If you’re looking for more television to fill the hour before Love Island, you’re in luck - Crazy Delicious starts on Channel 4 tonight, fronted by the hilarious Jayde Adams and is as addictive as… vinegar-infused chips (watch the show and it’ll make sense).
The new programme follows the well-trodden Great British Bake Off formula of contestants taking part in three challenges and being judged, but this time by the ‘Food Gods’, some of the hottest names in food from around the world - Heston Blumenthal, Niklas Ekstedt and Carla Hall.
And if you thought the famous 'Lion Bread' from Bake Off was whacky, wait until you see these guys - we’re just gonna say ‘strawberry chicken wings’. The chefs are asked to create dishes using a strange ‘edible garden’ of ingredients that are thinking-out-of-the-box new creations - read: Instagrammable as hell.
The show really captures that phenomenon of restaurants chasing that Instagrammable dish that’s going to see them splashed across social media. Which is why Food God/judge Blumenthal made waves earlier this month when he revealed he’d considered telling people not to take pictures of their food at his triple Michelin-starred restaurant, The Fat Duck.
It’s a lot - and it needs to be wrangled by a great host, which is where Adams comes in. Known for her stand-up (she currently has an Amazon Prime special) including the incredibly titled, ‘Ballad of Kylie Jenner’s Old Face’, Adams tells Grazia she’s thrilled to be at the forefront of the show.
Tell us what Crazy Delicious is all about…
It’s an exciting new cookery competition where the food is anything but ordinary. It takes place on an edible set where, each week, three passionate cooks forage for their ingredients. Three food gods will then judge their food on ingenuity and taste and decide who is the winner of the golden apple. It’s like Willy Wonka meets A Midsummers Night’s Dream. And I’m there in the Crazy Delicious Ant & Dec role – the presenter. I keep the contestants calm and sometimes help out if they need me whilst looking like Alice in Wonderland wearing couture designed by Gemma Banks. I’m such a lucky girl. And to think, I used to work at Asda!
Do you like to take pictures of your food for Instagram?
Yes, I do. But what’s most important is that my food TASTES good for the people eating it, which becomes a huge theme for this show. So many people know how to take a photo of their food and forget to taste it when cooking, and the amount of people not using salt and pepper is an absolute epidemic. This show is really going to encourage home cooks to up their game. It has with me! My boyfriend has been eating great food since we filmed this. Lucky boy.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten?
I’ve eaten in five of the best restaurants in the world since working on this show. But still my favourite food will always be a roast from my mum. Heston has taught me all about the emotional connection we have with eating, about the stomach being a second brain and how feelings and emotions affect our taste buds. Which is why Mum’s food is always the best. I love my mum.
The show has a Bake Off vibe – would you like to fill Sandi Toksvig’s boots [after she announced she’s leaving the show]?
I love Bake Off, it’s a brilliant show. But I’m so excited for Crazy Delicious as we are doing something completely new, we designed an edible blossom tree with a champagne babbling waterfall.
You once performed as an Adele impersonator – what do you think to the reaction to her recent weight loss?
Why do we have to keep talking about women’s weight? Aren’t we passed that yet? Do you know every time I’m on TV, men write things on Twitter about my weight? And the reason is because we constantly give the conversation airtime. Let’s talk about how excited we all are about Adele’s next album! I feel one brewing. Is it going be a grime album? OH PLEASE LET HER RAP!
There aren’t many plus-sized women out there fronting TV shows – how do you feel about that?
Well, I will say that there are actually lots of plus size women on the TV, I could list loads but here are just some of them who are doing great things: Me! I’m smashing it at the moment (also I have an Amazon Prime Special out currently), Dawn French, Alison Hammond, Felicity Hayward, Desiree Burch, Keala Settle, Sharon Rooney, Chinenye Ezeudu, Michelle McManus, Beth Ditto, Katy Brand, Jo Brand, Kathy Burke, Tess Halliday, Kelly Clarkson, Whoopi Goldberg....
Tell us about the Food Gods.
Niklas Ekstedt - our Swedish Fire God - is an expert in fine dining, has two Michelin stars and is the world’s foremost authority on cooking without electricity. Also, he cannot lie about anything he doesn’t like eating.
Carla Hall - American Soul Food Goddess - winner of America’s Top Chef, she’s huge in the States after hosting a cookery-themed talk show show there. She has a massive Instagram following and this is her introduction to the UK. Carla brings a sophistication and warmth to our food panel, but she’s no pushover.
Heston Blumenthal - our Gastronomic God. Heston is an actual bonafide genius – the inventor of the triple-cooked chip and pioneer of so many new flavour combinations. He and his team at the Fat Duck are always trying to discover and invent new culinary experiences. He’s a scientist.
Jayde Adams presents Crazy Delicious on Channel 4, Tuesday at 8pm. Jayde’s stand-up special Serious Black Jumper is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video now and she is touring the UK until April 26th.
READ MORE: Sandi Toksvig Quits Great British Bake Off After Three Years