap between rigorous food science and accessible storytelling, making complex topics around sustainability, nutrition, and culinary innovation engaging for diverse audiences.

Stefan's sessions inspire organisations and audiences to embrace curiosity about food culture, sustainability challenges, and the science behind what we eat. His engaging style transforms how people think about innovation and creative problem solving, encouraging them to question assumptions and explore unconventional solutions to contemporary challenges. Whether addressing corporate teams, festival audiences, or educational groups, he delivers practical insights that spark lasting change in how audiences approach food systems, global nutrition, and the role of science in everyday life. His ability to combine rigorous research with warmth and humour ensures that complex ideas become memorable, actionable, and genuinely transformative for those who hear him speak.