There were so many questions I wanted to ask the “nearly naked chef” Hardeep Singh Kohli, like why naked? How naked is nearly? What about hot oil spillages? Does he keep his turban on? And how responsible is Celebrity Masterchef for all this?

Luckily Hardeep is more than happy to chat away because he’s a foodie through and through and has some great stories to tell. All of which leave me desperate to grab a seat at his Chipping Norton show on Saturday. And no, not because I want to see him naked. But because of his passion for food and laughter.

You may have seen the comic at work already on BBC’s Celebrity Masterchef, when the 40-year-old displayed his Asian and European cooking. A TV series and book, Indian Takeaway, then had him travelling and cooking his way around Asia. And food has taken over his life ever since.

So is he watching the new series of Masterchef? “I can’t, it just makes me maudlin because I wish I was there myself – I enjoyed every second of it and loved the whole experience. Getting past the first round was a victory for me and everything after that was a bonus.”

And, echoing the words of Masterchef presenter John Torode, Hardeep says: “It did change my life. I wouldn’t be talking to you now or doing the tour without Masterchef. It really has had a profound effect on my life and career.”

Hardeep doesn’t plan what he cooks before the Nearly Naked show because the audience has to suggest ingredients by email and he then concocts something in front of them on the night. “I’m not a stand-up comic. I tell stories, share experiences and cook. I was brought up listening to raconteurs like Peter Ustinov, who would have you hanging on to his every word without having to deliver a laugh a minute.

“And let’s face it, we all need a bit of warmth in our lives. And it seems to work. For me it’s just a joy to be doing the show for people who give up their Friday and Saturday nights to come and spend it with me. I can’t even persuade members of my own family to do that. But the comedy angle isn’t how bad my food is,” he giggles.

There you have it, the combo of cookery skills mixed in with jokes and anecdotes that are Hardeep’s trademark.

“Besides, if you have an inquisitive mind, cook well and smell nice you will never be short of female company, and you will always have friends, even if you are terribly boring,” he teases. “There is just something very intimate about food. It’s what’s important.”

OK, OK, so Hardeep likes food. But when the tour’s over what then? Plans for the future include teaching at a cookery school in Scotland and opening a restaurant next year. “My problem is that I’ve always got too many things going on. Which is why I did actually cook naked once, but that’s another story. And until now people didn’t know what box to put me in. For me it was like saying you can only listen to R and B or jazz, but now I’m going to focus on the food.”

And the naked angle? “Well, when we took the show to Edinburgh we needed to put posters up that caught the eye and I thought a carefully placed frying pan might work,” he laughs. “It’s a bit silly, but at least it shows that I don’t take myself too seriously.”

So what does he wear then? “A kilt and a T-shirt.” And a turban? “Of course”.