Crazy Delicious judges, host and all about Channel 4’s new food competition

Crazy Delicious is the brand new magical food competition coming to Channel 4 and Netflix.

Who are the judges, host and just what is it all about? Here’s all you need to know.

The new six-part series is presented by comedian and foodie Jayde Adams.

The show is described as an “innovative and imaginative food competition” and is filmed on the world’s first edible set.

“In a culture where many British families eat the same meals every week, this show aims to inspire viewers to turn everyday dishes into Crazy Delicious creations,” say Channel 4.

Crazy Delicious judges

Acclaimed chefs Heston Blumenthal, Carla Hall and Niklas Ekstedt to take on the roles of ‘Food Gods’ in the series.The trio sit amongst the clouds and judge which ingenious cook will reign victorious and be awarded the golden apple.

Each week, three passionate and inventive cooks work magic with commonplace ingredients, such as the humble carrot, some of which they will pick, pluck and snip from an enchanted garden on the stunning Crazy Delicious set which also contains edible blossom, chocolate soil, and a drinkable babbling brook.

Inspired by the vibrant and viral world of #foodporn, the competition challenges the cooks to create dishes that are both a taste sensation and a feast for the eyes. Host Jayde Adams oversees the garden, speaking to the competitors about their recipes as they go about making their extraordinary culinary innovations.

Together, the gods judge the concept, visual appeal and taste of each dish, with their complement of expertise combining to choose their favourite creation.

Heston Blumenthal said: “In Crazy Delicious we’re asking for dishes that not only taste great but are also visually spectacular, emotionally powerful and nostalgic so it’s incredibly tough! They say fortune favours the brave and to be truly creative requires bravery and a willingness to fail big time. The cooks in Crazy Delicious were certainly fearless.

“I’ve spent my career trying to perfect these kinds of dishes and I know from experience that creativity and perfection do not always sit comfortably together. I was amazed at how ambitious some of the cooks were.

“During the judging process, Carla, Niklas and I got to try some spectacular looking dishes that provoked different emotions and memories for each of us, which made making a final decision even more difficult at times!”

Carla Hall added: “Being a part of Crazy Delicious has been such a joy, especially working with Heston and Niklas. We have been given some truly delicious dishes to try and, at times, we’ve had our minds blown. I think the viewers are going to be really impressed by the crazy twists on those meals we’re all so used to making on a daily basis.”

And Niklas Ekstedt said: “I loved being part of Crazy Delicious, it’s such a spectacular production. I’ve been so impressed by the dishes we’ve seen and tasted, particularly with how the cooks were able to infuse flavours and techniques from a variety of cuisines. I didn’t really expect that from British cooking.”

Host Jayde Adams revealed: “This show is like nothing you’ve seen before, from the incredible, edible set to the crazy and delicious meals created by our cooks. I love food and working with real-life food gods Heston, Carla and Niklas has been brilliant, I’ve learnt so much as well as being able to try so much wonderful food.

“I said to the universe a year ago that I wanted to host a food show and here it is! I feel like one of the luckiest women in the world. I cannot wait for you all to see it.”

In tonight’s first episode, junk food genius Adam, foraging queen Hannah and king of cakes Hardeep take on three challenges. Their first task is to showcase their skills by elevating the humble strawberry to new heights, before pushing their imaginations to the limit to turn an everyday dish – the hot dog – into something extraordinary.

Every bite matters as one cook must be sent home before round three. But the cooks don’t make the decision easy for the Food Gods, cooking up crazy creations, from strawberry cheesecake chicken wings to hot dog profiteroles.

The remaining two contestants then have four hours to produce their unique take on a popular feast, which this time is a birthday spread fit for the Gods. Who will wow the Gods enough to win this week’s golden apple?

Crazy Delicious airs on Channel 4 from Tuesday nights at 8PM on January 21 and is also available online via All4 in the UK.

Crazy Delicious will be on Netflix worldwide (excluding UK), in early 2020.