Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster: Guz Khan

Episode Release Date: January 28, 2026
Podcast Description: Comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster invite special guests into their “magical restaurant” to choose their dream meal—starter, main, side, dessert, and drink—in a feast of laughs, food talk, and wild tangents.

Episode Overview

This episode welcomes comedian and actor Guz Khan—a multi-talented creator best known for his sitcom “Man Like Mobeen” and new show “Guz Khan’s Custom Cars” on Quest. Food, friendship, childhood, culture, cars, and living life “on the edge” all make appearances as Khan constructs his ultimate meal, complete with side orders of unexpected wisdom, infectious laughter, and tales from both his work and family life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Intro and Banter (03:09–06:11)

• Ed and James joke about peanut butter cups as metaphors for the podcast.
• Brief intros for Guz Khan: comedian, actor, and presenter.
• They reference “Science of Home Alone,” a show both Guz and James worked on.
• Guz’s upcoming TV projects are plugged, especially his car show.

Pokemon Cards: Cash, Culture, and Childhood (06:11–13:00)

• Guz’s Surprising Hobby: Guz collects high-value Pokémon cards and discusses the subculture at conventions.
• Money in Play: “Some of these individual slabs...six, seven grand a slab.” (07:54)
• Teaching Kids About Business: He uses Pokémon cards’ fluctuating value to teach his children about profit, loss, and greed.

  “My kids...there’s loads of profit in this. Should we sell it? And they’re like, no, let’s wait till it goes to 50 grand. Greedy little fox.” (12:10)

• Cultural Commentary: Guz jokes about potential "money laundering," reflecting on the intersection of street culture and card trading.
• Parental Fears: Guz is concerned about gambling being promoted to kids via influencers.

Cars, Car Culture, and Financial Regrets (13:00–21:15)

• Ed’s Moldy Ford Focus: Ed describes scrapping his car due to mold—a decision met with Guz's mock horror.

  “For people who do like cars who may be listening, that is sinful, bro. Because that's cash money you've just thrown in.” (16:49)

• Guz’s Car Upbringing: Growing up in poverty made loving cars a distant dream.
• James’s Wrecks: James admits to writing off three cars between 18 and 25.

  “I wrote off three cars.” (19:44)

• Banter about Guz’s new car show and naming conventions.

Culture, Food, and Family (21:15–33:10)

• Pokémon Burners & Two Phones: Running gag about Guz having two phones for different purposes.
• Water Preferences: Guz prefers still water, viewing fizzy as pretentious.

  “Sparkling water feels to me like trying to show off. Because how does water come out?” (22:23)

• Banter with Morgana Robinson about water choices.
• Bread and Sugar: Guz reflects on losing three stone, the hidden sugar in breads, and the role of naan (esp. peshwari naan) in Pakistani food.

  “Bread is bad, but I do love it. Bread is bad, but I love it.” (28:59)

• Late-Night Eating for Comedians: Discusses the unhealthy eating habits developed as touring comedians.

Living Impulsively: Moving to Tokyo? (33:10–37:17)

• Impulsivity as a Virtue: Guz describes his instinct to live boldly—planning to move his family to Tokyo for adventure and cultural experience.

  “Me and my wife need to get a long time. And I was just like, yo, before, it's game over... let's do as much fun stuff as possible.” (35:25)

• Reflection on how quickly time passes (“we were all in Year 11 one minute ago”).
• Discussion of large families, cultural expectations, and global travel.

Food Sharing, Boundaries, and Friendship (44:04–51:03)

• Social Eating: Guz loves communal eating, especially with his children.

  “I think food tastes better when you're chatting and in it.” (45:12)

• Different Attitudes: Ed is possessive about his food; Guz finds spontaneous food sharing a sign of real friendship.

  “I think in my heart I'll be like, we're not really friends. If we're really friends... you’d be able to take food off my plate.” (49:16)

• Anecdotes about eating on tour, sharing food, and even being invited to Eid meals.

Allergen Revelations (55:51–61:00)

• Unexpected Allergies: Guz discovers allergies to pineapple, ginger, hazelnuts, dal (lentils), and milk (except camel milk).

  “I said, mom, you said, I didn't want to eat your doll all them years because my body was repulsed by it. It wasn't me. My body was rejecting your doll.” (57:57)

• Discussed the stigma and challenges of food allergies within cultural/family expectations.

Guz Khan’s Dream Meal

Water (21:14, 67:56)

• Still Water (or plain fluids)
  • Preference for “water as it comes” (23:04).
  • Dabbled with the idea of orange juice or mango lassi, but ultimately chooses water or a traditional Pakistani dessert drink.

Bread (Starter) (26:35–28:59)

• Peshwari Naan
  • Described in detail: naan with desiccated coconut, sultanas, and honey, toasted in tandoor and finished with butter.

  “You chop it in half, put in desiccated coconut, kishmish [sultanas], honey, back in the tandoor, more honey on… Bread is bad, but I do love it.” (28:01)

Starter (42:26)

• Hot Honey Chicken Tenders (with masala fries—Tanzanian mogo chips/cassava sometimes)
  • “Deep fried tenders drizzled in hot honey...in the Middle East, Lebanese style. Tasty, bro, next level.” (42:27)

Main Course (51:03–54:59)

• Tandoor-Style Chicken Shish Kebab, Mutton Chops, Lamb Chops (with Rice)
  • Pakistani/Iranian/Afghani cuisine—juicy, spiced, cooked various ways.
  • Emphasis on authentic prep, flavour, and eating with hands.

  “Those clean, juicy meats in a shish tandoor style with, like, a clean rice… that’s my mains.” (52:57)

Side Dish (62:52–67:53)

• More Fried Chicken
  • Specifically: chicken thighs/wings deep-fried, seasoned (sometimes with Tanzanian spice blends), as an “essential” accompaniment—even if more chicken featured above.
  • “Let’s just call it more fried chicken. That’s what I’m going for… half a chicken, fried…” (66:16)
  • Clarifies he’s sharing all, reflecting communal eating style.

Drink (67:53–70:55)

• Faluda (Traditional Pakistani dessert drink)
  • Creamy, rosewater-based drink with kulfi ice cream and vermicelli noodles.

  “Faluda is ice cream cream. Rose water. It is an unbelievable drink… you get straw with it, you get a spoon as well…” (69:02)

  • Initially says water, then elaborates on this exuberant choice as his “dream” drink.
• Alternately mentions mango lassi, but picks faluda for the dream factor.

Dessert (72:56–74:41)

• French Toast Loaf with Four Homemade Rasmalai (from The Farmhouse, Coventry)
  • French toast loaf: crispy on the outside, pillowy inside, topped with homemade rasmalai.

  “Rasmalai is like a pillow of sweet heaven… he puts the rasmalai on top of the loaf of French toast, as the milk drizzles over... that is the baddest boy dessert I’ve tried in many, many years.” (73:40)

Noteworthy Quotes & Moments

• On food sharing and friendship: “If we’re really friends, you’d be able to take food off my plate… but it works vice versa.” – Guz Khan (49:16)
• On unhealthy eating habits: “You want something? You know what I mean? This is what I found myself in, the sticky situation.” – Guz Khan (31:55)
• On impulsive living: “Me and my wife need to get a long time...[before] it’s game over. Let’s do as much fun stuff as possible.” – Guz Khan (35:25)
• On food allergies: “My body was rejecting your dhal… Allergic to milk as well, but not camel milk.” – Guz Khan (57:57, 59:41)
• On Peshwari naan: “Bread is bad, but I love it.” (28:59)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:09 – Show intro, Guz’s background and new projects
• 06:11 – Pokemon card culture, money, and parenting
• 13:00 – Cars, scrapping Ed’s car, Guz’s motoring show
• 21:14 – Water “as it comes”, still vs sparkling
• 26:35 – Bread: Peshwari naan and sugar in diets
• 31:44 – Late-night eating and health as comedians
• 33:10 – Impulsive living: Tokyo plans, children, “edge” of life
• 42:26 – Starters: Hot honey tenders and mogo fries
• 51:03 – Dream main: tandoori dishes, rice, methods
• 55:51 – Allergens: lentils, milk, pineapple, Ferrero Rocher, camel milk
• 62:52 – Side dish(s): more fried chicken
• 67:53 – Drink: Faluda, mango lassi, plain water
• 72:56 – Dessert: French toast loaf with rasmalai
• 77:03 – Menu recap, closing laughs, invitations, social plans

Tone and Style

• The tone is warm, frank, and irreverent—lots of affectionate ribbing, deep laughter, “mate” camaraderie, and food-driven nostalgia.
• Guz Khan is both candid and thoughtful, blending serious insights with cheeky asides.
• Ed and James infuse the chat with their signature surreal asides and lively banter.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a joyous celebration of food, family, and impulsive adventures. Guz Khan brings both comedy and authenticity, building a menu rich in culture, texture, and heart—while exploring how what we eat, how we share it, and how we live is never just about the food. As James summarized: “That could have gone on for hours and hours and hours.” (78:40)

Guz Khan’s Full Off Menu Order

• Drink: Faluda (rose water, kulfi ice cream, vermicelli) (69:02)
• Bread: Peshwari naan (28:01)
• Starter: Hot honey chicken tenders with masala fries/mogo chips (42:27)
• Main: Tandoor-style kebabs—chicken shish, mutton chops, lamb chops with rice (52:57)
• Side: More fried chicken (thighs/wings), with spice blends (66:28)
• Dessert: French toast loaf topped with homemade rasmalai (73:39)

(For all episode details and more menu inspirations, visit Off Menu’s official platforms.)