Prue Leith and Dr Rupy Aujla to inspire us to Cook Clever and Waste Less on Channel 4

25 March 2021

Two of Britain’s best loved cooks, Prue Leith and Dr Rupy Aujla, are going to transform the cooking and food shopping habits of four British families in Channel 4’s Cook Clever, Waste Less with Prue & Rupy.

The four-part series from BBC Studios’ Science Unit, brought to you by Hellmann’s, will offer viewers at home inspiration to shake up their mealtimes and tackle their Food Waste. Food Waste in the UK is a massive problem not many are aware of, with the equivalent of 1 in 6 shopping bags or 1 in 8 prepared meals going to the bin from households across the nation. With most of this waste destined for landfill or incineration, Food Waste remains one of the biggest challenges we face globally. If Food Waste was a country, it would be the third biggest GHG (Green House Gas) emission source after China and the US.  

With some top tips and expert advice, we can change our habits and revolutionise how we consume food for the better. Cook Clever, Waste Less with Prue & Rupy shows how we can help our pockets and the planet by being more creative and thoughtful about the food we buy and consume.  Series sponsor, Hellmann’s, are on a mission to inspire and enable British households to make great taste and less waste and with this series they aim to highlight the simple ways we can all make a difference, in our kitchens and beyond. 

The series showcases the journey of four typical British families from Food Wasters to Waste Warriors. Each week the cooks will team up with a different family to understand how food is wasted in their respective households, and to teach them recipes for easy-to-make, delicious meals using store cupboard staples and budget-friendly meal planning. The goal is to help the families – and viewers at home –take action to save money AND the planet by reducing their Food Waste. Each episode champions masterful meal planning as well as tips and tricks to make simple and gorgeous food every day of the week. 

Prue Leith said, “I’ve been a fan of Rupy Aujla, the doctor who believes that food is medicine, for years. So, to do a programme with him, helping people cook from scratch and save money, has been a real pleasure.”

Dr Rupy Aujla comments, “I'm super proud to have been part of a show alongside Prue teaching families from all backgrounds the simple steps toward wasting less food, saving money and improving their health. We could all do with wasting less, and instead of simply highlighting the problem, I believe that by creating a joyful and exciting programme full of tips and recipes we also motivate and inspire people watching at home. It was a privilege to work with the studio on this project and the wider team, and I believe we can enact real cultural change to our health and environmental wellbeing one delicious plate at a time. It really is possible to waste less, save money, eat better and improve your health!"

Deborah Dunnett, Commissioning Editor for Features & Daytime at Channel 4 said, “When it comes to leftovers, Prue Leith is the absolute queen. I’m thrilled that she and the superlative Dr Rupy are pairing up to bring us amazing recipes that not only help you save money, but also help save the planet.”

Fikerte Woldegiorgis, Marketing Director, Foods Unilever UKI, said, "At Hellmann’s, we believe food is simply too good to waste. We are proud to be part of the team bringing ‘Cook Clever, Waste Less with Prue & Rupy’ to TV’s across the UK. Through this show we hope to spark awareness and conversation on Food Waste, and on the role each of us can play in tackling this enormous environmental problem. We hope it will shine the light on Food Waste similar to the positive action on plastic waste we have seen in recent years.”

Paul Overton, Executive Producer added, “The series is packed full of genius food facts, big reveals about our most wasted foods, and top tips and recipes to make use of leftovers.  Food expert, Prue Leith, and founder of The Doctor’s Kitchen, Dr Rupy, make a brilliant pairing to deliver these useful facts and hacks that audiences can take home to help reduce the amount of food that we waste.” 

Cook Clever, Waste Less with Prue & Rupy was commissioned for Channel 4 by Deborah Dunnett, Commissioning Editor for Features & Daytime. It is produced by BBC Studios’ Science Unit, in partnership with Hellmann’s. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios is Paul Overton. The series producer for BBC Studios is Eileen Inkson. 

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

Lesley Land, lland@channel4.co.uk 0207 306 8597

About the Science Unit, BBC Studios Production

The BBC Studios Science Unit produces a plethora of bold and trail-blazing content with an unmatched network of experts and access to some of the world’s most advanced scientific institutions. From blue-chip landmark series to drama-documentary and popular consumer health programming, we use quality journalism, innovation, and pioneering technology to make complex scientific ideas accessible to truth-seeking audiences across the globe. Known for high production values and visual flair, the Science Unit supplies content to a range of broadcasters and platforms across the UK, US and Europe, including the BBC, C4, C5, ZDF, PBS, Discovery Science, Netflix and YouTube. Recent output includes YouTube’s The Edge of Science, the multi award-winning science strand Horizon, landmark series The Planets, the critically acclaimed 8 Days: To the Moon and Back, and established series like The Sky at Night, The Truth About… and Stargazing Live.

BBC Studios, a global content company with British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group. Award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, including factual, drama, entertainment and comedy. BBC Studios has offices in 22 markets globally, including six production bases in the UK and production bases and partnerships in a further nine countries around the world. The company, which makes around 2,500 hours of content a year, is a champion for British creativity around the world and a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector.