Sheila Dillon

BBC Radio 4 presenter of the 'Food Programme' Sheila Dillon hails from Hoghton, Lancashire. She has been a food journalist for almost three decades, beginning work as an editor and writer at the New York based magazine, Food Monitor.

For 20 years she has worked on The Food Programme, first as reporter, then producer and now presenter. Her investigative work has won many awards including the Glaxo Science Prize, Caroline Walker award and several Glenfiddich Awards. Most recently she received the Glenfiddich award for a documentary on the history of the American meat industry.

In January 2008 Shelia was awarded an honorary doctorate by City University for her work, which, the citation says, “has changed the way in which we think about food.”

Simon Parkes

Simon joined Michelin as a guide inspector in the mid-1980s before working as a freelance restaurant critic for Vogue magazine. As a reqular contributor and presenter for The Food Programme, Simon's Highlights have included fronting editions of the programme from Atlanta, Beirut and Calcutta as well as covering subjects as diverse as Asian prawn farming and eating horse meat.

Away from radio, Simon is well-known in the West Country as one of the faces behind the Taste Of The West pub food competition on Carlton Westcountry Television. He's also currently researching a book on the food of Calcutta, a city he has lived in and returns to regularly.

Grace Kitto

Grace Kitto is Head of Production at Denham Productions, the company which has produced 'Gary Rhodes' Local Food Heroes' from its conception in 2006. Specialising in food programmes, Grace has Executive Produced many series for UKTV Food including Rhodes Across India, Rhodes Across China and The People's Cookbook. Working as a producer and director for over twenty years, Grace trained on the Film and TV postgraduate course at Bristol University. With a sound knowledge and passion for local food issues, Grace has the requisite experience to translate the Local Food Hero competition into a compelling television series.