The kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where we live, laugh and love. And it is central to one of the most powerful traditions in modern life - the family meal. In this documentary series, BBC Two follows eight very different households in their kitchens, capturing the spirit of life in Britain, as they cook, eat and share their lives at the kitchen table.

It's mid-September and, across the country, households have settled into their regular routines, but for some, it's time to celebrate.

In Cheltenham, Alasdair and Lucy Garbutt try to enjoy a kid-free romantic wedding anniversary dinner. In Devon, Marylyn and Wilfred Bradshaw's son comes to visit to celebrate the 51st anniversary of their engagement.

In Cardiff, the Barry Powers celebrate dad Lee's 45th with a vast array of finger food, and in Birmingham, party food at Gabriel Evans's 10th birthday leads mum Sue astray from her no-carb diet.

For other families it's just a relief to make it through another working week. Hamish and Merlyn Mitchell Cotts struggle to keep order at the dinner table when a German exchange student comes to stay. The Clapham boys discuss politics and the Bible over a low-fat lasagne. Simon and Sue Gale return from fine-tuning their marriage at a couples retreat in Amsterdam, and at the Harrars in Staffordshire, the family delicately try to curb dad Amar's addiction to kitchen gadgets over lunch. Show less