Bon appétit.
By Sam WarnerUpdated: 18 February 2025
Taskmaster star James Acaster has made a surprising career move by signing on for a new cookery show.
The star will appear as a judge on Dinner is Scrapped, which will see two famous chefs compete while using ecologically sustainable ingredients, according to Chortle.
While Acaster is no stranger to the world of food – he co-hosts the Off Menu podcast with Ed Gamble – he hasn't exactly had the biggest success in the kitchen himself, famously having a disastrous turn on The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off in 2019.
"Started baking it, had a breakdown… bon appétit!" he famously declared while judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith inspected flapjacks he made.
Still, Acaster will be putting his judging skills to the test on the new series alongside the likes of Great British Menu's C, Love Island's Faye Winter, YouTuber Max Fosh and more, while the chefs will be led by Michelin-starred chef Douglas McMaster.
The food will be made from ingredients including upcycled food and regenerative crops, with McMaster's restaurant Silo specialising in producing zero waste.
"Through Dinner is Scrapped, we’re taking food that people often overlook and proving it can be delicious, and have a nature-positive impact," said production company WaterBear's Poppy Mason-Watts.
The eight-episode show is yet to find a broadcaster, though has been made with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which aims to fight climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
The series looks to "demonstrate the differences that can be achieved by using ingredients which have been grown with nature in mind", according to the foundation's Seb Egerton-Read.
"By rethinking the food on their plate, audiences can take part in and drive the demand for a food system that is better for people, nature and the climate," he added.
Dinner is Scrapped is yet to receive a release date.