Nigella Lawson returns to television in new cookery show The Taste

Team Nigella, be warned. There are two judges out to rival her charisma...

Channel 4's 'The Taste': Judges Ludo Lefebvre, Nigella Lawson and Anthony Bourdain (Channel 4)

Team Nigella has more reason to celebrate – the Domestic Goddess is back on the box.

Already whipped into a state of devotion by her court appearances, her fan club will be rooting for the queen of cookery porn once more in tonight’s first episode of The Taste.

But the programme, which has been adapted from its American format, is no ordinary Nigella Lawson cookery show and no ordinary cookery competition.

The contestants may come from the ranks of professional chefs or enthusiastic home cooks, but all will be judged, sight unseen, on the flavour of a single spoonful.

Our Nigella is joined on the judging panel Anthony Bourdain and Ludo Lefebvre, two equally prestigious cooks who are not as well-known in the UK as they are in America.

Nigella Lawson serves as a judge on new Channel 4 food programme 'The Taste' (Channel 4)

Bourdain is the punk-rock New York food writer who used to send busboys out to pick up his heroin from Alphabet City back in his early 80s cheffing days, and he hasn’t lost his edge yet.

Ludo Lefebvre, however, is the show’s uncontested diva. He stomps and sulks his way through every professional chef stereotype. “He’s French,” explains Nigella. “He’s very French...He’s very, very French”. You can say that again, Nige.

Tense, flamboyant, and blessed with two more judges who both equal Nigella in charisma, it’s already obvious The Taste will be delicious - and from just this single spoonful!

Channel 4's 'The Taste': Judges Ludo Lefebvre, Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson (Channel 4 Television)

The Taste airs tonight, Tuesday 7 January, at 9pm on Channel 4