Off Menu Ep 288: Bridget Christie (Tasting Menu) - Detailed Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster
• Episode: Ep 288: Bridget Christie (Tasting Menu)
• Host/Authors: Ed Gamble & James Acaster
• Release Date: April 16, 2025
• Description: Comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster welcome special guests to their magical restaurant, where guests choose their favorite starter, main course, side dish, dessert, and drink. In this episode, Bridget Christie returns as a guest, tasting the menu of former guest Nick Muhammad.

1. Introduction and Format Explanation (00:53 - 06:00)

Ed Gamble and James Acaster introduce the episode's unique format, where a past guest—Bridget Christie—is invited back to the "Dream Restaurant." However, instead of getting her dream meal, Bridget is served the tasting menu of a former guest, Nick Muhammad.

• Ed Gamble (03:19): "We’ve got a secret special guest... Bridget Christie, one of our absolute favorites."
• James Acaster (03:51): "A legendary. Very excited to have Bridget back."

The hosts explain that this tasting menu approach allows guests to experience the culinary preferences of others, sparking fresh discussions and reactions.

2. Guest Arrival and Restaurant Tour (05:55 - 07:00)

Bridget Christie arrives and begins a tour of the recording space, commenting on the room's aesthetics and layout.

• Bridget Christie (06:07): "It’s smaller in here. Are people seeing this?"
• Ed Gamble (06:11): "We’re filming it a little bit, but they won't see the whole episode."

The conversation touches on previous recordings, the addition of new physical structures in the room, and Bridget's observations about the podcast environment.

3. Bridget’s Personal Health Anecdote (07:00 - 16:00)

Bridget shares a recent personal health scare, discussing a severe kidney stone experience and her ongoing struggle with a mysterious hernia-like condition.

• Bridget Christie (09:06): "I thought my guts had exploded two weeks ago... It was a kidney stone."
• James Acaster (12:25): "That’s how he worded it. That’s how he worded it."
• Bridget Christie (13:07): "I don't think I want this to go out."

Bridget humorously narrates her interactions with her doctor, using puns and wordplay around her condition, making light of an otherwise painful situation. This segment highlights Bridget's candidness and comedic flair even in discussing personal discomforts.

4. The Tasting Menu: Course by Course (16:00 - 57:18)

a. Drink Course (26:03 - 29:58)

Bridget is served Nick Muhammad's drink choice: still water with ice and orange and mango Robinsons squash.

• Bridget Christie (26:08): "I think he’s fantastic... Does he know that he's giving me stuff?"
• James Acaster (26:38): "So, we’re gonna present you with the menu of a former guest. That is what you’ll be having... and you can just give us your opinion on each course as we go along."

Bridget expresses her aversion to squash, preferring plain water or a glass of wine instead.

• Bridget Christie (27:37): "I’ve got no drink, but I’ve got a popper Dom with stuff."

b. Starter: Tortilla Lasagna (33:25 - 37:14)

The starter dish, Tortilla Lasagna, consists of layered tortilla chips with chili and cheese, resembling loaded nachos more than traditional lasagna.

• Bridget Christie (33:30): "Why have you made it smaller?"
• James Acaster (37:05): "Tortilla lasagna, from what I remember is a layer of nachos or a layer of tortilla chips."

Bridget recounts a past dating experience involving a similar dish, highlighting her disdain for unorthodox food combinations.

• Bridget Christie (34:00): "He made me this guy who was a really nice guy. ... I didn’t like it."

c. Main Course: Christmas Dinner Roast (37:14 - 43:52)

The main course features Nick’s Christmas dinner roast, including lamb, gravy, Yorkshire pudding, stuffed vine leaves, and others.

• Bridget Christie (40:14): "I’ve never eaten meat, except in France... I will not have lamb and gravy."
• James Acaster (42:50): "But we'll bring it out."

Bridget criticizes the assortment of dishes, particularly raw onions and sloppy stuffing, expressing her discomfort with the presentation and taste.

• Bridget Christie (42:27): "Horrible short penises."
• James Acaster (44:38): "This is one of our worst menus ever."

d. Dessert: Chocolate Fondant with Terry’s Chocolate Orange (56:24 - 58:53)

The dessert combines a chocolate fondant with pieces of Terry’s Chocolate Orange embedded within.

• Bridget Christie (56:35): "I don’t need the Terry’s in a chocolate fondant dessert."
• James Acaster (57:48): "Chocolate fondant with a Terry’s chocolate orange in the middle."

Bridget appreciates natural and simple ingredients but dislikes the forced combination in the dessert.

• Bridget Christie (58:22): "I like natural things... less is more."

5. Bridget’s Feedback and Reactions (29:00 - 62:05)

Throughout the tasting, Bridget provides candid and humorous feedback on each course, often expressing disappointment and frustration with the menu's lack of coherence and unappealing combinations.

• Bridget Christie (29:25): "Is this the rule? You can just do whatever you like?"
• Bridget Christie (44:45): "I think the squash might be the thing I might be the most angry about. I’m the takeaway."

Her reactions illustrate the challenge of the episode's format, where the guest must navigate through an intentionally poor menu, leading to comedic tension.

• Bridget Christie (51:14): "This has made me think that maybe it might be good to have a little chat, make sure he's okay."

The hosts, Ed and James, revel in Bridget's animated responses, finding humor in her critiques and the absurdity of the menu choices.

• James Acaster (64:47): "I really hope... I was laughing for most of that."
• Ed Gamble (65:00): "At one point, she was just staring me out."

6. Host Reflections and Closing (62:05 - End)

As the tasting concludes, Bridget expresses her overall dissatisfaction with the meal, feeling unfulfilled and let down despite her initial excitement.

• Bridget Christie (62:57): "I feel like, really let down."
• Ed Gamble (63:12): "About what would you like to enthuse now?"

The hosts acknowledge the experimental format's impact, noting Bridget's strong reactions as both humorous and entertaining.

• James Acaster (64:47): "I really hope... I was laughing for most of that."
• Ed Gamble (65:00): "At one point, she was just staring me out."

They wrap up by promoting the upcoming live tasting menus at the Royal Albert Hall, encouraging listeners to attend future episodes in person.

• James Acaster (65:50): "If people want to see the tasting menus live... The Royal Albert Hall. Does that sound like an okay venue to you?"
• Ed Gamble (66:14): "Tickets available now offmenupodcast.co.uk."

Bridget thanks her hosts for the experience, and the episode concludes with lighthearted banter about the evening's events.

• Bridget Christie (64:22): "Oh, thank you so much for having me."
• James Acaster (66:18): "Bye, bye, bye."

Notable Quotes:

• Bridget Christie:

  • "I thought my guts had exploded two weeks ago... It was a kidney stone." [09:06]
  • "This is one of our worst menus ever." [51:27]
  • "I have to say I've been so looking forward to today and I feel like, really let down." [62:57]

• James Acaster:

  • "Tortilla lasagna, from what I remember is a layer of nachos or a layer of tortilla chips." [36:38]
  • "I real hope... I was laughing for most of that." [64:47]

• Ed Gamble:

  • "We've accidentally tricked you. So I don't think it's technically." [40:56]
  • "At one point, she was just staring me out." [65:00]

Conclusion

In this episode of "Off Menu," Bridget Christie navigates the challenging and intentionally flawed tasting menu crafted from Nick Muhammad's preferences. Her honest and humorous critiques highlight the podcast's inventive format, blending comedy with genuine reactions to unconventional culinary choices. The episode underscores the hosts' commitment to creating engaging and entertaining content, inviting listeners to experience more of these unique interactions in future episodes and live events.