Ep 284: Meera Sodha

Superb chef, food writer and author (including one of Off Menu’s favourite cookbooks, ‘East’) Meera Sodha joins us for a Dream Restaurant booking this week. If anyone says ‘ship’ they have to put 50p in the Naan Jar. Meera Sodha’s new cookbook ‘Dinner’ is out now, published by Penguin. Buy it here. For more of her books visit Meera’s website, meerasodha.com/books Follow Meera on Instagram @meerasodha Off Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive.Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive.Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski joins us at the Dream Restaurant this week. We hope there’s enough room on the table… ‘No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski’ is available now on National Geographic Channel and Disney+. Follow Antoni on Instagram @antoniOff Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive.Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive.Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ellie Taylor – ‘Ted Lasso’ star, ‘Strictly’ contestant and superb stand-up – has a booking this week. Shout out to Theresa’s broccoli pasta. Ellie Taylor is on tour with ‘Palavering!’. For dates and tickets head to ellietaylorcomedy.com Follow Ellie on Instagram @elliejanetaylor Off Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive.Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive.Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Tennant Does a Podcast With… Ed and James! The ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Rivals’ star has a table booked in the Dream Restaurant this week, and James starts thinking about a career change.‘David Tennant Does a Podcast With…’ series 3 is out now with guests including Stanley Tucci, Russell T Davies, Ben Schwartz and Jameela Jamil. Listen here. Follow David’s podcast on Instagram @davidtennantpodOff Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive.Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive.Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We can’t quite believe this either. Acting royalty Robert De Niro visits the Dream Restaurant this week. Or, more accurately, the Dream Restaurant visits him.Trigger warning: this episode contains talk about losing and gaining weight for acting roles.Robert De Niro stars in ‘Zero Day’ which is out now on Netflix. Watch it here.Off Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Producued, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive.Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive.Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finally, one of our most requested guests – multi-Bafta-nominated actor Stephen Graham – visits the Dream Restaurant. Will James put his money where his mouth is? Will he avenge Romesh? Let’s get ready to rumble… Trigger warning: this episode contains talk about losing and gaining weight for acting roles. Stephen Graham stars in ‘A Thousand Blows’ which is coming to Disney+ on 21st Feb.He also stars in ‘Adolescence’ which is coming soon to Netflix.Follow Stephen on Instagram @stephengraham1973Off Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive.Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive.Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an Off Menu first, we invite a previous guest back to the Dream Restaurant. But they’re not choosing their meal – they’re being served another guest’s choices. This is the first Tasting Menu episode with fan favourite, John Kearns.John Kearns’s special ‘The Varnishing Days’ is available to watch now on NOW. Watch it here.John stars in Adam Riches and John Kearns ARE ‘Ball & Boe’ at Soho Theatre in London. Get tickets here.Sign up to John’s mailing list at www.johnkearnscomedy.co.uk/mailing-listOff Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive.Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive. Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who’s that behind the mask? It’s Mo Gilligan! ‘The Lateish Show’ host and superstar stand-up joins us in the Dream Restaurant this week.Mo Gilligan is on tour with his world tour ‘In The Moment’. For dates and tickets head to mogilligan.comMo’s podcast, ‘Mo Gilligan: Beginning, Middle and End’ is out now, wherever you get your podcasts. Listen here.Follow Mo on Instagram @mothecomedianOff Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive. Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive. Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Team GB’s Emily Campbell – double Olympic medalist and four-time European weightlifting champion – has a table booked this week.Emily Campbell co-hosts the Unofficial Gladiators podcast ‘Contender Ready’, available on your favourite podcast app. Listen here.Follow Emily on Instagram @emilyjade_gbOff Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive. Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive. Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Dream Restaurant has opened its doors for series 13, and our first guest of 2025 is Bafta-nominated actor and star of ‘Babygirl’ and ‘Triangle of Sadness’, Harris Dickinson.Harris Dickinson stars in ‘Babygirl’ which is in cinemas now.Follow Harris on Instagram @harrisdickinsonOff Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive. Video production by Megan McCarthy for Plosive. Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.