''Posh Nosh'' is a 2003 BBC television programme that
parodies
A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...
television
chefs; the title and outline are references to a cooking show pilot pitched by
Neil Hamilton and
Christine Hamilton. Written by
Jon Canter
Jon Canter is an English television comedy writer for Lenny Henry and other leading comedians. Canter was born and brought up in the Jewish community of Golders Green, North London and studied law at the University of Cambridge, where he became P ...
and
Arabella Weir
Arabella Weir (born 6 December 1957) is a Scottish comedian, actress and writer. She played roles in the comedy series '' The Fast Show'' and '' Posh Nosh'', and has written several books, including ''Does My Bum Look Big in This?'' Weir has al ...
from an idea by Weir, and directed and script edited by
Chris Langham
Christopher Langham (born 14 April 1949) is an English writer, actor, and comedian. He is known for playing the cabinet minister Hugh Abbot in the BBC sitcom '' The Thick of It'', and as presenter Roy Mallard in '' People Like Us'', first on B ...
, the programme stars
Arabella Weir
Arabella Weir (born 6 December 1957) is a Scottish comedian, actress and writer. She played roles in the comedy series '' The Fast Show'' and '' Posh Nosh'', and has written several books, including ''Does My Bum Look Big in This?'' Weir has al ...
and
Richard E. Grant as chefs the Hon. Simon and Minty Marchmont, owners of a very posh restaurant called the Quill & Tassel. There were eight nine-minute episodes, in which the chefs carry out their mission to bring extraordinary food to ordinary people.
Simon and Minty prepare various dishes ranging from
''architect's'' fish and chips to
bread ''and'' butter pudding, offering snooty and frequently surreal commentary along the way. For instance, they employ words in odd ways in parody of specific culinary terminology, such as ''interrogate'' a lemon; and their cooked vegetables are not peeled but ''embarrassed'', after which they might be ''annoyed'' instead of boiled. They also frequently insist on ultra-specific, often prohibitively expensive, or non-existent ingredients, such as Greek currants that you actually have to fly to Greece to buy or ''organic'' salt.
At the same time, a thread of increasing domestic tension (and often hostility) runs beneath the surface of every exchange between Simon and Minty, like Simon frequently rolling his eyes at Minty's malapropisms or Simon sarcastically commenting on Minty's cooking skills, along with some not-so-subtle hints about Simon's repressed sexual orientation. The couple illustrate aspects of the British class divide, with Minty as a middle-class social climber who married Simon for his status. She constantly brags about her high station in life, while also seeming to run the Quill and Tassel's kitchens single-handed. A running joke in the series is Simon's crush on his tennis instructor José Luis (
David Tennant
David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show ''Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...
). José Luis dies before episode eight, and Simon and Minty cook a meal to remember him in this episode. At the dinner, Simon is introduced to a new tennis coach, also played by David Tennant. Both Marchmonts are obsessed with their dog, Sam, going so far as to throw a birthday party (complete with other dog guests) for him. The birthday cake prepared for the party contains huge amounts of chocolate,
which can make dogs extremely sick—a rather macabre joke.
The common use of websites in television programmes is often spoofed as well, with items such as www.sexmexavocado.com and www.arthurleggbourkersfarmnearbanbury.co.uk appearing as subtitles on screen.
Finally, each episode concludes with teaser for the next episode and a short ''faux'' promotional piece for a jar of something from the Posh Nosh range at your local purveyor of all foods fine and extraordinary. Each item on offer is progressively more ridiculous. For example, here is the close from the episode about architect's fish and chips (as distinct from ''builder's'' fish and chips):
*Minty: Join us next week on ''Posh Nosh'', when I'll be disabling a partridge in its own ''jus''.
*(closing theme as the credits slide by, right to left, very quickly)
*(pause at the end of the third line)
*Promo: From the ''Posh Nosh'' range, dried
John Dory
John Dory, St Pierre or Peter's fish, refers to fish of the genus ''Zeus'', especially ''Zeus faber'', of widespread distribution. It is an edible demersal coastal marine fish with a laterally compressed olive-yellow body which has a large dark ...
thins in basil aioli.
*(last line of closing theme)
The voiceover for these promotionals is performed by
Joanna Lumley
Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley (born 1 May 1946) is an English actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (1992 ...
.
Theme song
The arty and refined opening and closing theme for ''Posh Nosh'' is taken from the traditional Scottish ballad "
The Raggle Taggle Gypsies", in a 1956 recording by countertenor
Alfred Deller
Alfred George Deller, CBE (31 May 1912 – 16 July 1979), was an English singer and one of the main figures in popularising the return of the countertenor voice in Renaissance and Baroque music during the 20th century.
He is sometimes referr ...
to guitar accompaniment by
Desmond Dupré. It uses the following verses from the ballad:
Opening theme:
''What care I for my house and my land?''
''What care I for my treasure, O?''
''What care I for my new-wedded lord,''
''I’m off with the raggle taggle gipsies, O!''
Closing theme:
''What care I for a goose feather bed''
''With the sheet turned down so bravely, O?''
''For tonight I shall sleep in a cold open field,''
''
aux promo for ''Posh Nosh'' range product inserted here'
''Along with the raggle taggle gipsies, O!''
Episodes
# "Architect's Fish and Chips"
# "Birthday Parties"
# "Paella"
# "Beautiful Food"
# "Bread and Butter Pudding"
# "Leftovers"
# "Sauces"
# "Comfort Food"
# "Grilled Sole"
External links
Spoof's in the Pudding€” an article from ''TV'' magazine
* {{IMDb title, 0352091
''Posh Nosh'' websiteFeatures various video clips and recipes.
BBC Television shows
2000s British comedy television series
2003 British television series endings
2003 British television series debuts