Ixta Belfrage

Ixta Belfrage

Author: Plosive March 25, 2026 Duration: 1:19:51

Award-winning cook and food writer Ixta Belfrage – author of ‘Mezcla’ and new book ‘FUSÃO’ – is this week’s Dream Restaurant guest. Did someone mention Prawn Lasagne?


Ixta Belfrage’s new book ‘FUSÃO’ is out now - buy it here.

Her previous book ‘Mezcla’ is available here.

Follow Ixta on Instagram @ixta.belfrage


Watch the video version of this episode on the Off Menu YouTube on Thu 26 Mar.


Off Menu is now on YouTube: @offmenupodcast

Follow Off Menu on Instagram and TikTok: @offmenuofficial.

And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.


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 Ben Williams and Megan McCarthy for Plosive.

Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design).


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Imagine a restaurant where the only thing on the menu is a person’s perfect meal, served with a generous side of unpredictable conversation. That’s the premise of Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster. Each episode, the two comedians welcome a new guest into their fictional dining room to meticulously select their ideal dishes, from a dream starter right through to a fantasy drink. The resulting discussions are far more than just food talk; they become deeply personal, often hilarious journeys into memory, culture, and guilty pleasures. You’ll hear stories sparked by a childhood dessert or a life-changing bowl of pasta, all while Ed and James play the roles of absurdly invested waiters, probing and debating every choice. This podcast, produced by Plosive, thrives on the chemistry between its hosts-their comedic bickering and genuine curiosity turn a simple concept into something consistently surprising. It’s a format that reveals as much about the guest’s personality as their palate, making for conversations that are warmly nostalgic one moment and utterly ridiculous the next. Tuning in feels like pulling up a chair at the most entertaining table in the place, where the menu is limitless and the rules are made up as they go along.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster
Podcast Episodes
Rhys James [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:19
Top stand-up, ‘Mock the Week’ regular and Ed’s unofficial little brother, Rhys James is this week’s guest diner. And he’s invented a dessert.Rhys James’s book ‘You’ll Like It When You Get There: A Life Lived Reluctantly’…
Nina Conti [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:20
Award-winning comedian and ventriloquist Nina Conti is in the Dream Restaurant this week. And Ed and James do their usual monkeying around.Nina Conti is on tour now with ‘Whose Face Is It Anyway?’. For dates are tickets…
Mawaan Rizwan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:51
Mawaan Rizwan – ‘Taskmaster’ runner-runner-up and Bafta-winning star and creator of BBC Three’s ‘Juice’ – is this week’s diner, and he has an easy-to-follow recipe for English food. Trigger warning: this episode contains…
Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:28
The Divine Comedy frontman Neil Hannon has a table booked at the Dream Restaurant this week. Something for the weekend.The Divine Comedy’s new album ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ is released on Fri 19 Sep. Pre-order is here.…
Marian Keyes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:31
Internationally bestselling Irish author Marian Keyes – co-host of Radio 4’s ‘Now You’re Asking’ – is this week’s dream diner. And she’s got some supportive words for Ed and James.Trigger warning: this episode contains t…
Will Sharpe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:41
Bafta-award winning actor and writer Will Sharpe – star of ‘The White Lotus’, ‘A Real Pain’ and Lena Dunham’s new show ‘Too Much’ – is our guest diner this week. But Ed’s annoyed Will didn’t give him a warning…Will Sharp…
Jonny Pelham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:09
Superb stand-up and ‘Live at the Apollo’ star Jonny Pelham is this week’s guest diner. And, of course, we ask him about his gang-member past… Jonny Pelham is currently performing at the Edinburgh Fringe with his new show…
Stevie Martin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:29
‘Taskmaster’ alumnus, Nobody Panic podcaster and multimedia stand-up Stevie Martin has a reservation this week. But can she pick a side dish? Stevie Martin is on tour with her show ‘Clout’. For dates and tickets go to st…
Sharon Wanjohi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:49
Fast-rising stand-up Sharon Wanjohi joins us in the Dream Restaurant this week. But, uh oh, she’s scraped her knee! Sharon Wanjohi is at the Edinburgh Fringe until the 24th August with her debut show ‘In The House’. For…
Ben Schwartz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:30
Actor-comedian – star of ‘Parks and Rec’, ‘The Afterparty’ and voice of Sonic the Hedgehog – Ben Schwartz has a table booked this week. Plus we have a few guest callers.Ben Schwartz soon stars in ‘DNA’ and ‘Mike & Nick &…