Matthew Kessler

Matthew has over a decade of experience working across the food system — from farms and kitchens to classrooms, labs, and recording studios. At TABLE, he hosts, produces, and edits Feed: a food systems podcast and coordinates events, written outputs, and engagement with researchers across disciplines. He also teaches through guest lectures and workshops, encouraging reflection on values and entry points into food systems debates.

As Matthew is not a traditional 'researcher', here are a few projects he has been involved in.

Coordination

Currently (2025-2026), Matthew coordinates and leads strategic communications on a research project funded by Kamprad Foundation entitled Rethinking the Global Soy Dilemma exploring sites of production in North and South America, sites of consumption in Sweden and Europe, and different pathways to address rising soy demand without increasing environmental harm.

Matthew was a co-coordinator of the Formas funded project (2022-2024) The Future of Meat - storytelling and dialogues for improved decision making. There he produced and hosted 9 podcast episodes, facilitated dialogues within the university, high schools, and with a broad of stakeholders and interest groups.

Podcasts

Feed: A Food Systems Podcast (2021–present [>70 episodes])  — explores whether local or global food systems are more sustainable, who has and should have the power shape the future of food, and whether food should be more "natural." Feed features conversations with global food systems experts from diverse backgrounds.

Meat: The Four Futures (2022-2023 [9 episodes]) — investigates competing visions and evidence around meat and livestock futures: no meat, less/better meat, alternative proteins, and efficient “meat 2.0.” Combining storytelling, field reporting, and analysis, the series unpacks promises and pitfalls of each scenario.

Fuel to Fork (2024 [6 episodes]) — explores the hidden role of fossil fuels in the food we eat, from the diesel powering tractors to the fertilizers in the field and the plastic in our packaging. The series, a collaboration between IPES-Food, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, and TABLE, investigates competing visions for phasing out fossil fuels in the food system, examining the trade-offs, challenges, and opportunities along the way.

Facilitation

Matthew was on the organizing committee for the 5th Global Food Security Conference held in Leuven, Belgium in April 2024, he was a co-moderator of the 10th Agri4D conference in 2025 in Uppsala, Sweden, and he has facilitated dozens of in-person and digital events and workshops on contested topics in food systems.