Hosted by Angela Hartnett and Nick Grimshaw
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett host a conversation with actor Riz Ahmed, who discusses his unique sleep habits, his love for various global cuisines, and his role in the new film Digger. Throughout the episode, the group explores the nuances of food culture, comparing cooking traditions, sharing dislikes such as bean sprouts, and examining the labor-intensive nature of dishes like Iranian fessenjun and South Asian nihari. Ahmed also shares behind-the-scenes stories from working with Tom Cruise and reflects on his childhood fascination with filmmaking.
The episode opens with a brief introduction and product advertisements before the hosts introduce themselves and set the stage for the conversation.
Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett welcome listeners, introduce the upcoming guest Riz Ahmed, and discuss their recent live show at the Royal Opera House.
The conversation shifts to Riz’s food likes and dislikes, highlighting his love for eel and his culinary adventures across different cuisines.
Angela Hartnett explains the culinary importance of vinegar, its varieties, and how it can elevate dishes, especially in Filipino cuisine.
Angela Hartnett walks through the recipe for braised chicken with pickled cucumbers, detailing the marination, cooking process, and pickling technique.
Riz Ahmed shares insights into his acting career, including his experience auditioning for the film 'Digger' and his interactions with Tom Cruise.
The hosts discuss the production of the film 'Digger', Riz’s role, and his memorable moments working with Tom Cruise on set.
The episode wraps up with final thoughts, a teaser for upcoming episodes, and a thank you to listeners.
Ahmed recounts how watching Nightmare on Elm Street as a child left a lasting scar on his perception of horror.
Ahmed shares the playful Scrabble game that led to his marriage proposal to his then‑wife.
Nick and Angela quiz Ahmed on his favorite fast‑food foods, revealing his quirky culinary preferences.
Ahmed talks about his childhood favorite, nihari, and explains why it’s rarely served in restaurants.
Childhood Homemade Action Moviesstory
The guest recalls making home movies as a child, including action scenes where he jumped around the kitchen making explosion noises.
Sleeping Without a Pillowinsight
The guest explains why he stopped sleeping with a pillow after experiencing severe neck stiffness as a teenager, comparing it to a paleo diet for sleep.
Unusual Love for Eelinsight
The guest surprises the hosts by listing eel as one of his favorite foods, specifically in Japanese sushi styles with sweet miso sauces.
Discovering Iranian Fessenjunstory
The guest shares his experience trying Iranian food in Tehran, highlighting fessenjun as a slow-cooked pomegranate stew that balances sweet and sour flavors.
Tom Cruise's On-Set Energystory
The guest shares stories about working with Tom Cruise on Digger, noting his relentless energy, curiosity, and habit of encouraging other actors.
The guest reveals he proposed to his wife using a Scrabble board during a game, tapping into her family's love for the game.
“I think vinegar's important because I think it can cut through so many dishes and it can start and it can really lift a dish.”
“I'm a huge fish fan. I really like cooking. For example, monkfish curry.”
“I was like, that's a wrap.”
“Everything I'm doing in my life is to try and forget that.”
“I love this so much. You were playing Scrabble?”
“I think there's a genuine version of that.”
A fusion of flavours for a man of many roles. Award-winning actor and rapper Riz Ahmed joins us this week, known for his roles in TV shows like the Emmy-winning The Night Of, alongside performances in hit films such as Four Lions, Nightcrawler and Sound of Metal. He also co-wrote and starred in the Oscar-winning The Long Goodbye. From acting in Hollywood blockbusters to screenwriting, Riz can do it all, even sleep without a pillow… but more on that later. Away from the screen, Riz is an inquisitive food lover with a passion for layered flavours and unexpected combinations. It’s a tailor-made opportunity for Angela to cook braised chicken with pickled cucumbers, inspired by the Filipino classic adobo. Paired with a bottle of Familie Mantler Gemischter Satz, selected by the Waitrose wine experts, it makes the perfect backdrop for chats about a childhood surrounded by his mum’s cooking, his firm stance on beansprouts, and his latest role as sous chef to his wife. In our time with Riz, we learn that his love of acting started young, with a childhood spent dreaming up films and acting them out in the kitchen. These days the sets are slightly bigger, and certainly more people helping bring the story to life. He tells Nick and Angela about his new film, Digger, a bold black comedy from Alejandro González Iñárritu about the end of the world. Riz shares what it’s like working alongside co-star Tom Cruise, whose curiosity about everyone around him is as surreal as it is infectious; and, surprisingly, why a day on set with Tom comes with a great deal of clapping. Luckily for Riz, we’re no strangers to a round of applause at Dish. You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube and on Spotify. All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish If you want to get in touch with us about anything at all, contact [email protected] Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions 00:00 - Coming up on Dish… 00:49 - Welcome! 02:29 - Today’s guest & live show predictions 04:14 - Let’s chat vinegar 06:34 - Riz Ahmed is here! 07:17 - No pillow club 10:58 - Cheers! 11:21 - Riz’s food likes 17:15 - Playing the role of sous chef 18:39 - More food likes 22:27 - Riz’s food dislikes 24:40 - Food is served! 28:11 - Food growing up 29:22 - Wine pairing 30:03 - Angela on cooking new cuisines 33:53 - Riz’s new role in Digger! 36:30 - Working with Tom Cruise 42:27 - A long passion for creating 44:06 - Horror films 46:07 - A scrabble love story 47:44 - Fast food quiz 51:05 - End of the show question Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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