The Monocle Weekly

We speak with Mexican chef Santiago Lastra from Michelin-starred Kol. We discuss his cookbook, Mexican Soul: A New Style of Cooking and the menu inspired by Tate Modern’s exhibition ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Keith Jopling about his two books on the music industry, ‘Body of Work’ (about the importance of the album) and ‘Riding the Rollercoaster’ (about surviving the music business). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with singer and classically trained cellist Kelsey Lu about new album 'So Help Me God'.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with chef Meedu Saad, known for his work at Kiln, about his debut restaurant, Impala, also in London’s Soho.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Parisian restaurateurs Laetitia and Arthur Cohen, owners of Bar Omi and Ojii, among others. We hear about their expansion plans and great Japanese food.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Reiko Sakata, general manager of the Imperial Hotel Kyoto, which opened its doors this spring. We hear about the hotel’s opening, its new spa and what the location means to the hospitality group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Franco-Brazilian duo PPJ (Páula and Povoa), who just released EP ‘Joker’, an eclectic mix of baile funk, techno and electro.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are in Paris to speak with chef Jean Costantini from A Casaluna, a restaurant serving authentic Corsican food. He also discusses his latest book, ‘Corsica’.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We head to Paris to speak with Frédéric Antelme, managing director of one of France’s most distinguished radio stations, Radio Nova. We discuss its increasing success and music curation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo about her new album ‘Hope!!’. The influential artist discusses her music and collaborations with Pharrell Williams, Iza and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro on his role in ‘The Blue Trail’, a dystopian production about ageing by Gabriel Mascaro. Plus: his upcoming role in Netflix series ‘Brazil ’70: The Third Star’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with musician Thundercat about his first album in six years, ‘Distracted’. Plus: his love for Brazilian music and Japan, and why boxing has been a revelation for him. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with writer and consultant Richard Lapper about his new book, ‘Lula! The Man, The Myth and a Dream of Latin America’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Alexis Taylor about his new solo album and most revealing work yet, ‘Paris In The Spring’. We discuss the record’s musical influences and 25 years of Hot Chip.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with British singer Jessie Ware about her upcoming album, ‘Superbloom’, and how it connects with her very first release, ‘Devotion’, and her successful food podcast, ‘Table Manners’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Brazilian cultural entrepreneur Filipe Assis, founder of Aberto, an exhibition platform that brings architecture to life with plenty of art and design. The fifth edition features Eduardo Longo’s Casa Bola.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Argentinean duo CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso about their new album, ‘Free Spirits’, which features a collaboration with British musician Sting as their ‘spiritual mentor’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Xavier Padovani, partner and director of Experimental, on the reopening of the company’s ECC cocktail bar in London’s Chinatown and its upcoming property in Rome.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Brazilian musician Lucas Santtana about his new album, ‘Brasiliano’, an ode to the unique language spoken in Brazil, featuring collaborations with the likes of Gilberto Gil and Rachel Reis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After five decades shaping London’s most iconic dining rooms, Jeremy King and his longtime collaborator, Shayne Brady, tell Monocle how they’re rethinking restaurant interiors and embracing evolving tastes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Australian singer Sam Quealy about her latest album, ‘Jawbreaker’. It’s a delicious mix of synthy electro and nostalgic disco, and a fun dose of Quealy’s high-kicking stage presence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Swedish singer Cobrah about her new album, ‘Torn’. The pop provocateur stopped by our studio to talk about her unapologetically bold record.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Tom Marchant, co-founder of luxury travel company Black Tomato. We discuss how the industry is changing and the destinations to keep an eye on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with director Oliver Laxe about his sensorial and ecstatic Sirāt, nominated for two Oscars, including Best International Feature and Best Sound. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso, nominated for an Oscar and a Bafta for his work on Clint Bentley’s contemplative Train Dreams. Veloso shot mainly using natural light, giving the film a naturalistic tone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Prince Louis Albert de Broglie, the owner of Parisian taxidermy shop and educational institution Deyrolle. He tells us about the iconic boutique and how it has served as an inspiration for artists. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with the team behind Oscar- and Bafta-nominated film ‘Zootropolis 2’, Hollywood’s biggest-ever animation. We hear from producer Yvett Merino and Jared Bush, director and chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with the team behind Brazilian political-crime thriller ‘The Secret Agent’ – director Kleber Mendonça Filho and leading star Wagner Moura. The film is nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Moura.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to acclaimed director Kaouther Ben Hania about her powerful 2025 docudrama The Voice of Hind Rajab – a film that tells the story of the Israeli killing of a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was trapped in a car under fire in Gaza. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with producer and scholar Beppe Savoni, the founder of Disco Bambino, a project celebrating Italian disco. The genre is back in full force thanks to the likes of Savoni – we look at why 2026 will continue that trend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with film director Joachim Trier about his new film, ‘Sentimental Value’, a poignant story about reconciliation featuring Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve. The film won the Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and it’s set to be the star of this awards season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brazilian telenovelas will keep a new cohort of viewers gripped in 2026 thanks to an unexpected twist: international expansion to the US. We speak with Miura Kite, president of global content at MFF & Co, and Maria Farinha Films co-founder Estela Renner about adapting the telenovela to a North American audience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Brazilian hotelier Juliana Ghiotto, CEO and co-founder of the Barracuda hotel group. The hotels in the beautiful, northeastern seaside town of Itacaré mix Bahian hospitality and Scandinavian elegance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Italian designer Fabrizio Casiraghi in Paris for the opening of Sant Ambroeus. We discuss the design of the iconic Milanese-inspired restaurant and also Casiraghi’s work in a Vatican hotel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli about his new restaurant Locatelli at London's National Gallery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro about 'The Blue Trail', his life-affirming film telling the story of 77-year-old Teresa. It was a hit in his home country and a prizewinner at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with director Shih-Ching Tsou about her latest film, ‘Left-Handed Girl’, with Netflix – Taiwan's official entry for the Oscars. The film was produced, edited and co-written by 'Anora' director Sean Baker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Brazilian art advisor João Paulo Siqueira Lopes, who founded Panorama Art Advisory earlier this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We celebrate the sounds of electroclash with Jonny Slut and Mark Wood, compilers of a new compilation, ‘When The 2000s Clashed: Machine Music For A New Millennium’, celebrating the genre and its influence on music today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, the chief curator of the 36th Bienal de São Paulo, which is currently taking place. The Bienal’s main theme is “Not All Travellers Walk Roads – Of Humanity as Practice”.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Portuguese singer Carolina Deslandes about the music scene in Lisbon and her latest album, ‘Chorar No Club’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with author and ‘Financial Times’ journalist Simon Kuper about his new book, ‘World Cup Fever: A Footballing Journey in Nine Tournaments’, on how football has transformed the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Allie X who returns with “Is Anybody Out There”, her first single of 2025, which features on her self-produced and written fourth record, ‘Happiness Is Going to Get You’ – a meditation on existential isolation and societal malaise. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Paul Cabannes, a French comedian that charmed Brazil with his funny and witty sketches about Brazilian daily life. He visits Midori House before a sold-out gig at Leicester Square Theatre.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Karen Pittman, who plays top television producer Mia Jordan on Apple TV+ series ‘The Morning Show’. Her character plays a big role in season 4.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with German music duo Zimmer90 about their debut album, ‘Interior’, which is full of gentle songs made beautiful by synthy melancholic touches.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Oliver Dixon, the man who looks after Emirates’ incredible wine collection. Since 2006, the airline has invested more than a billion dollars into its wine programme.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with hotelier Pierre Bident-Moldeva, owner of Chez Georges in Rio and La Ferme de Georges in Atins, close to the beautiful Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Laura Horta, co-founder of London’s Osteria Angelina. The new space in Spitalfields is a celebration of Itameshi, a cuisine that combines the flavours and ingredients of Italian and Japanese food. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Rio-born Alessandra Montagne, the star Brazilian chef behind Paris restaurants Nosso and Tempero. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.