Rick Stein returns - Christmas Special
The Travel Diaries
Holly Rubenstein
4.5 • 813 Ratings
🗓️ 16 December 2025
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to a very special festive edition of The Travel Diaries. Today I’m joined by the legendary chef, restaurateur and writer, Rick Stein.
Rick is returning to the podcast for the first time in five years, and I can’t think of a better guest to bring a little culinary sparkle to our Christmas Special.
This year, Rick is celebrating the release of his beautifully personal and utterly joyful new book, Rick Stein’s Christmas - a treasure trove of festive recipes, stories, traditions, and reflections on what this time of year really means. In our conversation, we dive into his own Christmas rituals in both Cornwall and Australia, the dishes that embody comfort and nostalgia for him, the lessons he learned while cooking - and occasionally improvising - his way through last year’s festivities, and the deeply human side of the season that he weaves into the book.
We also travel far beyond the Christmas table, hearing about Rick’s recent adventures filming in the Australian outback, the food gems he uncovered there, his newest favourite destinations, and the UK restaurants he’s loving right now.
So pour yourself something warm and cosy, settle in, and enjoy this festive journey with the wonderful Rick Stein.
Destination Recap:
- Thailand
- Australia
- The Niagara Café, Gundagai, NSW, Australia
- Île de Ré, France, France
- Riva, Barnes, London, England
- Riley’s Fish Shack, Tynemouth, England
- Porto, Portugal
- Douro Valley, Portugal
- Laigueglia, Liguria, Italy, Italy
- Hotel Windsor, Laigueglia, Liguria, Italy
- Trieste, Italy
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Argentina
- Peru
- Brazil
- Lake Como, Italy
If you’d like to explore more of Rick’s stories, tips and recipes, his new book Rick Stein’s Christmas is out now. I
I’ll be back in a couple of weeks, on the 30th, with a very special guest to close out the year - actor and national treasure Richard E. Grant.
Until then, have a cosy, joyful Christmas, and thank you so much for listening to The Travel Diaries.
With thanks to...
Citalia - If, like Rick, you’re dreaming of your own Italian adventure, visit Citalia.com to start planning today.
Naturhotel Forsthofgut – if, like many of our guests, you’re dreaming of an alpine escape rooted in harmony with nature, visit forsthofgut.at to start planning today.
Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Before we jump into today's festive episode with Rick, I want to thank my partners at Chitalia, the UK's leading Italian holiday specialist. |
| 0:15.2 | Unsurprisingly, Rick and I end up talking about Italy a lot on this episode, a country he knows and loves so well. He was telling me |
| 0:23.2 | about his recent trips to Liguria, Trieste, and how Italy just keeps pulling him back. Another part of |
| 0:29.1 | Italy is even his bucket list destination too. So that's exactly where Chattalia comes in, with over 95 |
| 0:35.9 | years of experience, they truly know Italy inside out. |
| 0:39.9 | From handpicked hotels in the best locations to bespoke itineries filled with those |
| 0:43.9 | off the beaten path moments, their Italy experts will help you discover the real Italy. |
| 0:48.9 | And with Chitalia's travel with confidence promise, you'll have 24-7 support plus free amendments and refund guarantee |
| 0:55.6 | so you can simply relax and enjoy La Dolce Vita. |
| 0:59.6 | So if Rick has inspired you to make Italy your next adventure, visit chatalia.com. |
| 1:05.6 | That's C-I-T-A-L-I-A-com to start planning today. |
| 1:09.9 | Thank you to Chitalia. A-L-I-A-A-D-L-A-D-C-L-A-D-C-L-I-A-D-L-A-L-A-L-A-L-A-L-A-L-A-L-A-L-A-L-E-L-A-R-E-L-E-A-R-E-R-E-R-E-R-E-R-E-R-E-R-E-R-E-R-E-R-E-R a very special festive edition of the Travel Diaries. I'm your host Holly Rubinstein and today I am |
| 1:30.5 | joined by the legendary chef restaurateur and writer Rick Stein. So Rick is returning to the podcast |
| 1:37.2 | for the first time in about five years and I can't think of a better guest to bring a little |
| 1:42.8 | culinary sparkle to our Christmas special. |
| 1:45.9 | I spoke to Rick a few weeks ago. |
| 1:48.8 | He was in his home in Barnes. |
| 1:50.4 | I was at home. |
| 1:51.4 | And this year he is celebrating the release of his new book, Rick Stein's Christmas. |
| 1:57.9 | One for any food you lover in your life this Christmas. |
| 2:00.6 | It's a real treasure |
| 2:01.4 | trove of kind of festive recipes and anecdotes about what this time of year really means. |
... |
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