The 10 Best Off Menu Episodes
Each week on the Off Menu Podcast, British comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster welcome a new guest into their dream restaurant, where they are asked to conjure up their ideal meal (with the help of a genie played by James). As they enjoy their imaginary feast, Ed and James ask questions and crack jokes that will make you feel like you’re eating dinner with great friends. If you ever wanted to know whether Louis Theroux, Paul F. Tompkins, or Kumail Nanjiani would pick sparkling or still water at a restaurant, or what Claudia Winkleman’s favorite appetizer is, you’ve come to the right place! And Ed and James always come up with a secret ingredient at the start of each episode, that, if a guest includes it in their meal, will mean the immediate termination of the interview! It’s a great premise for a podcast and you’re sure to find the episodes as genuinely enlightening as they are funny. For the best episodes of Off Menu, check out this list of recommendations from the Podyssey community.
Last Updated: Jan 14th, 2023
1) Ep 66: Louis Theroux
One of the most interesting things about Off Menu is that, in veering from the standard interview setup, the dream restaurant becomes a disarming place where Ed and James are able to uncover so much about their guests through the lens of food. In this episode with legendary British documentarian and author Louis Theroux, listeners get some really interesting insights into the psyche of a filmmaker who has spent so much time asking other people questions. Louis talks about his experience in lockdown, his new book, and, of course, his dream meal. Like any of the best Off Menu episodes, it’s brimming with funny stories and laughs that will make you feel right at home.
2) Ep 76: Claudia Winkleman
In this episode of Off Menu, Ed and James are joined by iconic Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman. As Off Menu fans will know, the absolute best episodes are the ones where the guests completely buy into the show’s premise, and Claudia is brimming with excitement to chat about her unexpected dream meal. She’s totally game for silly questions, and educates the boys about spray tans and her vehement distaste for water — which Ed and James weren’t prepared for! This is one of the wackiest, funniest episodes of Off Menu ever and is definitely a must-listen.
3) Ep 54: Sam Carter
Ed’s not the only metalhead in the dream restaurant this week, as Sam Carter – lead singer of Architects – chooses his dream menu. And he proves the rule: the heavier the band, the more documentaries ...Show More
4) Ep 178: Fern Brady
Who’s this week’s guest, Fern? ‘It’s me Fern Brady, me Fern Brady!’ The superb stand-up, Taskmaster star-turn-author orders her dream meal.Trigger warning: this episode contains talk of dieting and ca...Show More
5) Ep 51: Paul F. Tompkins
We’re in sunny Los Angeles and our first Hollywood guest is podcasting king and ‘Bojack Horseman’ star Paul F. Tompkins!Recorded by Devon Bryant at Earwolf. Edited by Ben Williams for Plosive Producti...Show More
6) Ep 42: Greg Davies (Christmas Special)
A second Christmas miracle! The Taskmaster himself Greg Davies joins us in the dream restaurant for another festive special. So let's start the meal with the well-known phrase, 'I'm hard, let's eat'.R...Show More
7) Ep 90: Paul Scheer
Actor, comedian and ‘How Did This Get Made?’ podcaster Paul Scheer – and a mystery healthy old man – join Ed and James in the dream restaurant this week. This episode was recorded in LA, pre-pandemic,...Show More
8) Ep 65: Romesh Ranganathan
The restaurant’s re-opened (with new Covid precautions) and the first guest of series 4 is Romesh Ranganathan! Romesh is in his garage, Ed's in his home and the genie’s in his lamp.Listen to Romesh’s ...Show More
9) Ep 61: Reggie Watts
It’s the most relaxed dream restaurant yet, as this week’s guest is Reggie Watts – comedian, musician and James Corden band leader. This episode was recorded on bean bags in Reggie’s LA studio.Watch R...Show More
10) Ep 55: Natasha Leggero and Moshe Kasher
So many firsts in this week’s LA-recorded episode with comedians Natasha Leggero and Moshe Kasher: our first married couple in the dream restaurant, the first competitive menus, and James’s first sip ...Show More