David Eyre, executive chef of Eyre Brothers, has been interviewed by the British Library as part of its archive of recordings to
document the changing nature of food production, manufacture and consumption in 20th-century Britain.
Eyre’s interview, which runs to more than 14 hours, is one of 300 that have been conducted over a 10-year period; all are now available to visitors to the library. The recordings include Food: From
Source to Salespoint, Tesco: An Oral History, and An Oral History of the Wine Trade. Other high-profile chefs who have contributed to the project include Albert Roux, Prue Leith, Fergus Henderson
and Antonio Carluccio.
During his interview, Eyre recalls the influence his upbringing in Mozambique had on his cooking, and describes his experience of opening The Eagle in Farringdon, which was London’s first gastropub. The recording also takes listeners through the launch of Eyre
Brothers to the present day.
The British Library has documented individual stories such as these as part of its Life Stories project. The project explores our relationship with food in the 20th century, from the 1930s to the
present day. The interviews chart the technological and social advances that affected food production, distribution and retail, as well as our changing attitudes to food.
For more information visit the British Library website.