James May: Oh Cook! The Cooking Show Hosted by the Man who Can’t Cook 

Roxanna Zoughi on 29 December 2020

The former Top Gear host insists he can’t cook, but he did beat Gordon Ramsay in a fish pie contest in 2011 – whilst drunk.

Following the finale of the Grand Tour a year ago, the Top Gear Trio have gone their separate ways, with Clarkson opening his own farm (albeit with a very muddy intro back in February), May exploring the culinary arts with his food tour of Japan, and Hammond, well, being forced to sell his Ferrari.

May was already enlightening viewers with his food series on YouTube channel ‘Foodtribe’ which saw the Grand Tour host revisiting 70s childhood food classics out of a bunker; including an exploration into what the best cheese is for a classic cheese sandwich (spoiler: it is indeed, cheddar). The semi-established show also featured May’s former Top Gear co-host, Richard Hammond, who did not hold back in rectifying May’s poached egg mishaps. The channel enjoyed substantial success in the millions of views it attracted from viewers who fancied watching James May make pickled sandwiches for 10 minutes straight. It was inevitable then, for May to depart from his beloved bunker, and graduate to a fully operational kitchen to host his newest Amazon Prime show Oh Cook!; a cooking show hosted by a man who can’t cook – or so he says.

May’s show is refreshing and humorous, as well as informative; “did you know Japan Airlines serves instant noodles in the posh seats?” he tells us. His honest and unimposing approach free of condescension draws us in and engages us with his straightforward (but definitely not fuss-free) culinary creations, accompanied by a witty self-narration throughout. Each episode focuses on a certain cuisine, from Asian fusions to pub classics; there’s a culinary style for everyone. And with more restrictions being placed across the country, May’s cooking show is perhaps just what we need to re-familiarize ourselves with our home kitchens to inspire our own wonderful culinary creations.

But if there’s one thing we can learn from Oh Cook!, it’s this: If James May can cook it, so can you.

State of Fashion 2021 Report

Carmen Ghazi on 20 December 2020

2020 has, to put it mildly, altered the very fundamental behaviours of the world and the fashion industry is no exception. The nature of the pandemic, which required everyone to halt outdoor socialising, put a significant strain on fashion companies. The Business of Fashion has released 5 yearly reports, titled ‘The State of Fashion’ regarding- surprisingly-the state of fashion in the world. Their aim in doing so is to ‘provide an authoritative annual picture of The State of Fashion’. By identifying the business trends and global themes of the year, their report helps to track the ways in which fluctuations in the world economy feed through into fashion and project how businesses in the industry should adapt if they hope to survive.


Inevitably, their report this year is of particular interest given the uncertainty that the following year might bring, economically and even culturally. The pandemic has not only halted our immediate need for fashion by restricting our social lives to the parameters of the sofa paired with pyjama bottoms but perhaps also changed the way we interact with
fashion. I doubt I was alone when my mindless perusing of online fashion retailers was tainted with guilt, whilst headlines were consistently inundated with climbing death tolls and health services at breaking point. Not only, but simultaneous reports of worker exploitation in a clothing factory in Leicester, which supplies Boohoo, did nothing to quell said guilt.

Nevertheless, the report does suggest that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the industry and that, with the right strategy plans, this year has provided them with an opportunity to develop further in line with consumer values and ethical practices.

Overall, the industry reported a 90% decline in profit in 2020, with three-quarters of listed companies reporting losses. A seemingly permanent change in ‘normality’ after this year means that more bankruptcies can be expected, accompanied by increased shop closures and job cuts thanks to the shift to digital shopping. Even some of the biggest fashion companies of the world are vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic, a notable example
being Arcadia, owner of high street names like Topshop and Dorothy Perkins.

However, despite the bleak economic projections that the report remained upfront about, a silver lining presents itself in the business opportunities now open for companies to play to their advantage. The report identifies the ethical trajectory consumers are moving towards and encourages companies to align closer to these values in order to maintain demand. That
in fact, because of the pandemic, companies are being pushed to think from a consumer point of view and prioritise ethical and sustainable commitments.


Nevertheless, the shift towards sustainability still has some progress to make. The report surveyed fashion executives, only 10% of whom felt that ‘sustainability’ would be the biggest opportunity for the fashion industry in 2021. Unsurprisingly, ‘digital’ opportunities were identified by 30% of executives, likely thanks to its highly lucrative and ubiquitous nature. There is still progress to be made regarding corporate mentality on the profitability of sustainable fashion.


The bottom line of the report? Companies must remain agile when strategizing for the year ahead and use the ‘new normal’ that the pandemic has created to their advantage. It encourages tailored, but bold approaches where possible. Companies that shy away from embracing head-on the opportunities of the pandemic may suffer the most. Read the report in full here.

Remembering Sam Cooke, the King of Soul

Benjamin Forrest on 9 December 2020

Sam Cooke was undeniably one of the most well-known and influential artists in mid-20th Century America. Rising to fame singing in the gospel group The Soul Stirrers in the early 1950’s before starting an incredibly successful solo career in 1957, Cooke is often hailed as the ‘King of Soul’. Cooke’s success laid the way for soul legends such as Aretha Franklin, Al Green and Marvin Gaye (among countless others) and the influence of Cooke cannot be underestimated within the general history of popular music. His beauteous, effortlessly emotive touched the lives of millions and remains popular to this day, with artists such as Beyoncé covering his work. 

Enjoying much commercial success in the late 50’s, with singles such as ‘You Send Me’, ‘I’ll Come Running Back to You’ and ‘Wonderful World’ gaining a lot of traction in the charts, as Cooke moved into the 1960’s the rise of the Civil Rights Movement inevitably had an influence on Cooke’s work. His greatest work ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ became an anthem for the Civil Rights movement  and was performed for the first and only time of the Tonight Show in February 1964. The song expresses a melancholic hopefulness regarding African American rights, rather than expressing outright anger as many songs of the time did. 

Whilst this politicisation of his music  lost him the support of many white listeners, the issue of Civil Rights was something Cooke was unable to ignore any longer. The events of Little Rock in 1957, the 1961 Freedom Rides, 1963 March on Washington, among other vital events on the timeline of the Civil Rights movement, had caused many African American musicians to become politicised within their music – perhaps most notably Nina Simone and ‘Mississippi Goddamn’ (released 1964). Music as a form of political protest was not a new idea, especially within the issue of Civil Rights, Billie Holiday released ‘Strange Fruit’ in 1939 which was not only an amazing song but also perhaps the first time protest music had been popular since the marching songs of the Civil War. 

The legacy of ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ lives on – the song has been covered by a plethora of legendary artists including Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Lizzo and Beyoncé. The lyrics were even referenced by President Barack Obama after his victory in the 2008 Presidential Election. 

December 11th, 2020 marks 56 years since Cooke’s death, which is still viewed by many as a great injustice. Cooke was shot to death in a sleazy Los Angeles motel by hotel manager and pimp, Bertha Franklin, after an alleged altercation with a 22-year-old woman, Elisa Boyer,  who was later found out to have a record of prostitution. After just a 2-hour inquest into his death, it was ruled justifiable and Franklin was not charged. Whether Cooke had attacked or been violent with either Franklin or Boyer we will never know, but either way you spin it, it is evident that Cooke’s death was not of much note to the LAPD. As boxing icon, and personal friend of Cooke, Muhammed Ali said “If Cooke had been Frank Sinatra, The Beatles or Ricky Nelson the FBI would be investigating…and that woman would be sent to prison”. The facts that Franklin had a record for pimping, and Boyer had been arrested for prostitution were not even known by the LAPD at the time, because they simply did not bother to check – the entire case was open and shut within 2 hours, showing to many that the LAPD simply did not care. Justice was not served. Cooke, in their eyes, was just another dead black man. Furthermore, these attitudes seemingly have not changed within America: Run DMC’s Jam Master Jay, Tupac, and the Notorious B.I.G. were all murdered and none of their murders have ever been solved, largely due to a lack of effort to solve them. These injustices are indicative of the extent of racism within the United States; it does not matter who you are, or how successful you have become, you are just another dead black man to the Police and the courts. 

Nevertheless, Sam Cooke’s spirit lives on through his music, which sounds just as good today as it would have done 60 years ago, the soulfulness of Cooke’s music transcends time and his voice will never grow old. Rightfully hailed as the King of Soul, Cooke still acts as a beacon of hope for anybody and everybody still determined that “a change gonna come”. 

Living Green: From Almond to Oat – Your Ultimate Guide to Plant-Milks

Alicia Ward on 5 December 2020

In 2019, 32% of UK households bought dairy-free milk. With the prevalence of lactose allergies, the rise in people converting to veganism and increasing awareness of the negative environmental impact of purchasing dairy, it comes as no surprise that more people are going dairy-free. But with all of the different plant milks that are available to buy, from those made with nuts to rice to coconut, which is the best? And what is it that people look for when choosing a plant milk?

Round 1: Cost

Some – especially students – may be swayed by the price when choosing from the huge variety of plant milks that UK supermarkets offer. Based on a litre of Alpro milk at Tesco’s almond, cashew and coconut milk appear to be the most expensive, retailing for £1.70 a carton, with oat and rice following at £1.40 and soya the cheapest at £1.30 a litre.

However, if you’re looking for luxury when choosing a plant milk and can compromise on price, Califia Farms is a brand that sells plant milks infused with sweet flavours like vanilla and even sell litre bottles of chilled coffee made with dairy-free milk. But you may find yourself dishing out a whopping £2.95 for some of these.

A little tip for those wanting to switch to dairy-free milk on a budget is to have a look in the long-life milk section on the shelves in supermarkets, where many sell their own-brand plant milks. For example, Tesco’s own almond milk retails for £1 a litre and their soya milk is just 85p. However, bear in mind that some of the supermarket-own brand milks can taste slightly different to the Alpro versions so you might want to buy a selection to see which you prefer.

Round 2: Taste

Speaking of taste, it is common that plant milks all work well for different uses. PETA UK give recommendations as to which plant milks are best for different things. For tea and other hot drinks, they recommend oat milk. I strongly agree, as oat milk makes a deliciously creamy coffee or hot chocolate. Many people agree that oat milk tastes the closest to cow’s milk in tea and it’s very important for us Brits to get a cup of tea right!

For cereal, almond milk is recommended by PETA. With its light texture and nutty taste, it is great poured over any cereal, especially nutty granola. I personally think almond milk is also great in any chilled drinks like iced coffees or milkshakes.

Soya milk is preferred for baking; with its creamy and sweet taste, it’s a great substitute for cow’s milk in anything from cookies to cakes. Try unsweetened soya for savoury cooking – to make a roux for a dairy-free lasagne – or try coconut milk stirred into a homemade soup for some extra flavour.

Round 3: Health & Nutrition

As some people can be intolerant or allergic to soy, soya milk is not the best health-wise, however, it is the most nutritionally similar to cow’s milk. Soya milk contains as much protein as cow’s milk but is lower in calories, low in saturated fat, cholesterol-free and offers nearly 50% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin b12 (which is generally lacking in a vegan diet).

While it lacks protein, unsweetened almond milk is the lowest-calorie option on the market with just 30 calories a cup, however, this isn’t an option for those with nut allergies. Oat milk is an alternative choice for those with nut or soya allergies but also great for everyone, containing a good amount of protein, being high in fibre and available as a gluten-free option.

Round 4: Environmental Impact

Despite soya milk using four times less water to produce than cow’s milk, two times less land and producing two and a half times less CO2 emissions, there is still a lot of controversy surrounding the effects of soybean farming. The WWF state that ‘behind beef, soy is the second largest agricultural driver of deforestation’, however, 70-75% of the world’s soy is used as feed for livestock and farmed fish. So, if you’re buying soya milk because you are vegan, your contribution to the deforestation caused by soybean farming is already massively reduced.

Despite the downsides of soya milk, it also has its advantages. Soya milk production uses the least amount of water compared to other plant milks, taking just 28 litres to produce 1 litre, compared to the mind-blowing 628 litres that it takes to produce just 1 litre of cow’s milk.

In comparison, almond milk uses half the amount of water as cow’s milk (371 litres) and is the highest out of all the plant milks. Almond cultivation has also had its fair share of controversy. California, which provides 80% of the world’s almonds, frequently experiences droughts which have become increasingly worse over the past decade. It takes 5 litres of water to produce a single almond, meaning that these mass exports are taking away from the local communities.

Winner!

It appears that oat milk comes out on top as the most favourable plant milk. Not only is it suitable for soya and nut allergy sufferers, but can also be gluten-free, has little impact on climate change and deforestation compared to other milks and is one of the cheapest available in UK supermarkets.

Despite this, all plant milks are great alternatives to cow’s milk. Whether you choose to buy them for lifestyle choices, allergies or just because you prefer the taste, each one can offer something different.

Next time someone asks you what the big plant milk hype is about, tell them they really ‘oat’ to know more…

Review: Dash and Lily

Anushka Searle on 4 December 2020

Dash & Lily is an American Christmas-based rom-com Netflix show based in New York City. The show is based on the young adult book series by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan, with the first book being Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. Unsurprisingly, the story surrounds the protagonists Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis). Lily, encouraged by her brother, creates a book of dares that she hides in a bookshop next to her favourite book, in the hope that it will be discovered by her perfect match. Of course, Dash discovers the book and so the show follows the protagonists as they travel around New York while trading dares, dreams and desires.

If you are a fan of a good cheesy Christmas movie, then you will absolutely love these 8 episodes of pure Christmas fun. Dash & Lily gives you those soppy feel-good feelings that make your heart heavy – think a combination of The Holiday, Love Actually and A Christmas Prince. Whether it’s a crush, a partner, or a long-lost love, this series will immediately make you dream of that special someone. This series brings forth those warm, fuzzy feelings of love, and isn’t that what we all want to feel this year… love.

Of course, like most cheesy Christmas films, or rom-coms in general, some things are a tad far-fetched and unrealistic. It is unlikely that 17-year olds (where the drinking age is 21) would be able to get in a club hassle-free and with no ID checks. It also seems very far-fetched that these teenagers, Lily in particular, would have so many connections in New York to help them plan all their great dares. However, if the story were to follow a more realistic route than we would have a very boring story, where the notebook would never have been found and our protagonists would barely leave the house, spending most of their days sleeping until 2pm. So, bring on the unrealistic relationships for us all to idealise this Christmas!

Even if you don’t usually enjoy Christmas, this show will still be enjoyable, as it is not all Christmas joy and tackles the seasonal blues too and Dash himself doesn’t even like Christmas! Let’s be honest, after such a rough year I think some cheesy comfort watches are in order, we all need a little escapism. So, make yourself a deluxe hot chocolate, pop on Dash & Lily, and enjoy this love letter to New York.

Oh, and if that wasn’t enough the Jonas Brothers also make a cameo appearance!

Todd Phillips’ Joker is a conflation of ‘Travis Bickle and Rupert Pupnick’: What David Fincher’s comments on Joker reveal about the film industry today

Roxanna Zoughi on 21 November 2020

Director of 1999 cult classic Fight Club unapologetically shared his views on Todd Phillips’ 21st-century adaptation of one of the most recognised villains in fiction in his 2019 film, Joker.

As part of promotion for his newest film Mank, Fincher reflects on the massive success Joker enjoyed at the box office followed by a generally warm critical reception, in an interview with The Telegraph. Had it not been for Nolan’s massive success in adapting Ledger’s compelling performance to The Dark Knight, Fincher finds it hard to believe that the 2019 film Joker would have been received as well as it was. “Nobody would have thought they had a shot at a giant hit with Joker had The Dark Knight not been as massive as it was”. He goes on “I don’t think anyone would have looked at that material and thought, ‘Yeah, let’s take [Taxi Driver’s] Travis Bickle and [The King of Comedy’s] Rupert Pupkin and conflate them, then trap him in a betrayal of the mentally ill, and trot it out for a billion dollars.’”

Fincher highlights the film’s undeniable allusions to 1970s and 1980s classics Taxi Driver, which follows the disorientated quest for redemption of unbalanced New York taxi driver, and The King of Comedy, a black comedy film centered around the delusions of aspiring stand-up comedian whose eccentric mannerisms and even attire, are noticeably emulated in Joker. Both films were directed by Martin Scorsese and star Robert De Niro as lead role, who has also appeared alongside Joaquin Phoenix in Joker. With the emulation and re-emulation of previously successful and popular tropes in film, it is perhaps not unreasonable to consider that some directors may be tempted to recycle aspects of older films which, at some level, secure a degree of success, or at the least, attention for their ‘new’ projects.

The King of Comedy / Medium

Whilst Phillip’s direction of colour and camerawork alongside Phoenix’s stunning performance hold up as a remarkable piece of art, the adaption of the comic book villain was not a challenging or revolutionary one; it’s success was at least partly owed to the legacy of Ledger’s performance in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008), which had already developed and established the Joker as one of the most alluring villains in fiction. However, that is not to suggest that Phillips did not offer an alternative, enlightening perspective to his adaptation of the character; revealing a developed backstory is what developed the Joker in a way other films had not. But at the same time, constructing a history for the Joker defeats the significance of the obscure meaning behind his actions, which is what made his character both elusive and compelling in previous performances.

Fincher highlights the lack of challenging new material in the film industry today, whose studios “don’t want to make anything that can’t make them a billion dollars”. The reproduction of a character whose success had already been established, no doubt assured film studios of its success; Joker profited over $1 billion at the box office.  

However, before criticising filmmakers for the lack of challenging and new material, we should be considerate of their restriction of free movement in actualising their ideas. Whilst some “challenging content” does manage to make it to the big screen Fincher says, directors still face many obstacles to achieving this, which is something he has experienced first-hand; after a 30-year long struggle, Fincher was only recently able to bring his father’s script for Mank to the big screen. So, can we legitimately chastise directors for failing to present viewers with challenging material, when they are compelled to produce films centered around subjects which have already proven to be commercially lucrative? Nonetheless, conceptualizing an idea and adapting an idea for commercial production are evidently two very different things in the film industry.

Fincher’s newest film, Mank, has already received outstanding reviews from critics and will be available for viewing on Netflix from December 4, 2020.

Photo: nofilmschool.com

Students may receive university offers after results day under new plans

Josh Elgin on 20 November 2020

The Education secretary has revealed plans to change the university admissions system, so that applicants are offered places based on their actual exam results rather than predicted grades. 

Gavin Williamson said the overhaul is being considered to “remove the unfairness” of inaccurate predicted grades which he says damages the opportunities of high achievers from disadvantaged backgrounds.   

Under the current system, applicants apply to universities before January using grades predicted by their teachers and accept any offers they have received in June. In August, results are released and applicants who failed to meet the terms of their offer enter clearing to find another course. 

The proposals, however, would give students longer to make their university choices and offers would only be made once the university has received an applicant’s grades in August. Universities would have a one-week window before “offer day”, and students a one-week window afterwards to respond, followed by a clearing process for applicants without a place. 

UCAS data for 2019 shows 79% of 18-year-olds in the UK accepted to university with at least 3 A levels had their grades over-predicted, whereas 8% were under-predicted. 

High achieving students from low-income households are most likely to have their grades under-predicted, with research from UCL’s Institute of Education showing almost a quarter of that group had their results underpredicted between 2013 and 2015. 

In a statement, the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 

“We should celebrate the fact that we are seeing record numbers of disadvantaged students going to university, but the current admissions system is letting down the brightest pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. By using predicted grades it is limiting the aspirations of students before they know what they can achieve. 

We need to radically change a system which breeds low aspiration and unfairness. That is why we are exploring how best to transform the admission process to one which can propel young people into the most promising opportunities for them within higher education.”

The government is also looking into banning the use of unconditional offers, which the Department for Education described as a “damaging practice” that encourages applicants to accept a place at a university which might not be in their best interest.

Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, said: “The current system is based on inaccurately predicted results and leads to those from less affluent backgrounds losing out. Allowing students to apply after they receive their results will help level the playing field and put a stop to the chaotic clearing scramble.”

The Sutton Trust commissioned a poll last month which found that two-thirds of this year’s university entrants are in favour of removing predicted grades from university admissions. Applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds said they would have been more likely to have applied to more selective universities if they had known their final results. 

Josh Bate, an International Relations student, said he thought the change would make the application process fairer. “It’s a good thing because universities won’t be able to discriminate against students based on social factors […] admission to university will only be based on how well you have done”

Photo credit: Charles Robertson/Alamy