Faraaz Noor on the food in the Traitors castle, his mum's curry and jam on scrambled eggs

Good Food

Faraaz Noor, a finalist from The Traitors Series 4, joins Samuel Goldsmid to discuss his life after reality television. The conversation tra

Key takeaways

Faraaz Noor admitted to eating four plates of lasagna during a single night in The Traitors castle.
His food reviewing career began spontaneously with low-quality mobile recordings in Barcelona and Manchester.
He is currently training for professional wrestling, which involves physical impacts like being 'booted in the chest'.
Faraaz defends his controversial culinary habit of eating jam on scrambled eggs.
The guest highlights how Pakistani culture and family traditions, specifically his mother's palak chicken, shaped his love for food.

Main topics

Life after The Traitors
Professional wrestling training
Food reviewing and social media

Notable quotes

I eat when I'm bored. I eat when I'm stressed.

Conclusion

An engaging look at how personal identity and cultural roots manifest

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:07) Welcome to the Good Food Podcast with me, Samuel Goldsmith. My guest today spent four weeks on national television trying to convince 22 strangers he wasn't lying to them. And it turns out he wasn't. Faraznor was a faithful on The Traitors, Series 4. He's been incredibly busy since the show, including as a food reviewer under the handle at Faraznor Eats. We're going to be talking the new series of celebrity traitors and who he'd cast as a faithful or traitor. his restaurant reviews and the professional wrestling career he's apparently now training for. If you enjoy this one, follow the show so you never miss an episode. And if you've got the time, a review genuinely helps us reach more people. For as nor welcome to the good food podcast. I'd love to know what you had for dinner last night What Speaker 1 (0:50) did F? Oh, you know what? I made some air fried potatoes my mom marinated some chicken fillets as well So I've got them out the fridge. So for them air fried potatoes couple of eggs Some on then in the pan actually in the pan. I put some butter beans in a bit of tin tomatoes Speaker 1 (1:09) some pepper and some spinach. Got that all a bit seasoned up in there with some dhal seasoning. Very nice. Speaker 2 (1:14) So marinated chicken, potatoes, beans, there's a lot of protein. Speaker 1 (1:19) Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have to get your fix in, don't you? A couple of eggs, Speaker 2 (1:22) a Speaker 1 (1:22) couple of fried eggs on top as well, just to add a bit more. That feels like you're going to the gym a lot. I'm trying, I'm trying, Sam. Do you know what I mean? 2026, I have to try and look after myself. Speaker 2 (1:31) Well, you're a wrestler now, so... You need it. Speaker 1 (1:34) I have to feel myself up. Do you know what I mean? For me to get bad, for me to get bad and be open, throwing her across the ring and stuff. I need to be fueled. Speaker 2 (1:41) What did you ever think after traitors, you'd be in the ring? Speaker 1 (1:45) No, no, honestly off it. I remember when like the message came, I was like, Oh, I'll happily get involved in stuff. And they were like, Oh, do you actually want to get involved? I was like, Yeah, can do. Can do. And then they were like, give me the ideas and stuff. I thought I'd just be sitting there and maybe get free tickets or something. Yeah. And they were like, oh no, do you want to like do a match and stuff? I'm like, yeah, go on then. Wow. Speaker 2 (2:05) Is it quite hard? Like obviously it's like physical. Yeah. But you haven't like choreographed it Speaker 1 (2:12) before or Speaker 2 (2:13) it is all choreographed? Speaker 1 (2:14) No. So it's like, you'll sort of work on little stuff, like little moments in the match that you want to happen. You'll make sure they happen in the match. But like, Other times you just sort of call it on the fly and stuff. Speaker 2 (2:25) Like whispering in their ear. Yeah, yeah. Like, punch me in the face. Yeah, Speaker 1 (2:28) so most of the time it's just me. A lot of the stuff happens, like, where I've been booted in the chest and I didn't even know it was going to happen. And the lads after is like, oh, yeah, I probably should have told you, but, like, we just needed it for the crowd. I'm like, yeah, nice one. Nice one. And Speaker 2 (2:41) that Speaker 1 (2:41) hurts, I guess. No, yeah, it does hurt. You know what hurts? It's Speaker 2 (2:44) like Speaker 1 (2:44) gravity is gravity, isn't it? Especially when you're falling. It's always going to hurt. And it's like when you're running the ropes, you feel it on your back and stuff. Wow. That you are sore for a couple of days after. Speaker 2 (2:53) And we're coming around to Celebrity Traitors time. And obviously you are, you're a faithful, not a traitor. Speaker 1 (2:58) That's Speaker 2 (2:59) not, I feel like it's not a spoiler because it was last year. Speaker 1 (3:01) Yeah, yeah. But Speaker 2 (3:01) do you, do you get fed up of talking about the traitors or is it? Speaker 1 (3:04) No, to be fair, you have your days. No, most of the time, I can't really complain, can I? Do you know what I mean? I get to do fun stuff off the back of it and that. So it'd probably be a bit in spite if I didn't want to talk about it. You'd just come on and Speaker 2 (3:14) be Speaker 1 (3:14) like, Speaker 2 (3:14) I'm not talking about that. Speaker 1 (3:15) Yeah, imagine. I don't think I get too many gigs after that and stuff. Speaker 2 (3:19) But you're... How did it all come about, like the whole experience for Speaker 1 (3:23) you? Oh, so I was a big fan of the show. So I remember obviously watching from the first season. And to be honest, I feel a bit sorry for that first season cast because you can tell they have no clue what's Speaker 2 (3:33) going on. Speaker 1 (3:34) It's like proper chaos, isn't it? And they Speaker 2 (3:36) kicked a couple of people off at the beginning, didn't they? And so then in the next series, everyone was like, oh, they'll come back because a couple of people got kicked off. Yeah, yeah. And then they came Speaker 1 (3:43) back as well, didn't they? And then the series, I think... it was two and all three as well when they came off of the train and then only like one of them came back on it so imagine like you've gone through all that process and you're going kicked Speaker 2 (3:56) out immediately yeah Speaker 1 (3:57) literally like you don't even get you're just in a cage for about half an hour yeah not ideal that was Speaker 2 (4:02) where um is it alexander yeah yeah yeah he got i feel like it's not his name no alexander yeah alexander got saved didn't he yeah Speaker 1 (4:10) yeah he got saved how Speaker 2 (4:11) would you have felt if you'd have got that gone through the whole process and then got kicked off and then never to return. Speaker 1 (4:18) No, but what I don't understand, right, is like, you've gone through that process. Why are you getting off the train in the first place? Do Speaker 2 (4:25) you Speaker 1 (4:25) know Speaker 2 (4:25) what Speaker 1 (4:25) I mean? I Speaker 2 (4:25) see Speaker 1 (4:25) why you give, yeah, because they Speaker 2 (4:27) want to look like a faithful. They want to look like they're trustworthy. But Speaker 1 (4:31) it's not even started yet. Speaker 2 (4:32) Yeah, fair. They haven't even been Speaker 1 (4:33) picked yet, do you know what I mean? I'm like, I've drafted to Speaker 2 (4:36) get here, I don't Speaker 1 (4:36) want to stay Speaker 2 (4:37) here, do you know what I mean? Like, I am not moving. Yeah, you're Speaker 1 (4:39) not taking me off the train. But also, obviously, and you... I was a massive fan and then you watch it at home and you think like you have convos with your mates and that. It's like office talk innit. I think Speaker 2 (4:49) I'd Speaker 1 (4:49) be good at that. I think I'd Speaker 2 (4:50) be Speaker 1 (4:50) good at that. And I thought, I might as well just apply. So obviously I applied and then the rest is history innit, I got on. And Speaker 2 (4:57) did you kind of know all along that you wanted to be a faithful? Because Speaker 1 (5:01) you didn't ask to be a traitor. No, so they didn't show it, but I wanted to be a traitor. Oh, you did? Yeah, I wanted to be a traitor. To be fair, I think everyone did except from Jade. Really? And then she Speaker 2 (5:11) ended up being one. No, she was a faithful. I Speaker 1 (5:13) know she Speaker 2 (5:13) was faithful, wasn't she? Yeah, it Speaker 1 (5:14) was faithful and got like... She was the Speaker 2 (5:16) really bad faithful that thought all the faithfuls were traitors. Yeah, yeah, Speaker 1 (5:19) she was, bless her. She got a bit of stick as well, but... mostly from me as well to be fair but we'll leave that one there because Speaker 2 (5:27) you you made it right to the end yeah and then I feel like a bit like was it jazz or a series or two before where he just knew at the end he got it yeah yeah you got it yeah you got stabbed in the back Speaker 1 (5:37) yeah I know but what can you do that's Speaker 2 (5:39) a Speaker 1 (5:39) game who remembers Speaker 2 (5:40) Rachel and Stephen anyway Speaker 1 (5:41) nah nah definitely not everyone where Speaker 2 (5:43) are Speaker 1 (5:43) they Speaker 2 (5:43) that Speaker 1 (5:44) is very true um Speaker 2 (5:46) I want to know about the food on the traitors What's it like? I'll Speaker 1 (5:49) tell you what, Sam. That was actually a proper worry beforehand, you know. Because I remember before, like, obviously when I knew it got on, I was going to my mum, like, what if the food's scrap? Like, what if it's no good? And she was like, well, it's tough, innit? Do you know what I mean? And I thought, oh, no, I can't be doing this. And then I went on, and the food's, like, proper nice. Like, it's really, really good. Obviously, your breakfast's your breakfast. Like, you've just got your pastries and your... fruit and eggs and it looks quite big yeah i love Speaker 2 (6:16) it Speaker 1 (6:16) a lot of Speaker 2 (6:17) just salmon just eggs just pastries just like that's a pretty good breakfast no Speaker 1 (6:21) there is a there is a wide selection to be fair i just stuck to the the eggs and fruit me on the morning uh because i thought the pastries sometimes were a bit a bit stale and that you know i mean yeah yeah probably the day before possibly yeah they're just keeping for the duration of the show Speaker 1 (6:36) But the lunches and the dinner were class. And it was like proper help yourself. So like you can just go back to second, third. I remember the lasagna was on one night. That was good. And I think I had four plates of that. Four lasagnas? Yeah, four plates of that, honestly. Wow. But it was, sometimes, you know, you like just stress eating as well because you don't know what's going on. And Speaker 2 (6:56) like a bit bored. Like I said, I've heard you have to wait around quite a bit. So for me, I eat when Speaker 1 (7:00) I'm bored. I eat when I'm stressed. Speaker 2 (7:02) I'd have put on like five stone. Well, Speaker 1 (7:05) to be fair, I think I went in an okay nick and I come out with a bit of a pouch, you know, or something. So I was like, yeah, I've sought this out now. But it was like proper, proper good. But even like, as you say, the fridge is like, the fridge is full of berries and full of like carrots. The fridge was like full of goodness, salmon and egg pots. And I'm thinking like, like Ross and Jack must have loved it, you know what I mean? Yeah. Speaker 2 (7:23) Oh yeah, because they're trainers. Yeah, yeah. But what about like the booze? Because did they like try and ply you with alcohol so that you would... See, that Speaker 1 (7:31) was the thing. Obviously, I don't drink. I don't drink. But yeah, they had alcohol there. And I think for some of them, because obviously they hadn't drank in so long, even after like... one or two glasses, they're feeling it, you know what I mean? But there was others there who were like, who didn't want to drink because they wanted to stay switched on. So there was quite a few of us on the North Seco, which it was my first time having a bit of North Seco. And I didn't mind it. Yeah, it's like quite fruity and bubbly. I didn't really like it at the start. And then I sort of, I necked that many. I thought, oh, not too bad in the end. Speaker 2 (8:02) Do you reckon if you're a traitor, you're less likely to drink? Because I feel like if I was a traitor, maybe I wouldn't. because I might tell people, or I'd speak a bit too loudly to the other traitor. To be fair, Speaker 1 (8:15) mate, that might work in your favour. Alan Carr worked in his favour, didn't it? Yeah, Speaker 2 (8:18) that's Speaker 1 (8:18) true, actually. Do Speaker 2 (8:19) you know what I mean? Speaker 1 (8:19) Seemed half-cut half the time. But yeah, to be fair, that's a good question. I don't know. I reckon it works differently. I'm Speaker 2 (8:25) going to watch them all Speaker 1 (8:25) back. I know, it works different for different people. Speaker 2 (8:27) Oh, and some people will drink because they're nervous and you're, as a traitor, you're probably a bit nervous. Yeah. Speaker 1 (8:31) It's just like, it's like one of them where like your mates, one of your mates had a good night and he's telling you how much I love you. Like you're going the other way. Oh, I'm just, I'm a traitor, but I love you so much, bro. I love you so much. I'm going to kill you tomorrow, but I do love you. Speaker 2 (8:43) When you read the letter tonight, just remember I love you. And so you went, you touched on your, what your, your mum marinated you some chicken. Yeah. And you are Speaker 1 (8:52) a Speaker 2 (8:52) big Speaker 1 (8:53) foodie. Speaker 2 (8:54) Did that come from your mom? Speaker 1 (8:55) Yeah, definitely. It was just family. Like, obviously, I'm Pakistani, and I feel as if, like, part of our culture is food, you know what I mean? It's a massive part of it. So even, like, from my parents, but, like, my grandparents as well, honestly, some of the highlights, like, when I'd go over to my grandparents' house, it would be like, oh. Can't wait for breakfast, can't wait for dinner here. So in the morning, your grandparents, bless them, they just spoil you, don't they? They're like, Speaker 2 (9:19) they Speaker 1 (9:19) proper, proper spoil you. So like sometimes when I go up to my grandparents, she's like, what do you want for breakfast? And I'm like, oh, no. And they're like, no, you're having something. I'm like, all right, okay. So I've like paratha and dal and yogurt, all sorts for breakfast. Then dinner, she's like, what salad do you want? I'm like, oh, can I have... whatever's in us you won't know what you want do you like keema don't you i said yeah i love some keema i love some Speaker 2 (9:37) mince Speaker 1 (9:38) and she went some chicken as well said yeah go on then so i feel as if like it's just sort of that you know what i mean yeah but we all like in my family we all love food so i feel as if it proper stemmed from that it's Speaker 2 (9:48) quite a cultural yeah yeah it's it's very cultural to be in love with food yeah Speaker 1 (9:53) and especially like you get you get things passed down through families and stuff you know what i mean so like my my mom's mom's cooking was unbelievable obviously my dad's mom's cooking Both unbelievable. But my mum's cooking now is like so good. And I feel as if that's probably where it stems from, you know, when you're having home cooked food like that. When it tastes that good, you can't not enjoy food, you know what I mean, when you're having it every day. Does your dad cook? He does, to be fair. He doesn't do it very often. He started cooking in like COVID time. I think he was bored. He shaved his head bald as well. some weird reason didn't oh i think a lot of people did i know yeah but he didn't look great at all i think he was just doing stuff out of boredom so he was like oh i'll just start cooking was he unfair Speaker 2 (10:33) though Speaker 1 (10:34) no yeah no was he i can't even remember i think he was working from home quite a bit to be fair yeah uh but yeah he was just bored yeah so he was doing that and then he thought i'll start cooking so he started making stuff and like it was actually all right like it wasn't good as moms yeah but it Speaker 2 (10:50) was Speaker 1 (10:50) it was really nice but the problem with dad was like He's making like... So like for lockdown, it's as if like you can't leave whatsoever and you have to eat. That's