Gordon Ramsay is not only perhaps the most famous chef in the world, we can just say
it, he's the most famous chef in the world. That's no simple feat, as there are countless
chefs every year that are attempting to make a move towards Ramsay's international throne.
He's got multiple shows on television in the United States as well as in his native UK,
and he’s had restaurants on every continent outside of Antarctica. For those looking to
take his spot, maybe this list will give them a shot, as we're looking into every book,
documentary and interview he’s given to find the Top Things You May not have known
about Gordon Ramsay... because there has to be a weakness in there, somewhere.
He Loves Fast Food, Especially In-N-Out Burger
While it's no longer on the air, one of the shows that really endeared Gordon Ramsay to
the American TV audience was a show called Kitchen Nightmares, in which Ramsay would attempt
to turn things around for typically filthy and struggling restaurants. Because of that,
and his reputation as a purveyor of fine dining around the world, you might be surprised to
hear that there's really only one thing that Ramsay misses from Los Angeles when he travels
either to New York or back to his native UK and that's the fast food joint In-N-Out Burger.
During an interview a few years ago Ramsay said, "I wish that they were set up in London
because if there's one thing I miss flying out of LA, it's an In-N-Out Burger.” However
one wonders how often he eats there if he really misses it that much. Why don't you
drive through that subscribe button and order up that notification bell so you never miss
a video from Babble Top! Alright, let's move on.
He Uses Canned Meat
For the most part, there's a few ways to quickly get kicked off a Ramsay cooking show, and
that's by either microwaving or getting caught using frozen and canned meats. But in an interview,
Ramsay described a favourite dish to make for his family that includes canned tuna fish.
While the caveat there is that it has to be really high quality canned tuna, it's still
canned tuna nonetheless. Stuff like this adds approachability to the "angry chef" and seems
to balance with that other side of his personality. Although there's probably a clip somewhere
out there of him screaming at someone for serving him cat food because they used canned
tuna, that's neither here nor there.
There’s One Thing Ramsay Won’t Eat
When it comes to how adventurous he is as a chef, Ramsay has stated that "As a chef,
I think my job is to discover as much as I can. You know, anything black or under-seasoned
I find really hard to eat. So I'll eat anything from a beating open heart, live, to a jellied
eel, to beans on toast. I'll eat anything provided it's got seasoning.” But that’s
not quite true: in another interview, Ramsay admitted that there was one thing he just
would not touch: frozen dinners. He explained his rationale: ”It's so easy to prepare
a quick meal using fresh produce, such as a simple stir-fry, but people still resort
to ready meals that all taste exactly the same." If only it were that simple for the
rest of us, you glorious Scottish bastard.
He's Most Proud of a Show You've Never Heard of
Gordon Ramsay is responsible for restaurants that have amassed almost 20 Michelin stars
over the years, and at this point he's been almost as responsible for as many television
shows around the world, either as the host or a producer. In the United States alone
he's had shows like Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen, MasterChef and MasterChef Junior
and he's been even more prolific in the UK. However, none of those shows are what he's
most proud of as a television host, but rather a show that you've most likely never heard
of, at least in the U.S. That honour goes to Sharkbait. Of the show, Ramsay said; "So,
Sharkbait was an amazing documentary where I went off to Taiwan, got on a boat, hijacked
it, and you know, tried to stop finning--shark fins and the decimation of sharks and the
population. So Sharkbait was one of the biggest and most prolific programs I've ever done."
Considering the fact that the sharks are also one of the hardest animals to advocate for,
because movies like Jaws, Deep Blue Sea or Starknado. Work like this is really something
we actually need more of if we want to have sharks a couple generations from now.
He's Worked with the Same Team at his Flagship Restaurant Forever
If you only watch the highlights of or the commercials for his shows then you'll think
of Gordon Ramsay as a chef that has some serious anger control problems. While he's sort of
gotten away from that in recent years, it's still what he's best known for in North America
and other parts of the world that didn't get to know him first in the UK. So, it may surprise
people to learn that he's worked with the same people at his flagship restaurant, the
aptly named Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, where he received (and retained) his first three
Michelin stars since it opened around two-decades ago. In fact, the "Screaming Chef" listed
that as what he was most proud of professionally, stating that he'd been working with "The same
chef and the same maitre d', 18 years later".
He Uses Microwaves in his Kitchens
If you've watched any of Ramsay's shows you'll find this perhaps the most surprising entry
here, as microwaving food in his presence is typically a one-way ticket to the chopping
block. However, Ramsay did state that he does, in fact, use a microwave in his restaurants
from time to time. But Ramsay being Ramsay, he does it his way. What is the one thing
that you're taught never to put in a microwave? Metal, of course, but Ramsay clearly forges
his own path and part of that is apparently ignoring any and all warnings when it comes
to safety and really, it's not that dangerous to do what he does and is actually quite ingenious.
So, what is the one item (or group of items) that he puts in the microwave? Herbs! And
instead of cooking them over butter to get them nice and crispy he actually uses "a plate,
plastic wrap, and then rub a whole basil leaf in just a touch of olive oil and then lay
it on the tinfoil. Press for 45 seconds in the microwave. They come out real crisp!"
Well, of course, they do, because they're being hit with tiny miniature lightning bolts,
but you know, that’s the sort of thing that makes Ramsay a better chef than any of us.
He Doesn't Watch his Own Shows
During an interview with Playboy from 2011, Ramsay asks the interviewer whether or not
he "really comes across that angry" on television when asked about whether or not he's ever
been punched on one of his television shows. Apparently, it was a legitimate question because
Ramsay doesn't watch his own shows. While we live in a world where younger celebrities
are basically forced to be self-obsessed, there are still some older celebs who don't
really like how they look or sound on TV. During the interview, Ramsay said of the decision
not to watch his own shows, "I didn't want to get self-obsessed and start thinking about
putting makeup on and watching the way I walk. "Oh, did I really say that?" F*** it. It is
what it is. I'd rather watch Deadliest Catch or go out for dinner." Lucky for Ramsay, there
are millions of people around the world that do want to watch him on television, and luckily
for us there seems to be hundreds of thousands that want to watch him on YouTube, too!
His Restaurants Have Amassed a Total of 16 Michelin Stars
It may sound like a contradiction but the highest honor a restaurant anywhere in the
world can receive is through a yearly publication created by a tire company. That company is
Michelin (you know, as in the Michelin Man). Michelin is a French-Tire Maker, that wanted
to find a way to encourage people to drive more so they created a review magazine each
year that breaks down restaurants into groups and provides stars for the best restaurants
out there (so people will drive further to check out more restaurants and eventually
need new tires - brilliant plan guys). The record for the most Michelin stars amassed
by one executive chef is 28 by Joel Robuchon, but he better get back to work as Ramsay has
amassed 16 Michelin stars himself. His most famous and signature restaurant, Restaurant
Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea, London has held three separate Michelin stars since it opened
in 2001. It was that restaurant that landed him his first three Michelin stars, as well,
and because of that he was the first/only chefs to ever amass 3 stars (this was back
in 2001). Considering that he broke some of the records at 3, it's looking like no one
in the home of haggis and ... More haggis will ever catch Ramsay when it comes to Michelin
stars or general fame in the restaurant business.
Other Chefs Really Fear Him
If there's another chef out there that's on the same level, internationally, in terms
of celebrity it's the Iron Chef himself, Bobby Flay. One could argue that Flay is perhaps
considered to be the better chef than Ramsay so it may be surprising that a guy who has
built his name by competing against other chefs every week on shows like Iron Chef or
Beat Bobby Flay has refused to actually go up against Ramsay on Iron Chef itself. Answering
a question about which celebrity chef he'd like to go up against on a show like Iron
Chef, Ramsay said that he had been trying to lure Flay into a head to head battle on
Iron Chef for years. Beyond that, he stated that he had approached Flay after a celebrity
tennis tournament and said: “Bobby, let's cut the bullshit and get in the ring. You
and I for 60 minutes, and if you need a ten-minute head start and an extra sous chef, you can
have them, but I'm going to kick your ass.” Flay reportedly said yes but then changed
his mind and had his agent phone, Ramsay, to say that he simply didn't "have the time"
24 hours later. Hm, you smell that? Ah, yes…chicken.
He's a Black Belt in Karate
For a guy that seems to run his mouth as often as Ramsay does, you just know that there are
drunks everywhere who are looking to knock him down a peg or two. Luckily for him, he's
a big guy at 6’2". But beyond that, he also knows how to handle himself in a fight. During
an interview, Ramsay discussed whether or not someone has ever taken a swing at him
on the show, and let people know exactly how ready for a fight he is: "There was a situation
years back on an early season of Hell’s Kitchen in London. A lady had too much to
drink and was showing off and went to punch me. But no. I have a black belt in karate.
I love boxing. I can look out for myself. Do I want to fight? No. Let’s finish cooking
first. We’ll fight after. Do I really come across that angry?” I think it's safe to
say that, yes, Gordon, you do come off that angry.
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