Sunday Ehigiator
Nigerian cooking competition show, Delicious or Disaster, is set to return for its third season on September 25, with 40 contestants competing for a total prize pool of N10 million.
The 10-episode season, hosted and produced by Tolani Tayo-Osikoya, popularly known as Chef T, will see contestants compete for N1 million in each episode, with new episodes airing every Friday at 6pm.
The third season was unveiled on at a press conference held recently, and attended by stakeholders in Nigeria’s culinary and creative industries, including the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ruth Abisola Olusanya.
Unlike conventional cooking competitions where contestants compete through several rounds before a final winner emerges, Delicious or Disaster will produce a winner in each episode, with the successful contestant taking home N1 million.
Speaking on the new season, Chef T said the show had grown significantly from its modest beginnings, with the latest edition featuring a purpose-built studio, a new set and support from multiple sponsors.
“For season three, we went all out. We got a studio space. We built a set from scratch. We then got sponsors. They didn’t see the finished work; they saw the vision and they bought into the vision,” she said.
Chef T disclosed that the organisers received more than 500 entries for the new season before selecting 40 contestants.
She said the contestants would include mothers, fathers, young adults, professional chefs and food enthusiasts, in an effort to make the competition relatable to families and viewers across different age groups.
Beyond the competition, she said the show would continue to spotlight Nigerian food culture, with local ingredients and dishes taking centre stage.
According to her, previous episodes had introduced audiences to ingredients such as ogiri, efo and tamarind, while demonstrating how they could be used creatively in different meals.
The chef also recounted the programme’s production journey, noting that the first season was filmed in a two-bedroom apartment and largely funded by her.
She said the second season subsequently moved to a bigger house, before the production secured a dedicated studio for the third season.
With the latest edition attracting multiple sponsors, Chef T said the development reflected growing interest in Nigerian food entertainment and the programme.
Meanwhile, Olusanya said the growth of locally produced cooking programmes could help expand Nigeria’s culinary industry while creating new opportunities for young people.
The commissioner said the food industry extended beyond farming and markets, stressing that the culinary sector played an important role in transforming agricultural produce into meals, experiences and economic opportunities.
“Food and food systems doesn’t end at the market. It starts with the farmers, not even with the farmers. It starts with the researchers, goes to the farmers. You have the aggregators, your logistics providers, your processors.
“You have your market distribution network. But the food must still get into your kitchen. It must get into your restaurants. It must get into your hotels,” she said.
Olusanya described Delicious or Disaster as one of the platforms helping to promote the culinary industry while exposing young Nigerians to career opportunities within the sector.
She also linked the growth of Nigeria’s culinary scene to tourism, noting that food experiences could form part of what attracts members of the diaspora and other visitors to Lagos.
Comedian and judge, Folagbade Mama Deola, who has featured on the show across its three seasons, said the programme could also help strengthen Nigeria’s food and creative content industries.
“This is the first of its kind in Nigeria. So, if we can see something like this in Nigeria, it’s like from Africans for Africans. It’s beautiful to see, and I think it’s going to inspire a lot of aspiring food content creators to get better at what they do and aspire to do something like this too,” she said.
Mama Deola added that the audition process for the new season had been more rigorous, with organisers seeking contestants capable of matching the competitive demands of the show.
Chef T also disclosed that the judging process had been further structured for the new season, with judges receiving clearer guidelines on how they would interact with contestants while maintaining the competitive energy of the programme.
With 40 contestants, 10 episodes and N1 million at stake in every episode, the third season of Delicious or Disaster is set to bring another round of culinary battles to Nigerian television and digital audiences from September 25.