The Best Dishes Ever: Everything you need to know about Ainsley Harriott's BBC show

He'll be bringing us a selection of the best classic recipes

Ainsley Harriott is back to our screens with BBC2 show The Best Dishes Ever, where he'll be introducing a selection of classic recipes by some of our best-loved celeb chefs.

If you've missed Ainsley's larger-than-life personality, then you're in for a treat. The funny celeb TV chef is back on BBC2 and we can't wait to see him whip up some delicious dishes again.

In his show, The Best Dishes Ever, Ainsley will be making some of the best classic recipes from the BBC archives, created by the likes of Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, Nigella Lawson, Nigel Slater and even some of his own recipes.

What recipes will Ainsley Harriott be making on The Best Dishes Ever?

Each episode of The Best Dishes Ever will have a theme, and Ainsley will dig deep into the BBC archives to find the best recipes to create the perfect menu for the chosen occasion.

The first episode of the series will be dedicated to picnics, and Ainsley will be relying on recipes by Paul Hollywood and James Martin to create the best picnic menu - think pork pies with quail eggs, an impressive sandwich, and mustard, bacon and onion tarts.

We can't wait to see Ainsley cooking again!

Other episodes in the series will be dedicated to prepping your meals in advance, thanks to the likes of The Hairy Bikers; speedy cooking with the help of Nigella Lawson's sausage meatballs; and easy but delicious recipes like Mary Berry's butterfly cakes.

Ainsley will also be whipping up some of his own recipes, like this chicken pasta with peas

Who is Ainsley Harriott?

Ainsley became one of the most beloved TV chefs in the UK after presenting the hit cooking show Ready, Steady, Cook.

He trained as a chef at 16, but ventured into show business by touring Europe as part of a musical duo, The Calypso Twins. This propelled his music career, but Ainsley returned to his first love - cooking - and resumed his career as a chef at top hotels to gain more experience.

In 1995, he became the resident chef on Good Morning with Anne and Nick and he also presented the programme Can't Cook, Won't Cook. He later became the presenter of Ready, Steady, Cook in 2000 and has since presented several cooking shows including Ainsley's Barbecue Bible, Ainsley's Meals in Minutes, Ainsley's Big Cook Out and Ainsley's Gourmet Express. He was also a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 2015.

Ainsley was a contestant on Strictly in 2015

When will The Best Dishes Ever air?

The first of the 20 episodes of The Best Dishes Ever with Ainsley Harriott airs Sunday 18th June on BBC 2, at 1pm.

Will you be watching Ainsley Harriott's show? Let us know in the comments if you'll be tuning into The Best Dishes Ever!

Jessica Dady
Food Editor

Jessica Dady is Food Editor at GoodtoKnow and has over 11 years of experience as a digital editor, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the must-buy seasonal food hampers and advent calendars for Christmas to the family-friendly air fryers that’ll make dinner time a breeze, Jessica loves trying and testing various food products to find the best of the best for the busy parents among us. Over the years of working with GoodtoKnow, Jessica has had the privilege of working alongside Future’s Test Kitchen to create exclusive videos - as well as writing, testing, and shooting her own recipes. When she’s not embracing the great outdoors with her family at the weekends, Jessica enjoys baking up a storm in the kitchen with her favourite bakes being chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and a tray of gooey chocolate brownies