Batch From Scratch

01 — Project details

Lidl collaborated with celebrity presenter Joe Swash and batch-cooking expert Suzanne Mulholland (known as The Batch Lady) to create the TV series Batch From Scratch: Cooking For Less, a partnership with Channel 4 aimed at helping families save time and money in the kitchen.

In the show, Joe and Suzanne visit real households across the UK to teach practical batch-cooking techniques: planning menus, preparing and freezing meals in larger quantities, and stretching weekly budgets with smart shopping, often based around Lidl’s affordable range.

Lidl’s involvement went beyond sponsorship — the series was developed in partnership with the supermarket, aligning Joe’s and Suzanne’s expert advice with Lidl’s message of quality at low prices to empower viewers to cook nutritious, cost-effective meals and reduce food waste.

02 — Creative process

For Batch From Scratch: Cooking For Less (Channel 4 x Lidl), I led the art direction across all food content and oversaw every scene filmed in-store, shaping a visual style that balanced authenticity with strong appetite appeal.

My approach focused on making budget-friendly meals feel genuinely desirable while staying true to how real families cook — using natural light, tactile textures, and lived-in kitchen details to keep the food relatable rather than overly styled. In the supermarket sequences, I guided visual storytelling through composition, colour and camera flow, heroing freshness, value and choice while keeping the environment warm and familiar.

The result was a cohesive visual world that supported the programme’s mission: practical, affordable cooking presented with credibility, warmth and feel-good energy.

03 — Results

Over six episodes, the project delivered a strong, cohesive visual identity that helped translate the show’s practical message into something engaging and emotionally resonant for viewers.

The food felt achievable yet appetising, reinforcing the series’ focus on confidence, value and real-life cooking, while the in-store scenes elevated the Lidl environment as a destination for quality and smart shopping.

The visual consistency across editorial and retail settings strengthened the partnership’s credibility, supporting the programme’s aim to inspire families to cook more affordably, reduce waste and feel empowered in the kitchen — proving that budget-conscious food content can still feel warm, premium and editorially compelling.

Across its first run Batch From Scratch: Cooking for Less reached a wide UK audience, with Channel 4 reporting that the series was viewed by around 5.1 million people across broadcast and big-screen streaming within the 28 days after transmission — a strong indicator of sustained interest beyond the initial airings and a solid performance for a lifestyle/food show of its format and scale.